Merneith takes second consecutive Santa Monica Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Ce Ce may be a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding female sprinter of 2021, but the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita has belonged to Merneith the last two winters.

For the second consecutive year, Merneith won Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. Ce Ce was second by three lengths in her first start since a win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar last November.

In February 2021, Merneith had her final start of the year in the Santa Monica. This year, winning jockey Edwin Maldonado is hoping the Santa Monica is part of a big 2022 season for the 5-year-old Merneith.

Maldonado rode Merneith for the first time in the 2021 Santa Monica, and in her first start this year, which was a second in the minor Kalookan Queen Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 2.

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Merneith stalked the pace in the Kalookan Queen and was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Edgeway, who was not entered in the Santa Monica. On Saturday, Maldonado had simple instructions from trainer Bob Baffert.

“Bob told me to put her on the lead, and she did the rest,” Maldonado said. “My only worry was to get a good break. After that, I was all smiles.”

Merneith ($7.60) set moderate fractions of 22.39 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.75 for a half-mile, leading by a half-length over 11-1 Park Avenue. Merneith was challenged by 1-2 Ce Ce on the turn, but the favorite could not reach the leader.

“Turning for home, I thought she was a winner,” Maldonado said of Merneith.

Merneith ran seven furlongs in 1:22.39 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 102.

Ce Ce, who was ridden by Victor Espinoza, was last early in a field of five and closed steadily to be second in early stretch.

“I got her in a good spot,” Espinoza said. “She was coming along, but in the middle of the turn it seems like she struggled a bit to get through the track.

“It was her first race back since the Breeder's Cup. I think she still got something from it. Sometimes, a filly like her, it takes a race to get going. The important thing is to get her back and build a foundation. I think she got enough.”

Kalypso, the winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Dec. 26, finished third for Baffert, followed by Park Avenue and Full of Grace.

Merneith, who is by American Pharoah, has won 5 of 12 starts and has earned $493,620 for owner Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Said. The Santa Monica was her third stakes win.

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