Getting Sassy
With the Breeders’ Cup just virtually days away, let’s try to pad that bankroll by scrutinizing the 6-furlong $125,000 Sweet and Sassy Stakes at Delaware this Saturday.
Remember, there is no time like the present to hone the handicapping skills and try to add to the cash that can be wagered at Churchill early next month.
For fillies and mares three years old and up, a short field will try to outgun each other so let’s take a look from the rail out.
Veuve is a serious horse, as only serious animals are in the money in every single start. She has fired in all 5 races this year and was in kind of tough last time on the cut back in her first stakes appearance.
This Cindy Jones trainee has several things in her favor. She has the speed to flee the rail, has a right to have a very useful career as half sister Mazella won a stakes and nearly $300,000 and she was hung wide last time but still ran respectively.
On top of that the last race came back live as the 8th finisher took a N1X in Philly next out, the 9th finisher won a $70,000 Belmont stakes, the 5th finisher was 2nd a head in a $96,000 stakes at Monmouth and the winner won by over 8 lengths at the shore next out in a $94K stakes with a 98 Beyer figure.
That’s a lot of positives.
If Not for Lust just doesn’t have that killer instinct with 9 slices and only 2 wins to her credit. She dances every dance, but dances slowly.
Love That Dance looms the one to deny. She made the lead between calls last time as the eventual winner took advantage of a speed duel and nipped Dance late. The filly can flash :44 and change speed if in the mood or track horses and still win. She handles any kind of going, has been either first or 2nd in her last 4 starts and was wide every step when the beaten chalk last time.
Versatility a nice option to have in this sport.
Jehan debuts for Todd Pletcher after being handled by West Coast trainer Mike Mitchell. Freshened since August, she is proven off the pine and could sit a nice stalk and pounce trip this time.
Mindy Sue took awhile to figure it out but she is going great guns now. She broke her stakes maiden 4 back in a $50,000 event here and she did it in game style. This miss appears to be feeling her oats too with a best of 38 bullet workout on the tab earlier in the month.
Sea Wind completes the cast but she appears to be overmatched. She tried to win routing off a layoff last time, something not easy to do and may be best with another race or two under her belt.
The visualization of the race goes something like this.
Elvis Trujillo will utilize Love That Dance’s velocity to make the lead. Mindy Sue, Jehan and maybe Veuve will be in hot pursuit while the other pair will track and hope the race falls apart.
At the top of the lane it will be quite evident that Elvis has not left the building as he lets out a notch and lets Dance open up with Mindy Sue, Veuve and Jehan fighting it in the trifecta.
Not easy to get value in a small field, but one could do worse than key Love That Dance on top with a couple of the others and try to hit a vertical gimmick.
Good luck.
