Ceiling Crusher Defeats Pretty Mischievous in Cotillion

It seems only fitting that the first grade 1 race ever called by a woman was won by a horse named Ceiling Crusher. As 37-year-old Parx Racing announcer Jessica Paquette transgressed archaic boundaries with a history-making race call, Ceiling Crusher  dealt reigning divisional leader Pretty Mischievous  a stunning defeat in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) Sept. 23.

The California-bred, by Mr. Big  , the sire of only 42 horses to race since 2017, had been simply sensational in the Golden State. The fleet-footed filly had demolished state-breds in four of her five starts before manhandling open company for the first time in the Sept. 2 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.

After that effort, her connections decided to ship Ceiling Crusher cross country for a swing at the big dance in the $1 million Cotillion.

Trainer Doug O'Neill is no stranger to exceptional California-breds, having trained Lava Man, a Hall of Famer and the leading California-bred earner of all time.

"(Ceiling Crusher) brought everything that she was showing us back home on the road," O'Neill said. "You never know. We had the great Lava Man, who did so many wonderful things in the state of California but could never take it outside of California. You never know until you pack your bags and they have to stay in a hotel room and be away from home."

Facing a track sodden from Tropical Storm Ophelia, Ceiling Crusher skipped to the front under jockey Edwin Maldonado and cruised through opening fractions of :23.31 and :47.64 while under mild pressure from longshot Majestic Creed . Once that rival retreated at the six-furlong marker, Ceiling Crusher began to widen her advantage as Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Pretty Mischievous began to advance between rivals turning for home.

Pretty Mischievious' bid came too late, as Ceiling Crusher rocketed into a high gear putting 2 1/2 lengths between herself and the field midway down the lane. The Oaks winner closed but wasn't closing fast enough as Ceiling Crusher held firmly to the wire, prevailing by a half-length at the line.

"She was kind of resenting the track for the first quarter of a mile, but once she switched leads down the backside she was in a little better position," Jockey Tyler Gaffalione said of Pretty Mischievous. "The winner just had the jump on us today."

Impressive Monmouth Oaks (G3) captress Occult , last of nine early, rallied belatedly to get up for third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Pretty Mischievous.

Owned in partnership by Wonderland Racing Stables, Todd Cady, Tim Kasparoff, and Ty Leatherman, Ceiling Crusher ($3.30) clocked the 1 1/16 miles over the sloppy (sealed) track in 1:45.69.

"The question was if she could handle (the 1 1/16 miles)," Maldonado said. "We just let her kick on and do her thing. She's been running short and taking the lead sprinting, so I just needed a good break and we got a good break. The rest was her. I don't like any horses getting close to her. By the time they came at her at the three-eighths pole, I just went."

Bred by Harris Farms, Ceiling Crusher is the first stakes winner produced from the Indian Charlie mare Palisadesprincess. After bringing a mere $22,000 as a yearling at a state-bred sale in 2021, Ceiling Crusher bumped her bankroll to $938,400. She sports a 6-0-1 record from seven starts, with her sole defeat coming in the Fleet Treat Stakes at Del Mar.

Although she is not nominated for the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita Park, O'Neill did not rule out the $2 million event for his newest grade 1-winning trainee.

2023 G1 Cotillion Stakes winning trainer @DougONeill1. Ceiling Crusher gets the victory and Doug shows Philly some love. pic.twitter.com/Hz0HL8NZdx

— Let's Go Racing Parx (@letsgoracingpa) September 23, 2023

"It will be up to the guys and gals, if they want to write a big check ($150,000)," O'Neill said. "This was our Breeders' Cup. We looked at this on the calendar months ago and the fact that is coming true...this was our Breeders' Cup today."

Video: Cotillion S. (G1)