Ce Ce Vies to Retain BC Filly & Mare Sprint Crown

Hazy white clouds nestled into the space above Del Mar Nov. 6, 2021, while crowds grew denser and the sounds of the racetrack heightened.

As the morning hours crept into early afternoon and anticipation swelled, adrenaline pumped through the veins of Bo Hirsch—it was time for his 5-year-old homebred Ce Ce  to take the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) stage.

Watching from a box far above the traffic of the grandstand, Hirsch "hoped and prayed," looking out on a field of four other entrants, including the dominant Gamine  who was defending her title earned the previous year.

"Part of your brain thinks 'Gamine is going to win this and we'll run a good second if we can.' That's what was in the back of my head," Hirsch said.

Watching the start of the race, onlookers might have agreed with Hirsch.

Gamine fired from the gate, easily taking the lead, while Bella Sofia  dueled in second. Edgeway  ran in third, and Ce Ce was back in fourth with Proud Emma  trailing.

It was not until the stretch that Gamine found herself surrounded on all sides and yielded to the outside bid from Ce Ce who broke away to thunder past the wire 2 1/2 lengths in front.

"When we won like we did, I had never expected that, it was just surreal," Hirsch said. "I would say it's the greatest moment I have had in the horse business. I'd love that feeling again."

In less than two weeks, Ce Ce will attempt to grant Hirsch his wish in the Nov. 5 Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland and achieve what Gamine could not—hold on to her championship crown.

Leading up to the big day, Hirsch says he leaves all preparation to trainer Michael McCarthy who saddled the mare to her 2021 victory. He added that she will ship to Kentucky Oct. 30.

"I said, 'why don't you go out earlier and give her a work over that track?' He said, 'oh no, she's been there; she knows what it is.' That's the plan, and we'll go from there," Hirsch said.

"I've always told trainers, 'you can ask for my amateur opinion and I'll give it to you, but the decision is going to be yours. Whether it's my idea or not it's on you, and you're going to have to live with that decision.' That's pretty much how we do things, I leave him alone. I'll challenge him here and there, but he has a plan. I like to let the pros do their job."

A field of 13 was drawn Oct. 31, several of which could pose serious threats.

"You obviously have the 3-year-old Echo Zulu, and Letruska. They're going to be tough, and the rest of them too," Hirsch said. "I'm more concerned about Ce Ce and bringing her A game to the race.

"If she has her A game going, I think she'll be awfully tough in there, and it's going to take one heck of a horse to beat her."

Fresh from a win in the Sept. 24 Dogwood Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, 2021 champion filly Echo Zulu  will step into older company, having won the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) last year for owner L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds. 

Trained by Steve Asmussen, the daughter of Gun Runner   is 6-0-0 from seven starts. Her only loss has been a fourth in the May 6 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) where she fell behind Secret Oath , Nest , and Desert Dawn .

Last year's Filly & Mare Sprint runner-up Edgeway will return for another shot off a score in the Aug. 28 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3). The 5-year-old Competitive Edge   mare has yet to win a grade 1 for owner Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler. Her record is 8-2-1 from 13 starts with $753,860 in earnings.

Trainer Wesley Ward has both Chi Town Lady  and Kimari  entered, though he has given first preference toward the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) for the latter.

Castleton Lyons' Chi Town Lady has only one graded stakes score on her record, a bold effort Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course in the Longines Test Stakes (G1) where she got ahead of fellow Filly & Mare Sprint entrant Hot Peppers . Her record is 3-1-0 from just seven starts with $417,800 in earnings.

Also entered are Japan runner Chain of Love, Ballerina Handicap (G1) winner and 3-1 morning line favorite Goodnight Olive , and Derby City Distaff Stakes Presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1) winner Obligatory .

Completing pre-entries are the New Mexico-bred Slammed  who looks to give trainer Todd Fincher his first win at the World Championships; recent Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) winner Wicked Halo , who will run back again at Keeneland; Frank's Rockette ; and Lady Rocket .

Despite the different competitors and not completely certain on how the race will go, Hirsch appreciates the opportunity to be present and enjoy yet another run with his star mare. Of course, he enjoys the precious time before the momentous day too.

"It's the anticipation and—I always talk about it—that's what I love the most," Hirsch said. "It's going on right now as we speak. It's getting exciting...I'm getting ready to go down to Keeneland, and I've got to go buy some new shoes. It's fun." 

Here’s the field for the @BreedersCup Filly & Mare Sprint on Saturday at #Keeneland! pic.twitter.com/WzQiwxNTHb

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 31, 2022

Entries: Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)

Keeneland, Saturday, November 05, 2022, Race 3

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $1,000,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 11:50 AM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Slammed (NM)	Florent Geroux	124	Todd W. Fincher	15/1
2	2Edgeway (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	124	John W. Sadler	15/1
3	3Chi Town Lady (KY)	Flavien Prat	122	Wesley A. Ward	20/1
4	4Ce Ce (KY)	Victor Espinoza	124	Michael W. McCarthy	4/1
5	5Frank's Rockette (KY)	Luis Saez	124	William I. Mott	6/1
6	6Chain of Love (JPN)	William T. Buick	124	Michihiro Ogasa	20/1
7	7Obligatory (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	William I. Mott	8/1
8	8Goodnight Olive (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	124	Chad C. Brown	3/1
9	9Sterling Silver (NY)	Javier Castellano	122	Thomas Albertrani	30/1
10	10Hot Peppers (FL)	Junior Alvarado	122	Rudy R. Rodriguez	30/1
11	11Wicked Halo (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Steven M. Asmussen	10/1
12	12Lady Rocket (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Brad H. Cox	10/1
13	13Echo Zulu (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	6/1