Experience breeds all sorts of confidence. For Bo Hirsch homebred Ce Ce and jockey Victor Espinoza's attempt at winning a second consecutive Chillingworth Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita, knowing when to make their move is a byproduct of having been there, done that.
Ce Ce and Espinoza did their best impersonation of an apex predator, stalking the leaders early before displaying their killer instinct at the half-mile point Oct. 2 before breezing to a 2 1/4-length win in the $100,000 Chillingworth for fillies and mares 3 and up.
It was a marked improvement from her last time out, a fifth-place showing in the Aug. 28 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
"I was very confident," Espinoza told FanDuel TV. "For her, I can just not even pay attention. ... If the track is not her favorite, she will not perform. Basically, if she likes it, she'll run her best performance. Today, I expected her to run good."
Scenic Masterpiece got out to a quick start and was almost immediately joined by Teddy's Barino and Under the Stars at the front, with Teddy's Barino posting fractions of :22.38 and :44.96.
Ce Ce, never more than 2 1/2 lengths from the front, made her push, going four wide around the turn. With three-sixteenths of a mile to the finish, Ce Ce, at Espinoza's urging, surged past the rest of the field. With more in reserve than her competition, Ce Ce put away the win in 1:16.36 on a fast track.
In last year's Chillingworth Stakes, Ce Ce with Espinoza in the irons, topped the field by five lengths.
Whether it is by that wide of a margin or half a length, Espinoza and Ce Ce's connections will take it.
"She's an amazing mare," Espinoza said. "I'm so proud of her, the way she ran today."
Of Ce Ce's career earnings of $2,357,100, Espinoza was aboard the 2021 Champion Female Sprinter for nearly all of her victories. Ce Ce has accumulated $2,272,600 with Espinoza at the helm.
Trained by Michael McCarthy, Ce Ce is a daughter of Elusive Quality and Miss Houdini, by Belong to Me. The 6-year-old is 3-1-1 this year in six starts, earning $604,000. For her career, she is 11-2-4 in 22 starts.
Ce Ce ranks third in career earnings among her sire's progeny. First is Smarty Jones, who won the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and earned $7,613,155. Second is Sepoy (AUS), who earned $3,990,138.
It was Ce Ce's 11th straight graded stakes race and 17th in her last 18 outings.
A 1-5 favorite, Ce Ce paid $2.60. Under the Stars returned $3.60 and Teddy's Barino $2.10.
Scenic Masterpiece and Cover Version completed the order of finish. My Destiny was scratched.
