American thoroughbred racehorse
Ce Ce (foaled March 5, 2016) is an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and the winner of the 2020 Apple Blossom Handicap and 2021 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint .[ 2]
Background
Ce Ce is by Elusive Quality out of Bo Hirsch's home-bred Belong to Me mare Miss Houdini, a winner at the Grade 1 level, having taken the Del Mar Debutante Stakes at 2 in 2002.[ 3] Miss Houdini is also the dam of 2009 Grade II Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem and is in turn out of the Lord Avie mare Magical Maiden, who was a $26,000 2-year-old purchase by Bo Hirsch's father—the late Clement L. Hirsch —and went on to win the 1991 Grade I Hollywood Starlet and the 1992 Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes earning $903,245. Miss Houdini, trained by Warren Stute , only made a total of four starts at two and three, with earnings of $187,600.[ 4]
Career
2019: three-year-old season
Ce Ce's first race was a Maiden Special Weight race on April 12, 2019 at Santa Anita Park , where she came in first. She participated in her first graded race on June 8, 2019, when she came in 4th at the Grade-1 Acorn Stakes .[ 2]
2020: four-year-old season
She began her 2020 season with a February 17, 2020 win in an Allowance Optional Claiming race at Santa Anita Park.[ 2]
On March 14, 2020, she got the biggest win of her career when she won the 2020 Beholder Mile Stakes , edging out Hard Not to Love .[ 5]
Ce Ce picked up another Grade-1 win on April 18, 2020, this time in the 2020 Apple Blossom Handicap , besting Ollie's Candy by a head.[ 6] [ 7]
On May 31, 2020, Ce Ce finished in third place in the 2020 Santa Maria Stakes behind her rival, Hard Not to Love .[ 8]
2021: five-year-old season
Ce Ce started her 2021 season at Santa Anita where she was an easy winner of a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming race in mid-April. That set the table for a stretch-out effort in the 1+ 1 ⁄16 -mile Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes that didn't pan out. Kept around one turn, Ce Ce shipped to South Florida and was a 3+ 1 ⁄4 -length winner of the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes .[ 9]
Ce Ce was brought to Saratoga for the Ballerina Stakes against a strong field including champion Gamine . Gamine got off to a good start and set fractions of 23.20, 45.68 and 1:09.20 while Ce Ce tagged along in fourth place. In the end, Ce Ce finished in third place, three lengths behind Gamine in a time of 1:21.39.[ 10]
Prior to the Breeders' Cup she was a handy winner of the 3 October GIII Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita.[ 9]
On November 6, again Ce Ce faced Gamine who was a hot 2/5 odds-on favorite in her attempt to repeat winning the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar . In a five horse field Ce Ce tracked Gamine and the three-year-old Bella Sofia four wide into the turn, easing out around them on the turn and loomed five wide into the stretch. She cleared them with a furlong remaining and drew away late.[ 11] For her performances during the year Ce Ce earned US Champion Female Sprint Horse honors.[ 9]
2022: six-year-old season
Statistics
Date
Distance
Race
Grade
Track
Odds
Field
Finish
Winning Time
Winning (Losing) Margin
Jockey
Ref
2019 – three-year-old season
Apr 12, 2019
6 furlongs
Maiden Special Weight
Santa Anita
6.20
11
1
1:10.96
2+ 1 ⁄4 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 12]
May 11, 2019
6+ 1 ⁄2 furlongs
Allowance Optional Claiming
Santa Anita
0.50*
6
2
1:16.21
(neck)
Victor Espinoza
[ 13]
Jun 8, 2019
1 mile
Acorn Stakes
I
Belmont Park
4.00
9
4
1:33.58
(8+ 1 ⁄4 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 14]
2020 – four-year-old season
Feb 17, 2020
6+ 1 ⁄2 furlongs
Allowance Optional Claiming
Santa Anita
0.50*
5
1
1:16.04
4+ 1 ⁄2 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 15]
Mar 14, 2020
1 mile
Beholder Mile Stakes
I
Santa Anita
4.20
6
1
1:37.33
3+ 1 ⁄4 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 16]
Apr 18, 2020
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
Apple Blossom Handicap
I
Oaklawn Park
3.90
14
1
1:43.14
head
Victor Espinoza
[ 17]
May 31, 2020
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
Santa Maria Stakes
II
Santa Anita
0.60*
5
3
1:42.12
(5+ 1 ⁄2 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 18]
Aug 2, 2020
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes
I
Del Mar
2.40
6
3
1:43.46
(5+ 1 ⁄4 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 19]
Sep 5, 2020
7 furlongs
Derby City Distaff Stakes
I
Churchill Downs
2.30
7
4
1:21.07
(3+ 1 ⁄2 lengths )
John R. Velazquez
[ 20]
Nov 7, 2020
1+ 1 ⁄8 miles
Breeders' Cup Distaff
I
Keeneland
14.60
10
5
1:47.84
(4+ 1 ⁄4 lengths )
John R. Velazquez
[ 21]
2021 – five-year-old season
Apr 17, 2021
7 furlongs
Allowance Optional Claiming
Santa Anita
1.50
6
1
1:22.56
3+ 1 ⁄4 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 22]
May 22, 2021
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
Santa Maria Stakes
II
Santa Anita
1.50
4
4
1:43.77
(10+ 1 ⁄4 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 23]
Jul 3, 2021
7 furlongs
Princess Rooney Stakes
II
Gulfstream Park
2.70
8
1
1:21.94
3+ 1 ⁄4 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 24]
Aug 28, 2021
7 furlongs
Ballerina Stakes
I
Saratoga
4.10
7
3
1:21.61
(3 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 10]
Oct 3, 2021
6+ 1 ⁄2 furlongs
Chillingworth Stakes
III
Santa Anita
0.20*
5
1
1:15.86
