The unbeaten Ceiling Crusher has Fleet Treat, Cotillion on schedule

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ceiling Crusher, the unbeaten winner of two stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies by a combined 32 1/2 lengths this year, will remain in the statebred division when the Del Mar summer meeting begins in July.

Ceiling Crusher will be an overwhelming favorite to win her fifth start if she runs as expected in the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for statebred fillies at seven furlongs on July 27.

Following that race, there is high likelihood that Ceiling Crusher will start in a graded stakes. Trainer Doug O’Neill said on Monday that the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing on Sept. 23 is a long-range goal. The $1 million Cotillion Stakes is annually one of the nation’s leading early autumn races for 3-year-old fillies.

Ceiling Crusher could prep for the Cotillion in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes, a $150,000 race at a mile for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar on Sept. 2, O’Neill said.

“Once we face [graded stakes fillies], it will be interesting to see what we’ve got,” O’Neill said.

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So far this year, Ceiling Crusher has yet to face a challenge. She won the Evening Jewel Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs by 15 1/2 lengths on April 8. In Sunday’s $147,000 Melair Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, Ceiling Crusher was equally as impressive, leading throughout before drawing clear for a 17-length win.

“She’s pretty amazing,” O’Neill said. “She was pretty brilliant since the day we got her.”

Owned by Wonderland Racing Stable, Todd Cady, Ty Leatherman, and Tim Kasparoff, Ceiling Crusher has earned $263,000.

By Grazen, Ceiling Crusher raced for owner Dan Northrup and trainer Luis Mendez when she won a maiden race for California-bred 2-year-old fillies at five furlongs last June. She began racing for the current owners and O’Neill when she won her 3-year-old debut in an allowance race at six furlongs at Santa Anita in January.

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