Ce Ce tunes up for BC Filly and Mare Sprint with Chillingworth win
ARCADIA, Calif. - With a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint secured in the summer, Ce Ce had a successful trial in Sunday’s Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Ce Ce ($2.40) stalked a duel between 46-1 Eyes Open and 7-2 Scotish Star before taking the lead with a wide rally in the stretch. Ce Ce was confidently ridden throughout the race and won by five lengths, finishing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16 and getting a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
“It was what I was hoping for,” Espinoza said. “It was perfect. I thought if two went in front that would be ideal.”
On Deck, a 31-1 outsider who was claimed for $25,000 at Del Mar on Aug. 15, closed from fourth in a small field to finish second, a neck in front of Scotish Star. Proud Emma and Eyes Open completed the order of finish.
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Ce Ce earned a berth to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 6 by winning the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park on July 3. In her only start between the Princess Rooney and the $100,000 Chillingworth, Ce Ce finished third to division leader Gamine in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 28.
“I thought she was doing well enough to do it in the fashion she did it,” winning trainer Michael McCarthy said.
Gamine, trained by Bob Baffert, was held out of the Chillingworth and will have her next start in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
Ce Ce, owned and bred by Bo Hirsch, has won 7 of 15 starts and has earned $1,233,100. The Chillingworth was her fourth stakes win.
Zero Tolerance wins Unzip Me
Zero Tolerance won her stakes debut in Sunday’s $82,000 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.
Making her third start, Zero Tolerance ($7.80) closed from sixth in a field of seven to win by a length over 11-1 Carpe Fortuna, who led in the stretch. Burgoo Alley, the 8-5 favorite, finished third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths.
Flavien Prat rode Zero Tolerance, who was timed in 1:11.67 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 89.
Zero Tolerance won a maiden special weight at six furlongs on dirt at Del Mar on Aug. 20 in her second start.
By Mizzen Mast, Zero Tolerance races for the partnership of Custom Truck Accessories, Jason Hall, Joe Kelly, and Michael Riordan.