NEWS
Thiskyhasnolimit, Sassy Image
shine at Churchill
Posted: Sunday, November 01, 2009 6:44 PM
THISKYHASNOLIMIT
Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
by Mike Curry
Both Thiskyhasnolimit and Sassy Image rebounded from disappointing performances in graded stakes with convincing victories on Sunday during the “Stars of Tomorrow” card featuring 11 races for two-year-olds at Churchill Downs.
Thiskyhasnolimit closed with a sustained rally from the outside to win the $120,800 Iroquois Stakes (G3) (video), and Sassy Image capitalized on a hot pace to strike in the $115,900 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) for fillies (video).
Thiskyhasnolimit was beaten by 12 3/4 lengths while finishing third in the seven-furlong Futurity Stakes (G2) on September 19 at Belmont Park. In his only other previous stakes race, the Sky Mesa colt finished eighth in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special Stakes (G2), but stretching out to a mile and a return to Churchill, where he won a six-furlong maiden race in July, proved the key to success.
Shaun Bridgmohan took Thiskyhasnolimit back to eighth in the ten-horse field while Raging Wit set the tempo through a half-mile in :46.26. Thiskyhasnolimit picked off a few opponents on the turn while racing comfortably and responded eagerly when given his cue, surging to the front near the eighth pole and powering to a one-length win.
Trained by Steve Asmussen for owners Bob and Cathy Zollars and Mark Wagner, Thiskyhasnolimit completed the distance on a track rated as fast in 1:37.36 to win for the second time in five starts. Bred in Kentucky by Stud TNT, Thiskyhasnolimit is out of the Deputy Minister mare Lovely Regina, a half sister to 2006 champion three-year-old male Bernardini.
"He trained extremely well here coming into this race and he put forth the kind of race we were expecting. Obviously, we were extremely disappointed with his previous two starts because we always had high hopes for him,” Asmussen said. “He looks to appreciate the added distance. His next target will be the Kentucky Jockey Club [Stakes (G2)] on closing day [November 28]."
Uh Oh Bango, a stakes winner at Prairie Meadows Racetrack, finished three lengths clear of Soaring Empire for second. Even-money favorite Dublin never fired and finished seventh.
Sassy Image won her second career start with a dominant 5 3/4-length maiden victory in June at Churchill \and subsequently showed her class with a runner-up finish in the Adirondack Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course for trainer Dale Romans and owner Jerry Romans. The Broken Vow filly followed with a fourth-place finish on September 6 at Saratoga in the Spinaway Stakes (G1), which was won by top two-year-old filly Hot Dixie Chick.
Shipped to Kentucky for the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course, Sassy Image never threatened in her first start on a synthetic surface and finished eighth. But the chestnut filly rebounded in a big way at the site of her first career victory.
"It's great to be back on the real stuff and it's great to be back at Churchill Downs,” Dale Romans said. “I think she'll run all day. She outlasted 'em and had the most stamina today, and I just think she'll run even further.”
Robby Albarado, fresh off a leading rider title at the Keeneland Race Course fall meet, reserved 2.10-to-1 favorite Sassy Image in tenth as Vivid Colors drilled an opening quarter in :22.46. Sassy Image moved up a couple of spots as Tiz Miz Sue spurted to the front through a half-mile in a blistering :45.66.
All Due Respect was the first to make her move on the turn and opened a clear lead in early stretch with a bold rally. With plenty of pace to set up her finishing kick, Sassy Image split foes entering the stretch, lengthened her stride, and took aim on All Due Respect. She surged right on by to prevail by two lengths, covering one mile in 1:38.63 for her first career stakes win.
"When she got through on the rail, that was the only anxious moment. Turning for home, it didn't look like it was going to open up,” Jerry Romans said. “Robby [Albarado] said she felt like a different horse back here on her home track.”
Sassy Image will be pointed to the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) on closing day, following the Churchill path that launched superstar filly Rachel Alexandra’s nine-race winning streak.
Debutante Stakes (G3) winner Decelerator finished willingly to edge All Due Respect by a head for second.
Bred in Kentucky by J C Davis Farm, Sassy Image is out of the Hennessy mare Ideal Image. She improved to two wins in six starts and boosted her bankroll to $147,512 with the $66,828 winner’s share.
For Equibase charts, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
