Central Banker’s Sassy Agnes wins Shesastonecoldfox for second FLGR stakes tally

By Sarah Mace

Beach Haven Thoroughbreds’ Sassy Agnes broke her maiden in style on September 8 when she won the lucrative Lady Finger Stakes in her third career start, while giving her first-crop New York sire Central Banker[2] his first stakes winner. The Linda Rice-trained, Belmont-based runner still had some unfinished business at the Farmington oval, however. Shipping in to Finger Lakes on Monday, the chestnut filly scored a decisive victory in the fifth running of the $50,000 Shesastonecoldfox, the track’s final stakes race of the year.

Following the scratch of L.A. Page who had contested the Maid of the Mist Stakes on Empire Showcase Day, a field of five lined up for the Shesastonecoldfox, which, like the Lady Finger Stakes, is a 6-furlong dash for New York-bred juvenile fillies. Party Like Grandma, winner of the Seeking the Ante on Saratoga Showcase Day and the only other stakes winner in the field, emerged as the 4-5 favorite, while Sassy Agnes was sent off as the second choice at odds of 9-5.

Sassy Agnes was quickest out of the gate from her outside post before being guided toward the fence by jockey Oscar Gomez, also aboard for the Lady Finger. Oh Dilly, a second-time starter who had aired in her Finger Lakes debut on September 19 by more than 14 lengths, also got out of the gate alertly from post five and took over the lead at the rail on the backstretch while clocking an opening quarter-mile in 22.40.

Sassy Agnes shadowed Oh Dilly closely and, midway through the far turn, chose her moment to take over. Emerging with a clear lead at the head of the lane, the filly never looked back, cruising home to a 3 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:11.43.

After Oh Dilly tired, Party Like Grandma and Wait a Minute, who had run their own match race throughout in third and fourth, were left to battle it out for second. Wait a Minute, who stalked her way to a two-length victory in her debut three weeks ago at Finger Lakes, won the fight for place, ultimately finishing 1 1/4-lengths ahead of Party Like Grandma in third. Ma Meatloaf and Oh Dilly completed the order of finish. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Bred by Klaravich Stables and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds[4], Sassy Agnes is a graduate of this year’s OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale, where Beach Haven Thoroughbreds made a winning bid of $105,000 after the filly breezed a furlong in :10 seconds flat. She has now earned $113,182 from four starts, which are topped by her two stakes wins.

The filly is the first foal out of Bullish Sentiment, an unraced daughter of Stormy Atlantic out of stakes performer Raffie’s Dream. Bullish Sentiment is also a full sister to Stormy’s Majesty (bred by Majesty Stud, LLC), winner of the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap, three additional stakes races and earner of $336,649.

Bullish Sentiment has produced yearling and weanling full sisters to Sassy Agnes, and the unnamed yearling brought $55,000 at this year’s OBS yearling sale. The mare has been bred this year to Constitution.

Central Banker[5], whose son Bankit also won the Sleepy Hollow Stakes this past weekend, is a Grade 2-winning sprinter by Speightstown out of multiple stakes winner Rhum. Currently fourth on the leading first-crop sire list nationally, his stud fee for the 2018 breeding season, where he stood at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds[6] in Saratoga Springs, was $7,500.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/22/sassy-agnes-shesastonecoldfox/

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