Ce Ce possible for Apple Blossom, trainer says
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bo Hirsch and trainer Michael McCarthy have decisions to make with Ce Ce, the reigning champion female sprinter who won around two turns Saturday in the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri at Oaklawn Park.
The Azeri serves as the final local steppingstone to the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom on April 23 at Oaklawn. Ce Ce won the race in 2020, and again will be considered for the 1 1/16-mile handicap, McCarthy said Sunday.
“She goes back to California on Tuesday and we’ll kind of come up with a gameplan,” McCarthy said. “Obviously, we’ll take a long hard look at the Apple Blossom.”
If she goes, the Apple Blossom could be a face-off between a pair of reigning champions. Letruska, who won the Eclipse Award as older dirt female of 2021, has been targeting the race, her trainer, Fausto Gutierrez, told Daily Racing Form in February. Last year, Letruska won the Apple Blossom over champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver.
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McCarthy said Sunday he was pleased with how Ce Ce emerged from the Azeri, a race she won by three-quarters of a length over Pauline’s Pearl. For the effort, Ce Ce earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92.
“All is good with her,” McCarthy said.
Ce Ce focused on one-turn races last year, and her wins included the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November at Del Mar. She was second in the Grade 2 Santa Monica over seven furlongs in her first start of the year Feb. 5 at Santa Anita and was sent to the Azeri in part to get a feel for what direction the versatile mare’s campaign should take in 2022.
Ce Ce stalked the pace in the Azeri and moved to the fore in the stretch. From there, her momentum stalled briefly before she spurted home in front to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:43.55.
“It looked like she lost interest for a second or two,” McCarthy said. “When the other fillies came to her, she picked it back up and went on about her business.
“Solid effort.”
Ce Ce went over $2 million in earnings with the win Saturday. Pauline’s Pearl also hit an earnings milestone, as the $70,000 check she earned for second pushed her career bankroll past $1 million.
Shedaresthedevil, an earner of $2.3 million, was the even-money favorite in the Azeri. The race marked her first start since running sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar. Shedaresthedevil set the pace and fought on through the stretch to finish third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Ce Ce.
“She tried hard,” trainer Brad Cox said Sunday. “She got a good trip. She just got a little tired and we’ll rebound. She did look good this morning. So, we'll see where we land.”
Cox said options are the Apple Blossom and the Grade 1 La Troienne in early May at Churchill Downs. Last year, Shedaresthedevil won the La Troienne and in 2020 she captured the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
“It’s no secret she really, really likes Churchill Downs,” Cox said. “The Apple Blossom is going to be a good race. I think the goal is to get her to the Breeders’ Cup - to have a long year with her and not squeeze on her too much the first part of the year because we want to have a filly all year.
“She’s won three Grade 1s – the goal is to get her in the gate this fall at Keeneland.”
The Breeders’ Cup is being held this year at Keeneland.
Shedaresthedevil is owned by Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited and Whisper Hill Farm.