Sassy Sienna, Code West look tough on Remington undercard

Trainer Brad Cox has been looking for an immediate opportunity to get Sassy Sienna back racing around two turns and has found one Sunday in the $100,000 Trapeze at Remington Park.

The Trapeze, a one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies, is part of a closing-day program of six stakes topped by the $400,000 Springboard Mile.

The Trapeze serves as the final leg of an all-stakes pick four that runs on races 9-12 and has a minimum guaranteed pool of $100,000. There is a special first post of 3 p.m. Central.

Sassy Sienna is part of a field of 12 that includes Terra’s Angel, a two-time stakes winner between Del Mar and Retama Park; Rose of Malibu, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Shotgun Gulch; and Cosmic Burst and Stronger Than Ever, both recent allowance winners in Kentucky.

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Sassy Sienna comes off a runner-up finish in a first-level allowance run at a one-turn mile configuration Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs. She set the pace before being overtaken by Miss Mo Mentum, who returned in her next start to win the Hut Hut at Gulfstream by 8 3/4 lengths.

“She ran against what looks like a nice filly,” Cox said. “We’re excited about [Sassy Sienna]. She’s really training well, so we needed to run her somewhere, and I didn’t want to wait for Oaklawn, and Fair Grounds had nothing long. Anything around two turns is good. She’s able to carry her speed around two turns.”

Sassy Sienna tested Grade 1 winners in October and finished fourth in the Alcibiades at Keeneland. Earlier in her career, she was third in the $100,000 P.G. Johnson at Saratoga. Shaun Bridgmohan has the mount for Zayat Stables.

Code West tops Hawk Memorial

Code West on Sunday will be running in the most important race of his career.

“Pretty much,” trainer Boyd Caster said.

The $75,000 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial pays tribute to the son of Leo Hawk and the brother of Bryan and Tim Hawk, who all together form the partnership that races Code West.

“Jeff passed away a couple of months ago,” Caster said. “He was the oldest brother, a really good guy.

“This is a race where five horses on any given day can win. I’d love to win it – just for the Hawks.”

Code West will vie for favoritism in the nine-horse field that includes fellow Grade 3 winner Shotgun Kowboy, who can become a millionaire with a first- or second-place finish Sunday; multiple graded stakes-placed Dazzling Gem; Gulfstream stakes winner Fact Finding; and the win-streaking Whiskey Tree, who is looking for his eighth straight victory. The group of 3-year-olds and up will go one mile and 70 yards.

Code West, a stakes winner in October under regular rider Ramon Vazquez, is in the midst of a strong year and finally shakes Iron Fist. Code West was a troubled fourth to that rival in the Grade 3 Cornhusker in July, then ran second to him in both the $175,000 Governor’s Cup in September at Remington and the $150,000 Zia Park Championship in his last start Nov. 22.

“I thought he ran a fantastic race last time,” Caster said. “Ramon did everything he possibly could to put Code in a position to win. We made the lead, set really slow fractions. We got up to the far turn, past the three-eighths pole, and I just started to see a little bit of separation between us and Iron Fist. I thought, ‘Finally!’ ”

A race to the wire ensued, but Iron Fist ended up 2 1/4 lengths clear, one start after running fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“He got me the final yards,” Caster said. “There’s no shame in losing to Iron Fist. I have to take my hat off to this old horse. He’s staying sound, and we’ve had a lot of fun with him. You can’t ask for any more than that.”

The counterpart for fillies and mares is the $100,000 She’s All In, which also will be run over one mile and 70 yards. Adore should go favored off back-to-back allowance wins, both at two turns at Remington. The chief threats could be Ready to Confess, who gets back to the two-turn distance of some of her best efforts; Babybluesdancing, a three-time stakes winner; and High Fashion Diva, who is seeking to win her sixth straight race.

◗ The stakes action starts in the seventh with the $50,000 Jim Thorpe, a one-mile race for 3-year-olds bred in Oklahoma that drew multiple stakes winner Hallelujah Hit. The $50,000 Useeit is at the same distance for 3-year-old fillies bred in Oklahoma, and top contenders include Okie Diva, Honolulu, and Sunday Night Miss.