R Sassy Lass Tops OBS Racing Card Tuesday
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The 26th annual Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s "Day of Champions" races will be run Jan. 27 in Ocala, Fla.
This year's renewal marks the second time the festive day of racing at the Ocala Training Center will be held prior to the OBS winter mixed sale, which is Jan. 28-29. The four stakes races, for 3-year-olds who have gone through the ring at an OBS auction, carry purses totaling $300,000. Pari-mutuel wagering will be offered on the program's first two races, an allowance contest for Quarter Horses at 440 yards and the $50,000 OBS Sprint stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.
Florida-bred R Sassy Lass is the 5-2 morning line favorite in the filly division of the OBS Sprint Stakes, which kicks off the Thoroughbred portion of the program. The stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed daughter of Exclusive Quality was bred by Brent and Crystal Fernung and is owned by Averill Racing and Silver Oak Stable. Jose Lezcano is slated to ride for trainer Kirk Ziadie.
R Sassy Lass captured the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in December and most recently finished second in the Old Hat Stakes (gr.III) at Gulfstream Park. She has finished off the board just once in five starts and has earned $106,055.
Listed at odds of 3-1 on the morning line, Lady Shipman enters the race off of two sparkling wins for trainer Kathleen O'Connell. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Midshipman broke her maiden at five furlongs on the turf at Gulfstream Park West last year, winning as she pleased by 11 1/4 lengths. She followed that impressive score with another facile victory Jan. 1, running away from nine foes to win a five-furlong turf dash by 4 1/4 lengths across town at Gulfstream Park. Jockey Eduardo Nunez will sport the colors of Ranlo Investments.
The most accomplished runner in the colt and gelding division of the $50,000 OBS Sprint Stakes is stakes winner Less Than Perfect. The Florida-bred colt by Pleasantly Perfect won the Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes at Presque Isle Downs last September and placed third in the Juvenile Turf Stakes at Gulfstream in November. A winner in two of 10 outings, Less Than Perfect boasts earnings of $125,305.
Bred by Aureliano Noguez-Morales, Less Than Perfect will represent strong Ocala family ties in the race. He is owned by Clyde Rice, who is the grandfather of Less Than Perfect's trainer Kevin Rice and jockey Taylor Rice.
Also going postward in the six-furlong test is It's Not Me, winner of last year's Buffalo Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park West and most recently third in the Spectacular Bid Stakes behind the promising Barbados at Gulfstream. Bred by Karen Silva, the gelded son of D'wildcat was supplemented to the race by trainer Jorge Navarro and races for White Wabbit Wacing and Marco Thoroughbred Corp. Edgard Zayas is named to ride.
Graded stakes-placed winner Save Rock and Roll headlines the $100,000 filly division of the OBS Championship Stakes. Bred in Kentucky by MMP Partnership and owned by Leonard Green and Crush Racing Stable, Save Rock and Roll finished third in the Tempted Stakes (gr.III) at 2. The daughter of Super Saver aired in her career debut at Monmouth Park last August, winning a maiden special weight by 4 3/4 lengths and has kept stakes company since. Jockey Joe Bravo has the call for trainer Joe Orseno.
Two fillies have been supplemented to the race. Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out Bortolazzo Stable's Back Flip and Gary Contessa has entered More Than Rainbows for CJP Thoroughbreds, Winning Move Stable, McConnell Racing Stable, and Green. Back Flip will be ridden by Javier Castellano; Paco Lopez will be aboard More Than Rainbows.
Stakes winner Firespike, from the barn of Michael Maker, headlines the colt and gelding division of the $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes. Campaigned by Skychai Racing, Charles and Kevin Warner, and Sand Dollar Stable, Firespike won the Juvenile Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park West as a 2-year-old and has bankrolled $123,259 en route to two wins in six starts. The son of Flower Alley was bred in Florida by Carlos Rafael, Michael Bossio, and Cherie Abner.
Trainer Chad Brown sends out stakes-placed Royal Squeeze for owners James Covello, Thomas Coleman, and Doheny Racing Stable. Second by a nose to Sing Praises in the In Reality division of the Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park last October, the chestnut son of Wildcat Heir is still in search of his initial victory in what will be the fifth start of his career.
The entire card will be streamed live via the OBS website at www.obssales.com, as well as at www.bloodhorse.com/OBS. Post time for the first race is 1 p.m. EST.