Page 53 - February 2017

SASS ME BLUE si 94, $293,878
Champion Aged Mare
Breeders: Lance Robinson & Max Anderson Owner: Lucky Seven Ranch
Trainer: Michael V. Casselman
Jockeys: Cody Jensen, Rodrigo Aceves
2016 Record: 4-2(1)-1(1)-0, $95,920, Mildred N. Vessels Mem. H.-G1, 2nd Charger Bar H.- G1
Russell and Lisa Stooks had an excellent year in 2016. Their Lucky Seven Ranch was named Champion Owner, and their victories included the Golden State Million Futurity-G1 with homebred Lotta Blues Man. The Stooks earned another trophy when their Sass Me Blue was named the Champion Aged Mare.
“It was a tough year—there were a lot of good older mares,” said Russell Stooks. “So, it’s quite an honor.”
Sass Me Blue collected her first stakes victory in the 2016 Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap-G1 at Los Alamitos. The race grants the winner a berth in the prestigious Champion of Champions-G1, and Sass Me Blue faced a field that included Quirky, the 2015 Champion Aged Mare.
With Cody Jensen aboard, Sass Me Blue battled multiple stakes winner Jess Good Reason. Apollitical Zoom and Quirky also jumped into the fray, resulting in a blanket finish, with two heads and a nose all that separated the quartet. Sass Me Blue emerged triumphant.
“This was a good race for us,” said Russell Stooks. “It’s a sweet win.”
Earlier in the year, Sass Me Blue just missed catching Quirky by a head in the Charger Bar Handicap-G1. She then won an allowance race prior to the Vessels. Mike Casselman trains her for the Stooks.
“We’ve been setting our sights for this for
a while, so I’m glad she had the chance to come through for us,” said Casselman after the Vessels. “She just tries every time.”
Sass Me Blue was the only female to qualify for the 2016 Champion of Champions. She gave a valiant effort to finish sixth.
“She’s a special racehorse, won a Grade 1, was second in a Grade 1, made the Champion of Champions,” said Russell. “She did a good job for us this year.”
Lance Robinson and Max Anderson bred Sass Me Blue in Utah from multiple graded stakes-placed Jess Sass Me. Russell Stooks said that it was 50-50 whether they would retire Sass Me Blue or bring her back in 2017.
“We’re going to get an embryo and then we’re going to decide,” he said.
First Down Dash
Valiant Hero
Corona Chick
Dash For Cash
First Prize Rose
Chicks Beduino
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Gallant Jet Rose Bug Beduino TB
A Classy Chick Sizzle Te Lilsalady TB
Streakin Six Bottom’s Up Sinn Fein Legs La Scoop Holland Ease Corona Chick R. Smith TB Miss Retco
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go To Market Hide And Seek Jet Deck
Leo Jewel
Lady Bug’s Moon Casco Rose Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat Chick’s Deck Mayshego TB Azure Te TB Jet’s Fair Lady Reb’s Policy Here’s To Lil
Easy Six
Miss Assured
Raise Your Glass TB La Jolla
Three Oh’s Vansarita Too Scooper Chick
La Ferne
First Down Dash Easy Henryetta Chicks Beduino Sizzling Lil Seasonal
Marcy Lynx
Retco
Miss Easy Deck
Three Bars Golden Rocket Go Man Go
La Galla Win Market Wise Pretty Does Alibhai Scattered
Moon Deck Miss Night Bar Leo
Linda Jewel
Top Moon
FL Lady Bug Levan
Prissy Hankins Grey Sovereign Romany Belle Rejected
Quick Eye
Three Chicks Decketta Mayhego Aegean Goddess Nashville
Blue One
Jet Deck Sooner Lady New Policy Yenoh Reb Exalted Rullah Jumpin Jackie
Easy Jet
Peggy Toro
Little Request TB Assured
Raise A Native Champagne Woman
St Bar
Top Pretty TB
Three Chicks OhMyOh
Vandy Garrettsmisspawhuska Triple Chick
Scoop Bam Quicksilver King
Nikita
Dash For Cash
First Prize Rose
Easy jet
Babys Henryetta Beduino TB
A Classy Chick
Sizzle Te
Lilsalady TB
Windy City
Samoa Winds
Mount Marcy
Lynx
Top Moon
That’s Right
Easy Jet
Deckee
Sizzling Lil SASS ME BLUE, ‘12, F.
Mr Jess Perry
Jess Sass Me
Sassy Smith
Streakin La Jolla
Scoopie Fein
Corona Cartel
A Special Smith
Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap-G1
SPEEDHORSE, February 2017 51
Los Alamitos