5 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 25]
Nov 6, 2021
7 furlongs
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
I
Del Mar
6.20
5
1
1:21.00
2+ 1 ⁄2 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 11]
2022 – six-year-old season
Feb 5, 2022
7 furlongs
Santa Monica Stakes
II
Santa Anita
0.50*
5
2
1:22.39
(3 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 26]
Mar 12, 2022
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
Azeri Stakes
II
Oaklawn Park
1.70
7
1
1:43.55
3 ⁄4 length
Victor Espinoza
[ 27]
Apr 23, 2022
1+ 1 ⁄16 miles
Apple Blossom Handicap
I
Oaklawn Park
3.90
5
3
1:42.22
(1+ 3 ⁄4 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 28]
Jul 2, 2022
7 furlongs
Princess Rooney Stakes
II
Gulfstream Park
0.40*
6
1
1:22.20
6+ 1 ⁄2 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 29]
Aug 27, 2022
7 furlongs
Ballerina Stakes
I
Saratoga
1.55*
7
5
1:21.40
(11+ 1 ⁄4 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 30]
Oct 2, 2022
6+ 1 ⁄2 furlongs
Chillingworth Stakes
III
Santa Anita
0.30*
5
1
1:16.36
2+ 1 ⁄4 lengths
Victor Espinoza
[ 31]
Nov 5, 2022
7 furlongs
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
I
Keeneland
11.16
12
4
1:21.61
(5 lengths )
Victor Espinoza
[ 32]
Pedigree
References
^ "Profile of Ce Ce" . www.equibase.com . Retrieved 31 December 2022 .
^ a b c "Ce Ce" . Retrieved 10 February 2022 .
^ Oser, Christine (20 April 2020). "Ce Ce a Third-Generation Success for Hirsch Family Filly notched her second grade 1 in the April 18 Apple Blossom Handicap" . bloodhorse.com . Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ Lambert, Annie (20 February 2022). "The Hirsch Family Legacy" . trainermagazine.copm . Trainer. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Ce Ce surges past Hard Not to Love, becomes third-generation G1 winner in Beholder Mile" . Retrieved 26 July 2020 .
^ "Ce Ce Edges Ollie's Candy in Apple Blossom Thriller" . Retrieved 26 July 2020 .
^ "Ce Ce nips Ollie's Candy to win Apple Blossom Handicap" . Retrieved 26 July 2020 .
^ "Fighting Mad Upsets Hard Not To Love, Ce Ce In Santa Maria" . Retrieved 26 July 2020 .
^ a b c Hammonds, Evan (10 February 2022). "Ce Ce Stands Alone as 2021 Champion Female Sprinter It takes a special horse to win an Eclipse Award, and Bo Hirsch's Ce Ce is just that" . bloodhorse.com . Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ a b "Ketel One Ballerina Stakes Grade 1 – (race 7)" . Equibase . 28 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ a b "2021 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Grade 1 - (race 4)" . Equibase . 6 November 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Chart of April 12, 2019 Santa Anita: Maiden Special Weight (race 5)" . www.equibase.com . 12 April 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Chart of May 11, 2019 Santa Anita: Allowance Optional Claiming (race 6)" . www.equibase.com . 11 April 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Acorn Stakes Grade 1 – (race 8)" . Equibase . 8 June 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Chart of February 17, 2020 Santa Anita: Allowance Optional Claiming (race 4)" . www.equibase.com . 17 February 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Beholder Mile Stakes Grade 1 – (race 7)" . Equibase . 14 March 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "2020 Apple Blossom Handicap Grade 1 – (race 10)" . Equibase . 18 April 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "2020 Santa Maria Stakes Grade 2 – (race 7)" . Equibase . 31 May 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Grade 1 – (race 10)" . Equibase . 2 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Derby City Distaff Stakes Grade 1 – (race 12)" . Equibase . 5 September 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff Grade 1 – (race 10)" . Equibase . 7 November 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Chart of April 17, 2021 Santa Anita: Allowance Optional Claiming (race 7)" . www.equibase.com . 17 April 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "2021 Santa Maria Stakes Grade 2 – (race 2)" . Equibase . 22 May 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "2021 Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes Grade 2 – (race 11)" . Equibase . 3 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Chillingworth Stakes Grade 3 – (race 5)" . www.equibase.com . 3 October 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Santa Monica Stakes Grade 2 – (race 6)" . Equibase . 5 February 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Azeri Stakes Grade 2 – (race 9)" . Equibase . 12 March 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "2022 Apple Blossom Handicap Grade 1 – (race 10)" . Equibase . 23 April 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "2022 Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes Grade 2 – (race 10)" . Equibase . 2 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022 .
^ "Ketel One Ballerina Stakes Grade 1 – (race 9)" . Equibase . 27 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022 .
^ "2022 Chillingworth Stakes Grade 3 – (race 6)" . Equibase . 2 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022 .
^ "Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Grade 1 - (race 3)" . Equibase . 5 November 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022 .
^ "Ce Ce" . Retrieved 9 January 2020 .
^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - MEYNELL (GB) - Family 12-c" . www.bloodlines.net . Retrieved 1 August 2022 .