as time goes by | Horse Racing Free Tips

Distaffers Ce Ce, As Time Goes By Square Off In Santa Maria Stakes

A two-time Grade 1 stakes winner at age four and fresh off a sensational classified allowance win, Bo Hirsch's homebred Ce Ce and lights-out Grade 2winner As Time Goes By headline Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita. For fillies and mares three and up, the Santa Maria has attracted a field of five at a mile and one sixteenth.

Trained by recent Preakness Stakes-winning conditioner Michael McCarthy, Ce Ce slingshotted off the turn for home en route to an emphatic 3 ¼ lengths score in a seven furlong classified allowance here on April 17 and will be ridden back by Victor Espinoza.

A 3 ¼ length winner of the Grade 1 Beholder Mile here in her sixth career start on March 14, 2020, Ce Ce then took Oaklawn Park's Grade 1 Apple Blossom by a head at the same distance on April 18, 2020, but was a disappointing third as the 3-5 favorite in last year's Santa Maria and was on a four-race losing streak prior to winning her comeback race on April 17.

Ridden to all five of her victories by Victor Espinoza, Ce Ce is a 5-year-old mare by Elusive Quality out of Hirsh's Grade 1 winning Miss Houdini, by Belong to Me. The leading money earner in the field with $904,100, Ce Ce has a win and two thirds from three tries at the Santa Maria distance.

Trained by Bob Baffert, As Time Goes By made an easy lead as the 3-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes here on April 24 and exploded through the lane to win off by 9 ¼ lengths under Mike Smith, who rides back on Saturday. Owned by Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, As Time Goes By, who was second, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Eclipse Champion Swiss Skydiver two starts back in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile March 13, is 6-3-2-1 overall with earnings of $260,600.

THE FIELD FOR THE GRADE 2 SANTA MARIA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 2 of 9 Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

Last First Kiss—Abel Cedillo—122
This Tea—Kent Desormeaux—122
Miss Stormy D—Juan Hernandez—122
Ce Ce—Victor Espinoza—122
As Time Goes By—Mike Smith—126

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Bloodlines: As Time Goes By Extends The Legacy Of Take Charge Lady A Little Longer

Victory in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita at Santa Anita on Saturday, April 24, made As Time Goes By (by American Pharoah) the third graded stakes winner from her dam, Take Charge Lady.

The 4-year-old filly was making only her sixth start, and in her previous race and stakes debut, As Time Goes By had finished second in the G1 Beholder Mile to 2020 champion 3-year-old filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil).

A May 22 foal, As Time Goes By was not raced at two, then was brought along patiently by trainer Bob Baffert. The filly made her debut at Del Mar on Aug. 22 last year, and she won her first race in her third start, a maiden special on Dec. 13 at Los Alamitos over six furlongs. Leading from the half-mile (in :45.39), As Time Goes By drew off by 4 lengths to win in 1:09.01.

From three subsequent starts, all in 2021, As Time Goes By has won an allowance by 9 lengths, was second by 2 3/4 lengths to Swiss Skydiver in the Beholder, then won the Santa Margarita.

The last of 10 foals out of the dam, Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady, As Time Goes By is her dam's eighth winner and joined her older siblings Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) as graded winners. Take Charge Lady had won at the premier level three times (Ashland and two runnings of the Spinster), and her first stakes winner was Take Charge Indy, who won the 2012 G1 Florida Derby. The mare's second stakes winner came the following year with Will Take Charge, who won the G1 Travers and Clark, and also was second in the Breeders' Cup Classic to cinch the 2013 Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old colt.

Bred in Kentucky by Orpendale and Chelston, As Time Goes By is by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and is the 15th stakes winner for her sire. From American Pharoah's first crop, As Time Goes By is the 13th stakes winner from the stallion's first crop.

Although several stakes winners by American Pharoah won stakes during their juvenile season, including Four Wheel Drive, winner of the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, the improvement seen from such as Harvey's Lil Goil (G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) and Pista (G2 Park Hill Stakes) seems to have inclined owners and trainers to wait with more of them.

In addition to As Time Goes By, some who are continuing to improve at four include Merneith, winner of the G2 Santa Monica on Feb. 13, and Café Pharoah, winner of the G1 February Stakes at Tokyo eight days later.

