Private Mission Defeats Older Rivals in Zenyatta

Staying home at Santa Anita Park paid off for Baoma Corporation's Private Mission . The 3-year-old Into Mischief   filly, who was scratched out of last weekend's Cotillion Stakes (G1) against her age group at Parx Racing, took on older fillies and mares in the $201,500 Zenyatta Stakes (G2) Oct. 3 and drew away to a 2 1/4-length victory. 

Finishing behind her in second was her Bob Baffert-trained stablemate As Time Goes By , a multiple graded stakes winner at Santa Anita this spring. 

"I'm happy to run 1-2," Baffert said. "Private Mission, I'm glad I stayed home with her. I decided this would be best for her with the Breeders' Cup in mind. We didn't want to stress her. She's on the improve, getting better and better. I'm really happy with the way both fillies ran."

"I am so psyched for Bob and the entire team," said Baoma Corporation's Susan Chu. "We are grateful for everybody who made this happen today, we are so grateful."

The Zenyatta was the third straight victory for Private Mission, the last two coming under Flavien Prat, who was up for the first time when the bay won the Aug. 21 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at Del Mar by 6 1/2 lengths against sophomore fillies.

After pressing the pace in second on Sunday, Private Mission took command in the turn for home and was never threatened in the stretch. She completed 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.77.

"She broke well and got herself into the race. She relaxed well and took a nice breather going to the three eighths pole and ran good when I asked her to make her move," Prat said. "I thought this race was better than last time, for sure."

By capturing the Zenyatta, a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race, Private Mission earned a berth in the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar.

The Breeders' Cup board commenced a review process as to whether Baffert will be permitted to participate in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships, the organization announced Sept. 18. An update has not been issued since their initial announcement. The Hall of Fame trainer is involved in legal battles connected to Zedan Racing Stables' Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Medina Spirit , who tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone in both initial and split-sample blood tests. As betamethasone is not permitted on any level on race day in Kentucky, the finding could lead to the horse's disqualification and disciplinary action against Baffert by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. 

Samurai Charm  showed the way early in the Zenyatta through fractions of :23.21 and :46.87 with the Baffert pair stalking in second and third. Longshot Miss Bigly  was sixth at the opening quarter, but up into fourth at the half. 

The pacesetter gave way in the turn and Private Mission took the lead with ease, holding her advantage to the wire. She paid $4.20 to win on a $2 win ticket as the even-money favorite. As Time Goes By ran on for second, another 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Miss Bigly in third. Stellar Sound , Lady Kate , Samurai Charm, Miss Stormy D , and California Kook  completed the order of finish. 

Private Mission, who has won four of five starts, increased her earnings to $256,800. Donato Lanni, agent for Baoma Corporation, secured the filly for $750,000 in 2019 from the Lane's End consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in New York. 

Mt. Brilliant Broodmares bred Private Mission in Kentucky out of the stakes-winning Unbridled mare Private Gift , also the dam of multiple stakes winner Secret Someone . Private Gift foaled a Candy Ride   colt this year and was bred to Uncle Mo   for 2022.

Video: Zenyatta S. (G2)

Ce Ce Chills Competition

Earlier on the card, Bo Hirsch's homebred Ce Ce  collected her third win of the season with an easy victory in the $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes (G3). The performance left her connections thrilled with the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar next on the agenda.  

Ce Ce earned a berth in the Filly & Mare Sprint earlier in the season when she took the July 3 Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Victor Espinoza guided the 5-year-old Elusive Quality  mare to a five-length victory after setting off dueling pacesetters in Saturday's 6 1/2-furlong contest. Ce Ce stopped the clock in 1:16, paying $2.40 as the favorite. 

"I'm very happy. As an owner I love to have a 1-5 shot. You have to be thankful of that situation to start off, and she ran like it today," Hirsch said. "I'm very proud of her, she made this track look a little faster. This is what you are in the game for... When you get a good one it's just more fun than you can dream about."

On Deck  got up for second a neck over Scotish Star  in third. 

"She's good right now. Her last race was a little tough, but I worked her here and she was ready to run today," Espinoza said of the winner, referring to a third-place finish in the Aug. 28 Ketel One Ballerina Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. "This race will be good for her confidence going into the Breeders' Cup." 

A two-time grade 1 winner trained by Michael McCarthy, Ce Ce pushed hear earnings to $1,233,100 and has a record of 7-1-3 from 15 starts.

"This is great, I couldn't have written this up any better," McCarthy said after the Chillingworth. "She had a couple of easy weeks after Saratoga, I thought she was doing well enough today to do it in the fashion she did it. Especially when I wasn't sure how the pace would wind up early, I couldn't be happier with her. We are looking forward to getting her to Del Mar."

Ce Ce was bred in Kentucky out of the grade 1-winning Belong to Me mare Miss Houdini , who also produced multiple grade 2 winner and millionaire Papa Clem .

Miss Houdini's most recent foal is Native Thunder, an unraced 2-year-old colt by American Pharoah  . She was reported bred to Mucho Macho Man   for 2022.

Video: Chillingworth S. (G3)