Bo Hirsch’s Ce Ce made a clear title defense on the 2nd of July Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park while earning another paid stop in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland in the fall.
Daughter trained by Michael McCarthy’s Elusive quality captured Princess Rooney by 3 1/4 lengths last year before winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar to win the Eclipse Award as the champion female sprinter.
“I don’t have enough of the best and the best to say about her,” McCarthy said. Santa Anita . Park. “She’s very special.”
Ce’s encore performance could also top her first visit to Gulfstream Park, scoring 6 1/2 lengths as team favorites 2-5.
The 6-year-old mare placed in fourth place on the leaderboard is Do pranks set up speed along her back after a vigilant breakout from her 6th position just outside of Ce Ce.
Based on Gulfstream Spirit Wind keep a close eye on the stakeholder along the rear boom and at the fork before challenging Make Mischief to the villager’s turn and taking the lead. Meanwhile, Ce Ce responded when commanded by jumper Victor Espinoza of the Hall of Fame, sweeping three wide and clear laps with an outside steering stroke.
Ce Ce stamped her ticket to @BreedersCup Filly and Mare Sprint with another win in G2 Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes @GulfstreamPark! Congratulations to all Trainer connections @mwmracing, @VictorEspinoza & Owner Bo Hirsch, LLC!@breederscup #winandyourin pic.twitter.com/6mzVJFv0Wl
– TVG (@TVG) July 2, 2022
“I was lucky that the horse outside cleared us up and I just released the leads. I didn’t want to stay too far today. I wanted to keep up the pace,” Espinoza said. “I didn’t want them to sneak away from me, but at three-eighths I asked her to go and she moved on.”
Ce Ce competed seven times in 1 hour and 22 minutes to collect her 10th career win and push her career earnings to $2,277,100. She paid $2.80 to win the $2 winning ticket.
“I told Victor to just get out there. I’m not sure what outside we would do. speed,” McCarthy said. “She did what I expected her to do. Obviously, it’s never convenient when you’re shipping around the country, but it’s a track that she loves. The distance of the race was great. .”
For McCarthy, Ce’s victory continues his fortune at Gulfstream Park, where he saddles his horse City of light to win the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) in 2019. Former assistant Todd Pletcher has reported that plans for Ce Ce’s next start have yet to be decided. .
“We’re going to play it by ear, but we can follow the same program we followed last year,” said McCarthy, last year’s champion mare that ran in the Ketel One Ballerina Handicap (G1) at Racecourse Saratogaand Chillingworth Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita ahead of her Breeders’ Cup point.
Ce Ce besides her daughter won the first prize of Belong to Me, Miss Houdini. The dam has nine winners out of 10 starting ponies including Papa Clem , winner of the Arkansas Derby (G2) and the San Fernando Stakes (G2). She also produces shares placed on Stradella Road. Her last reported pony was a 3 year oldAmerican pharoah The pony is named Native Thunder.
Video: Princess Rooney Invitational S. (G2)
Willy Boi Captures Smile Sprint in front of the 1st place winner Drain the Watch
Lea Farms Willy Boi benefited from a perfect ride led by Chantal Sutherland to register the victory of the previous comfortable length on the card in the Smile Sprint Invitational Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
Slightly favored at level 4-5 over the winner of class 1 Watch discharge Willy Boi also scooped up a $50,000 ‘Win Only’ bonus for Florida bred winners.
Drain the Clock took a 3-goal lead on the open leg but was quickly joined by Willy Boi in his outer circle, who was rated slower than contention. Willy Boi went on to open up a clear lead in the ramp and take full control of the rope, retaining a late run Pudding .
Willy Boi ran six feathers in 1:09.71. Pudding increased from last position to second position, 3 1/4 length ahead Absolute Grit . Discharge the Fatigue Watch to complete another length back in fourth place.
Willy Boi Wins Smile Sprint Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Sutherland said: “I was a bit nervous at the gate because there was a bit of noise and commotion. “We broke a bit slow, but the track played a little bit for the closes who had no pace and also didn’t keep pace, so it worked in our favor.
“I’m comfortable, but I still have my eye on (Discharge the watch). I think he ran a great race. In the lane when I got to him I wanted to stay away from him because I knew. he’s a bull and he is. I’m going to fight, and I don’t want to fight him today, so I want to stay away from him.”
The 4-year-old who captured the Hutcheson Stakes and finished fourth in last year’s Smile competition, now unbeaten in three starts since being transferred to coach Jorge Delgado, took eight months off work to receive the optional claim allowance on April 8. at Tampa Bay Downs before preparing for Smile with an impressive win in Big Drama Staking on May 28 at Gulfstream.
SPRINT G3🏆 SMILE
• WILLY BOI •
Jorge Delgado @RacingDelgado
Chantal Sutherland @jockeychantal pic.twitter.com/rsHsxfcbPp– Claudia Spadaro (@ClaudiaSpadaro) July 2, 2022
“I am very grateful that Lea Farms gave me the opportunity to train these horses,” said Delgado. “I hope I can get more of this horse’s quality because I love winning races like this.”
For Sutherland, winning the Smile Sprint further revived his career at Gulfstream Park.
“Initially, I was at the top that meant a lot, but now being at the top and at the bottom, to come back, it means even more,” says Sutherland.
The Smile is one of 12 graded dirty stakes included in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-based participation bonus program. Willy Boi earned a $30,000 credit toward the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) entry fee on November 5 in Keeneland. Second-place finisher Pudding received $15,000 in credits, while third-place finisher Absolute Grit received $7,500 in credits.
Delgado said he has no firm plans for Willy Boi’s next start.
“Still undecided but I think we’ll go to Saratoga with him,” said Delgado, whose ultimate goal is his 4-year-old son. Not collected is Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
Willy Boi ran out of bets on winning Yes It True mare Shining Moment, who had six winners out of six ponies to start with. She also produced Petulant Delight, which won $182,029. Willy Boi was her last reported pony.
Video: Smile Sprint Invitational S. (G3)
