Sassy C W the first stakes winner for Freshman sire Yaupon
June 5, 2025
Grade 1 winner Yaupon got his first stakes winner as a sire Thursday at Saratoga when Sassy C W scored by three lengths in front-running style in the $150,000 Astoria S.
The 2-year-old filly is undefeated in two starts and has earned $124,500 for owners Patricia’s Hope LLC and Carolyn Wilson.
Named a TDN Rising Star following her April 30th debut at Churchill Downs, where she won by 5 ¼-lengths in a hand ride, Sassy C W was made the favorite the 5 ½-furlong Astoria. She came out of the gate in fourth, then just in a matter of strides sprinted to the front to lead by two lengths after a quarter-mile. Speeding through a half-mile in :45.41, the bay filly had a commanding three-length lead and retained that margin to win wrapped up.
“She breaks so fast that [jockey Jareth Loveberry] said the ground just broke out from underneath her,” said winning trainer Larry Rivelli. “I thought she’d be three in front as soon as they opened the gate. She’s a pretty special filly. I was expecting her to do it, and she did, but when you’re 2-5 it’s always something anxious. We’ll be selective about her spots. Hopefully we can keep her winning, but this was a big race for her. She’s got a lot of talent, a lot of class.”
Sassy C W was bred in Kentucky by Harun Kahraman and sold to Wilson for $375,000 at the 2025 OBS March 2-year-old sale. Sassy C W is out of Sassy Miss Sue, whose siblings include Grade 1 winner Tiz Miz Sue and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Bulletin.
Yaupon, a son of leading sire Uncle Mo, won the Forego S. (G1) at four and Saratoga’s Amsterdam S. (G3) at three. After covering an average of 213 mares in his first three seasons, Yaupon is standing in 2025 for $25,000 live foal.