The latter is generally regarded as the best dirt horse in Japan, and it is notable that all three of these recent stakes winners have shown their best form on dirt. The early stakes winners by the Triple Crown winner had shown an unexpected affinity for turf, but the overall record for the sire is now trending strongly toward versatility, rather than a surprising specialization.

A big, scopey filly who has clearly made significant progress and strengthened, As Time Goes By adds a further layer of quality to a filly and mare division that is remarkable for depth with champions Swiss Skydiver, Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), Gamine (Into Mischief), and Letruska (Super Saver), as well as last season's Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil).

In the event that As Time Goes By should add a victory in a G1 to her stakes successes, that would make her dam one of the few to produce three G1 winners.

There will not be more, however.

As Time Goes By is the last foal and sixth daughter out of 2013 Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady. A $175,000 select yearling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's July sale, Take Charge Lady earned more than $2.4 million at the races, winning a trio of Grade 1s and the Alcibiades Stakes, which now also shares that premium designation. The mare was sold at the 2004 Keeneland November sale for $4.2 million while carrying her first foal, Charming (Seeking the Gold), and Charming went through the ring two years later for $3.2 million at the Keeneland September yearling auction.

Like her famous dam, Charming has produced two Grade 1 winners. She is the dam of the 2014 Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway), winner of the BC Juvenile Fillies and the Hollywood Starlet, and of three-time Grade 1 stakes winner (Arkansas Derby, Malibu, Santa Anita Sprint Championship) Omaha Beach (War Front), now a stallion at Spendthrift Farm.

In 2021, Charming will be bred to American Pharoah.

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As Time Goes By Romps Over Santa Margarita Opponents

She looked a winner every step of the way. The Bob Baffert-trained As Time Goes By, second to Eclipse Champion Swiss Skydiver in her most recent start, was thoroughly dominant from start to finish in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., winning by 9 ¼ lengths. Ridden by Mike Smith, the 4-year-old daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah got a mile and one eighth in 1:49.95.

A solid second, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on March 13, As Time Goes By was quick out of the gate and had well fancied Harvest Moon in pursuit up the backside. Three furlongs out, Smith stepped on the gas with a one-length advantage and when she hit the furlong pole, As Time Goes By was eight lengths in front and well on her way to a rollicking victory.

“I was shocked (to be on the lead), I actually thought the one horse (Pharoah's Heart) and Harvest Moon would show a little more speed,” said Smith, who won last year's Santa Margarita with Paradise Woods and who has won the prestigious fixture for fillies and mares a total of five times. “But today, she actually jumped really quick out of there, and she fell right into stride so nice and I just stayed out of her way.

“…She warmed up really brilliant, acted really good in the gate, stood really well. That was really impressive today, she did that well, well in-hand and galloped out nice. Now Bob can point her just about anywhere he wants to.”

A six-furlong maiden winner three starts back at Los Alamitos Dec. 13, As Time Goes By took a one mile allowance two starts back at Santa Anita by nine lengths on Jan. 17. The heavy favorite today among a field of five older fillies and mares at 3-5, As Time Goes By paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10.

“She's by my all-time favorite horse, American Pharoah, and I've taken my time,” said Baffert, who collected his second Santa Margarita win. “The owners have been really patient. She's beautifully bred, and I knew the older she gets, the better she's gonna get. Mike is so great with these good mares and he just gets the most out of (them).

“I was debating on running her next week in Kentucky or here, but because I want to develop her slowly and the Breeders' Cup (at Del Mar) is the main goal, we chose to stay (home)…She's so sweet like her sire. She's the sweetest thing in the barn. I have a soft spot for her, because I think of American Pharoah every time I walk by her stall.”

Owned by Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, As Time Goes By is out of the multiple stakes winning mare Take Charge Lady. With the Santa Margarita serving as her first stakes win, she's now 6-3-2-1 overall. The winner's share of $120,000 increased her earnings to $260,600.

Trained by George Papaprodromou, This Tea was last early, saved ground around the far turn and rallied well to be second, finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of Harvest Moon. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, This Tea was the longest shot in the field at 31-1 and paid $10.40 and $9.40.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Harvest Moon was the second choice at 2-1 and paid $2.20 to show.

Contested for the 83^rd time, dating back to 1935, today's Santa Margarita splits were 23.17, 46.98, 1:11.36 and 1:36.70.

First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.

