Ce Ce works toward Santa Maria Stakes

Ce Ce, who has stormed to the front of the older female division with consecutive graded stakes wins at Santa Anita and Oaklawn Park in recent months, is likely to run in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on May 31 at Santa Anita.

Ce Ce worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Sunday at Santa Anita, her second workout since a head victory in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 18 at Oaklawn Park. A 4-year-old filly, Ce Ce won her first stakes in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 14 at Santa Anita.

Owned by Bo Hirsch and trained by Michael McCarthy, Ce Ce has won 4 of 6 starts. McCarthy timed Ce Ce in a slightly quicker 1:00.60 on Sunday.

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The Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland in November is a long-term goal. McCarthy said Sunday that he could ship Ce Ce for a stakes outside of California in advance of the BC Distaff but that he would like to minimize travel.

“We’ll keep our options open,” he said. “We’ve got the race on the 31st. This is the first time I’ve had to manage a campaign around a pandemic.”

California races such as the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar in August and the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita in the autumn are other opportunities in advance of the BC Distaff.