Swift but antisocial Cezanne comes out to play in Palos Verdes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The reclusive and lightly raced Cezanne, a premier sprinter in California if only he started more than once per year, comes out of hiding Saturday at Santa Anita.

Cezanne races six furlongs in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes, his first start since a dazzler last spring in his only start of 2021. Following a 106-Beyer Speed Figure romp in the Grade 3 Kona Gold Stakes, Cezanne disappeared.

The 5-year-old Cezanne has raced only four times, winning three. He will make a rare afternoon appearance Saturday as the fastest of six entrants in the $200,000 Palos Verdes.

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Bob Baffert trains Cezanne, whose chief rival is an improving stablemate with a chance to upset. Essential Wager won a highly rated (99 Beyer) entry-level allowance sprint last out and is expected to set the pace. If he shakes loose, Essential Wager could be gone.

The others entered in the Palos Verdes are the streaking Arham, comeback first-time gelding Dark Vader, first-off-the-claim Shooters Shoot, and Team Merchants.

The race centers on Coolmore-owned Cezanne, a $3.65 million 2-year-old who won 2 of 3 starts in 2020. His only start in 2021 was the Kona Gold, in which he was assisted by a stablemate rabbit. Ax Man went after speedster Brickyard Ride through extreme fractions (21.18 seconds and 43.60), and Cezanne rallied from behind to win clear in the 6 1/2-furlong race.

The scenario is different Saturday. Essential Wager could win outright based on race performance and a team work with Cezanne last Sunday. Essential Wager led throughout the five-furlong workout and galloped out better after the wire. Abel Cedillo will ride Essential Wager; Flavien Prat is on Cezanne.

Arham is a sprinter on the rise, which is a new role for him. Previously owned by Shadwell and based in the East with Todd Pletcher, Arham was an undistinguished maiden winner used as a workmate for Grade 1 winners Malathaat and Colonel Liam.

Shadwell downsized after the death of owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktoum last year. The stable sold dozens of runners, and Arham ended up in California with owners David and Holly Wilson and trainer Vladimir Cerin.

Arham won his first California start racing a mile at Del Mar, then cut back to six furlongs to win a second-level allowance on Dec. 31 at Santa Anita. Cerin acknowledged he is up against top company Saturday, but it might not be any easier next out.

Arham “might be really good at seven-eighths,” Cerin said. “Obviously, you don’t want to run against Flightline no matter the distance or surface.”

The next start for Flightline is unannounced, but the Grade 2, seven-furlong San Carlos on March 5 is being considered.

Shooters Shoot goes first off the $50,000 claim by Richard Baltas following a Sunday workout.

“He worked so well,” Baltas said. “They gave him a 48; he went 59 and change. Maybe he’s just a good work horse.”

Dark Vader entered a second-level allowance route race Jan. 14, but was forced to scratch when a pre-race blood test was not returned on time. Graded stakes-placed, Dark Vader has not raced since summer 2020.