Ce Ce Rolls Into the Santa Monica in Top Form

Fresh off the biggest win of her career, the Bo Hirsch homebred Ce Ce  heads a field of five older fillies and mares going seven furlongs Feb. 5 in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

A handy 2 1/2-length winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) going seven panels at Del Mar Nov. 6, Ce Ce will be bidding for her third consecutive graded stakes win in what will be her first start at 6. Hirsch wanted to see Ce Ce keep racing in 2022 because he would get more enjoyment from watching her compete than retiring her to the broodmare band, according to trainer Michael McCarthy.

"He said at this stage in his life, he would rather watch her racing, and as long as she stays healthy, we'll press forward," McCarthy said.

Ce Ce never left McCarthy's barn after the Breeders' Cup. She got a couple of easy weeks and then returned to a weekly work schedule in late November. McCarthy said the mare has held her condition very well since the Breeders' Cup.

"She puts a lot into her training. She is training well and doing well. We have not been super hard on her, but she is fit enough to run her race over the weekend," McCarthy said. He said he picked the Santa Monica because of the spacing from the Breeders' Cup. She'll again be ridden by Victor Espinoza, who has been aboard for all but two of her career starts.

Ce Ce returns to Santa Anita with a 5-1-1 record from eight starts at the track. Her last start here was Oct. 3 in the 6 1/2-furlong Chillingsworth Stakes (G3) that produced a five-length triumph. Hirsch bred the mare by Elusive Quality in Kentucky out of the grade 1 winner Miss Houdini, by Belong to Me. Ce Ce became a multiple grade 1 winner at 4 and has now won five graded stakes—three in grade 1s—and has career earnings of $1,753,100.

A finalist for Eclipse Award female sprinter championship honors along with multiple grade 1 winner Gamine  and Longines Test Stakes (G1) winner Bella Sofia , McCarthy said he's "quietly confident" she'll prevail.

"She shipped and won and showed up on championship day where she beat everyone on the square," he said. "You never know what people are thinking, but I think she has a heck of a chance."

Ce Ce beat both Gamine and Bella Sofia in the Filly & Mare Sprint, with her rivals finishing third and fourth, respectively. She won in a time of 1:21.

Trainer Bob Baffert will be represented by last year's Santa Monica winner Merneith  and recent grade 1 winner Kalypso .

Merneith most recently ran a big second in the listed Kalookan Queen Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs Jan. 2 following a nearly one year absence. The 5-year-old mare by American Pharoah   will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Edwin Maldonado, who was aboard for last year's Santa Monica score.

Owned by HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud, Merneith comes into the race off a bullet five-furlong work Jan. 22 in :59 2/5 at Santa Anita. Baffert has won the Santa Monica five times. Prior to Merneith's win, he took this race in 2019 with Marley's Freedom .

Kalypso, a 4-year-old daughter of Brody's Cause  , was a 4 3/4-length winner of the La Brea Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs Dec. 26 but will face tougher competition from older distaffers for the first time. Owned by Rockingham Ranch, David Bernsen, Chad Littlefield, and Gainesway Stable, Kalypso has won two of her three starts at seven furlongs, which includes last year's Santa Ynez Stakes (G2). She has an overall record of 3-3-2 from nine starts and earnings of $480,600 and will be ridden back by John Velazquez.

Hronis Racing's Park Avenue , who had a two-game winning streak snapped when a well beaten second in the La Canada Stakes (G3) going a mile and one sixteenth Jan. 1, will shorten up out of five consecutive routes in what will be her second stakes engagement.

Trained by John Sadler, Park Avenue, a 4-year-old filly by Quality Road  , will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Juan Hernandez.

Entries: Santa Monica S. (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 05, 2022, Race 6

• Grade II
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:06 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Kalypso (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	Bob Baffert	3/1
2	2Ce Ce (KY)	Victor Espinoza	124	Michael W. McCarthy	3/5
3	3Merneith (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	122	Bob Baffert	7/2
4	4Full of Grace (KY)	Diego A. Herrera	120	Reed Saldana	30/1
5	5Park Avenue (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	John W. Sadler	6/1