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As Time Goes By Soars in Santa Margarita

Sent off the prohibitive 3-5 favorite against a seemingly overmatched field in Saturday's GII Santa Margarita S. at Santa Anita, Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith's As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) was taken straight to the front by Hall of Famer Mike Smith and reeled off opening fractions of :23.17 and :46.98 as Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) offered some mild pressure. Well in hand and not doing more than she had to down the backside, the half-sister to 3-year-old champion Will Take Charge was finally given her cue by Smith and picked it up a notch through three-quarters in 1:11.36. Easily drawing clear of her stablemate passing the quarter pole, she powered on all boosters late en route to an eye-catching eight-length victory over 31-1 longshot This Tea (Curlin). Harvest Moon rounded out the trifecta.
“I was shocked [to be on the lead), I actually thought [Pharoah's Heart] and Harvest Moon would show a little more speed,” said Smith, who won last year's Santa Margarita with Paradise Woods and who has won the race a total of five times. “But today, she actually jumped really quick out of there, and she fell right into stride so nice and I just stayed out of her way.”
Smith continued, “She warmed up really brilliant, acted really good in the gate, stood really well. That was really impressive today, she did that well, well in-hand and galloped out nice.”
As Time Goes By needed three starts to get off the duck, but did it in style when scoring by four lengths at Los Alamitos in December. Back in the winner's circle following a flashy nine length win in a Santa Anita allowance Jan. 17, she took some support at 9-5 in the Mar. 13 GI Beholder Mile S. but found champion sophomore filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) 2 3/4 lengths too good that day.
Added winning trainer Bob Baffert, “I was debating on running her next week in Kentucky or here, but since I want to develop her slowly and the Breeders' Cup [at Del Mar] is the main goal, we chose to stay [home].”
Baffert also trained As Time Goes By's Triple Crown winning sire, American Pharoah, also conditioned by Baffert.
“She's so sweet like her sire,” he said. “She's the sweetest thing in the barn. I have a soft spot for her, because I think of American Pharoah every time I walk by her stall.”

Pedigree Notes:
As Time Goes By is the last reported foal out of 2013 Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady, who has turned just about everything she's touched to gold. Originally a $175,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky summer sale, Take Charge Lady earned nearly $2.5 million and won three Grade I events. She was sold at the 2004 Keeneland November sale for $4.2 million carrying her first foal, Charming (Seeking the Gold), who would go on to sell as a $3.2-million Keeneland yearling. Charming would become the dam of 2014 champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) and additional GISW Omaha Beach (War Front). Later foals of Take Charge Lady would include 2013 champion 3-year-old colt Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) and 2012 GI Florida Derby winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy), now both Kentucky-based sires.
Like both Charming and Will Take Charge, As Time Goes By is inbred top and bottom to Mr. Prospector, although farther back than either of those half-siblings. As Time Goes By is the 10th graded winner and 15th black-type winner for her Mr. Prospector-line sire, 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. The former Horse of the Year is the leading third-crop sire in North America by earnings, stakes winners, and graded winners. As Time Goes By marks his first stakes winner out of a mare by Dehere, who was the champion 2-year-old colt of 1993 and counts 115 stakes winners out of his daughters, including Breeders' Cup winners Midnight Lute (Real Quiet) and City of Light (Quality Road).

Saturday, Santa Anita Park
SANTA MARGARITA S.-GII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 4-24, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.95, ft.
1–AS TIME GOES BY, 120, f, 4, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Take Charge Lady (Broodmare Of The Year, MGISW, $2,480,377), by Dehere
                2nd Dam: Felicita, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Grand Bonheur, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Michael
Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale &
Chelston (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. $120,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-1, $260,600. *1/2 to Take Charge Indy
(A.P. Indy), GISW, $1,103,496; 1/2 to Will Take Charge
(Unbridled's Song), Ch. 3YO, MGISW, $3,924,648. Werk Nick
   Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–This Tea, 120, f, 4, Curlin–Funny Moon, by Malibu Moon.
($135,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Kretz Racing LLC; B-My
Meadowview LLC (KY); T-George Papaprodromou. $40,000.
3–Harvest Moon, 122, f, 4, Uncle Mo–Qaraaba (GB), by
Shamardal. O-Alice Bamford & Michael B. Tabor; B-Alice
Bamford (KY); T-Simon Callaghan. $24,000.
Margins: 9 1/4, 2 1/4, 11. Odds: 0.60, 31.80, 2.00.
Also Ran: Pharoah's Heart, Clockstrikestwelve.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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