Sassy Image strolls home in off-the-turf Sweetest Chant

Jerry Romans' SASSY IMAGE (Broken Vow) was scheduled to make her turf debut

in Sunday's $98,000

Sweetest Chant S. at Gulfstream Park, but rainy weather put an end to those

plans when the one-mile turf test was transferred to the sloppy, sealed, main

track. The switch didn't affect the chestnut filly, though, as she swept through

on the rail rounding the turn and drew off under a hand ride from jockey Robby

Albarado to score her third straight stakes victory by an easy 4 1/2 lengths.

With the scratch of Lucky Lass (Red Bullet) and Dancing Rage (Sligo Bay

[Ire]) from the first two posts, Blackwell (Came Home) broke from the inside and

utilized her position to take command early. Albarado settled Sassy Image just

off the rail and behind as Blackwell proceeded to set splits of :23 2/5, :45 4/5

and 1:10 3/5. Risky Rachel (Limehouse) was running to the outside of Sassy Image

and was the first to go up and challenge the longtime leader, but could never

get by and eventually began backing up.

Sassy Image appeared to come under a ride from Albarado nearing the turn, but

that proved to be an illusion as the three-year-old lass suddenly took advantage

of an opening on the inside and shot through to grab the lead entering the

stretch. As her rivals toiled along behind her, Sassy Image sailed home to

complete the mile test in 1:37 2/5.

Sent off the 3-5 favorite, Sassy Image paid $3.40, $2.60 and $2.10 for her

third consecutive stakes score. Blackwell was best of the rest, 5 1/4 lengths in

front of a rallying Check the Label (Stormin Fever) to return $6.80 and $3.20 at

10-1. Show gave back $2.80 at 5-1, and the exotics totaled $15 (exacta), $40.20

(trifecta) and $102.40 (6-3-5-7 superfecta). Risky Rachel followed by another

three parts of a length, while Strike It Rich (Unbridled's Song) brought up the

rear.

Sassy Image took two tries to break her maiden, but did so in emphatic

fashion at Churchill Downs last June, scoring by 5 3/4 lengths. Trainer Dale

Romans immediately entered her against graded company, and the lass ran second

and fourth, respectively, in the Adirondack S. (G2) and Spinaway S. (G1). She

was a one-paced eighth in the Alcibiades S. (G1) on Keeneland's Polytrack next

out, but showed new life when returning to Churchill Downs in November.

Capturing the Pocahontas S. (G3) by two lengths, the chestnut added a 3

3/4-length victory in the Golden Rod S. (G2) to her line to wrap up her juvenile

season. Now boasting an 8-4-1-1 career mark, Sassy Image has earned $307,684

with the winner's share from this, her sophomore bow.

Bred in Kentucky by J C Davis Farm Inc., Sassy Image was purchased for

$42,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and is out of Ideal Image (Hennessy),

who has since produced a juvenile colt by Roman Ruler and a yearling filly by

Thunder Gulch. Ideal Image is herself a half-sister to 2008 John Henry S. winner

Dynaman (Dynaformer) and 1999 St. Leger S. (Eng-G1) third Adair (Theatrical

[Ire]).

Sassy Image's third dam is 1981 Oak Leaf S. (G1) queen Header Card (Quack).

Others of note in the family include English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1)

runner-up and Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) third Bellotto (Mr. Prospector) as well as

multiple Grade 2-winning sire Intidab (Phone Trick), Grade 2-placed stakes

victor and sire Repriced (Roberto), and Grade 2 queens Top Rung (Seattle Slew)

and Gray Cashmere (Relaunch).