All signs point to Sassy Sarah

CALGARY, Alberta - Sassy Sarah, stakes-placed last year at 3, lands in a very comfortable spot in Saturday's Stampede Park feature, a six-furlong allowance race that attracted just five 4-year-old fillies.

The money condition - nonwinners of a first-place purse of $20,000 since Jan. 1, 2006 - fits Sassy Sarah perfectly. She is the most experienced and accomplished runner in the group, and comes into the race off an impressive allowance win going four furlongs here March 24.

It all looks right for Sassy Sarah, a Florida-bred who was haltered last July by her present connections out of a $40,000 claimer, the highest such level on this circuit.

Sassy Sarah has tactical speed, which she displayed in her seasonal debut, and figures to go off at short odds with rider Real Simard retaining the call from trainer Ron Grieves.

Avenue of Silver and Regal Magi both come into the race off a sharp front-running tally at a half-mile, but they are stepping up in company here.

L'il Trooper and In Bleu Genes, both making their initial start of the campaign, figure to be closing late.

A win for Sassy Sarah would propel her into consideration for upcoming stakes in the filly and mare division and earn back another big piece of her purchase price for Central City Stables and Bar None Ranches Ltd.

* Grieves sends out a very promising first-time starter for the same owners in Saturday's first race in Rosealee, a 3-year-old daughter of Rosetti out of the stakes-winning dam Ispymytie. Rosealee has been turning heads in the morning with a pair of bullet 59.80 five-furlong moves, and will be well supported as part of an entry with Viva Vavoom.