Sassy Image makes turf bow in Sweetest Chant

Last updated: 1/14/10 7:03 PM

Sassy Image was too good for her stakes rivals under the Twin Spires
(EquiSport Photos)

SASSY IMAGE (Broken Vow) closed out her juvenile campaign last fall with
back-to-back victories in the Pocahontas S. (G3) and Golden Rod S. (G2) at
Churchill Downs while CHECK THE LABEL (Stormin Fever) was last seen finishing
second in the Caressing S. over the Churchill turf. The two talented fillies
make their three-year-old debuts Sunday at Gulfstream Park in a field of seven
going one mile on turf in the

Sweetest Chant S. Jockey Robby Albarado will be in town for a return call on
Sassy Image for trainer Dale Romans and Julien Leparoux will be aboard Check the
Label for trainer Graham Motion.

Sassy Image will make her turf bow in the Sweetest Chant while toting the top
weight of 120 pounds. She showed promise early on, breaking her maiden at second
asking at Churchill in the spring and finishing second in the Adirondack S. (G2)
at Saratoga. The chestnut miss ran fourth and eighth, respectively, in the Spinaway S. (G1) and Alcibiades S. (G1), but returned to her winning ways when
taking the Pocahontas by two lengths and the Golden Rod by 3 3/4 lengths last
out on November 28.

Check the Label also took just two tries to break her maiden, but the bay
miss got the job done on the turf at Colonial Downs in mid-July. She hit her
best stride at Churchill in November, winning an allowance and finishing a good
second in the Caressing on November. 28, the same day Sassy Image won the Golden
Rod.

DANCING RAGE (Sligo Bay [Ire]) was among the leaders of her division on turf
at Calder last season for trainer Manny Azpurua and will be a threat Sunday with
jockey Luis Arango to ride. The bay filly finished a game second in the John
Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 14 and rallied for a head victory last
out in an allowance on December 23. She’ll be competing outside the Miami track
for the first time when she goes in the Sweetest Chant.

Another Calder developed filly who could attract support is LUCKY LASS (Red
Bullet) with Cornelio Velasquez getting the call for trainer Bill White. The
chestnut miss won both of her starts going two turns on turf after a dull debut
sprinting on the main track. An intriguing prospect will be RISKY RACHEL (Limehouse)
with Jeremy Rose to ride for trainer Tim McKinsey. The bay will make her first
start on turf and first around two turns after breaking her maiden last out at
Aqueduct by 14 3/4 lengths on December 27 going six furlongs over a muddy track.

Completing the field for the Sweetest Chant are BLACKWELL (Came Home), who
was third behind Dancing Rage last out, and STRIKE IT RICH (Unbridled’s Song), a
4 1/4-length maiden turf winner on November 22 at Calder.