The reigning champion sprinter and winner of the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) returns to the two-turn distance after spending much of her 2021 season at seven-furlongs. She's been plenty successful at this distance before, including a win the 2020 GI Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park and two third-place efforts in the GII Santa Monica S. and the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. in late summer 2020. Ce Ce has already catalogued career earnings of over $1.7m to date and keeps regular rider Victor Espinoza aboard for trainer Mike McCarthy. Her most recent start was a runner-up finish to the Bob Baffert-trained Merneith (American Pharoah) where she posted a career-high 101 Beyer Speed Figure, her second straight triple-digit figure. She adds Lasix back after nearly a year of racing without it.

Also adding Lasix again for the first time in a year is 2020 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) who returns to the Azeri after a winning it to kick off her four-year-old campaign a year ago. Freshened since a last out sixth after tracking a brutal opening pace in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 6, Shedaresthedevil will surely look to use this race as she did last year to springboard herself into another successful season.  That sixth-place effort was her only off-the-board finish in 2021, where she also posted four wins, each in graded stakes company along with a third behind Letruska in the GI Ogden Phipps S. No stranger to the 1 1/16-mile distance, her previous wins include the GIII Locust Grove S., the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. over GI winners Venetian Harbor (Munnings) and As Time Goes By (American Pharoah), and the GI La Troienne S. Jockey Florent Geroux retains the ride for trainer Brad Cox.

Standing in the shadow of both previously mentioned mares but a near millionaire herself is Pauline's Pearl (Tapit). The gray filly comes into the Azeri off of back-to-back wins in the Zia Park Oaks and the GIII Houston Ladies Classic, both at the 1 1/16-mile distance, as well as a second-place in the GIII Remington Park Oaks. As a 3-year-old last season, she took Oaklawn Park's richest race for fillies in the GIII Fantasy S. and spent nearly her entire season in graded stakes company where she only finished out of the money once, finished eighth behind Malathaat (Curlin) in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Joel Rosario rides after piloting her in her most recent start, and she also regains Lasix for trainer Steve Asmussen.

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Cox reiterated Tuesday afternoon that Shedaresthedevil's first 2022 target remains the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 12 at Oaklawn. Shedaresthedevil opened her 2021 campaign with a victory in the Azeri, holding off expected Eclipse Award winner Letruksa by a head under regular rider Florent Geroux.

“It was a good move,” Cox said, referring to Sunday's breeze. “Pointing for the Azeri. I think it's going to be a realistic goal to get to the Azeri. Obviously, it's a prep for the Apple Blossom.”

Shedaresthedevil hasn't started since a sixth-place finish in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Shedaresthedevil, as a racing/broodmare prospect, sold for $5 million at Fasig-Tipton's Fall Mixed Sale Nov. 9, but her new connections decided to keep her in training with Cox for a 2022 racing campaign.

Flurry said the 5-year-old daughter of Daredevil received a 30-day break following the Breeders' Cup and was in light training at new co-owner Mandy Pope's farm in Florida before returning to Cox in early January at Fair Grounds.

“They had her in Ocala, Mandy Pope's team did, and she came back and looked amazing,” Cox said. “She looked as well as she's ever looked, so I'm excited about getting her started this year and hopefully make her presence felt in some Grade 1s throughout the year.”

The Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at 1 1/16 miles April 23.

In addition to the Azeri, Shedaresthedevil won the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in 2020 at Oaklawn before capturing the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) later that year at Churchill Downs. She was a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020.

Shedaresthedevil has bankrolled $2,331,458 after winning 9 of 17 career starts. She is a three-time Grade 1 winner.

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Co-owned by Staton Flurry of Hot Springs, Shedaresthedevil opened 2021 with a victory over Letruksa in the $350,000 G2 Azeri Stakes for older fillies and mares in March at Oaklawn. Her final start this year was a sixth-place finish in the $2 million G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. Shedaresthedevil, as a racing/broodmare prospect, sold for $5 million at Fasig-Tipton's Fall Mixed Sale Nov. 9, but will remain with Cox for a 2022 campaign. Flurry said the 4-year-old daughter of Daredevil received a 30-day break following the Breeders' Cup and is now in light training at new co-owner Mandy Pope's farm in Florida.

Cox said the $350,000 G2 Azeri March 12 and $1 million G1 Apple Blossom Handicap April 23 at Oaklawn are targets for Shedaresthedevil, who has bankrolled $2,331,458 after winning 9 of 17 career starts.

“I think those are realistic goals,” Cox said. “We'll get her back and probably ship her to the Fair Grounds and train her here and just kind of see how things go. I'm excited about hopefully taking a big swing at the Apple Blossom.”

Cox just missed sweeping Oaklawn's series of two-turn stakes races for older fillies and mares in 2021. Cox won the $150,000 Pippin with Getridofwhatailesu, $250,000 G3 Bayakoa with two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl, and the Azeri with Shedaresthedevil. Monomoy Girl, in what would be her final career start, was beaten a nose by Letruska in the Apple Blossom. The Apple Blossom is the final race in the series.

Letruska, also ticketed to run next year, is the front-runner for an Eclipse Award as the country's top older dirt female of 2021. Shedaresthedevil won the $300,000 G3 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in 2020 at Oaklawn before capturing the $1.25 million G1 Kentucky Oaks later that year at Churchill Downs.

Flurry has owned a piece of Shedaresthedevil since November 2019.

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Off since tiring in the stretch to be third in the G1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland in her lone start against older fillies and mares in 2020, Shedaresthedevil covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.57 and paid $5.60 as the second choice in the wagering. She carried 119 pounds, five fewer than  Letruska.

Letruska, a star at Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico City before coming to the U.S. late in 2019, finished second in the field of five in her bid for a third consecutive graded stakes win. Encoutante finished third, with Getridofwhatailesu fourth and Motion Emotion fifth.

A 4-year-old filly by Daredevil owned by Qatar Racing, Big Aut Farms and Flurry Racing Stable, Shedaresthedevil is trained by Brad Cox and was ridden to victory by Florent Geroux.

Breaking from the outside post, Shedaresthedevil darted to the front immediately and set fractions of :23.93 for the opening quarter mile, :47.79 for the half and 1:11.54 for six furlongs. Envoutante was her closest pursuer with Letruska – who typically runs on the front end – three wide while third into the first turn and in the run down the backstretch.

As the field rounded into the stretch, Joel Rosario allowed Letruska to drift out even further while trying to run down the favorite. Shedaresthedevil maintained a clear advantage at the mile marker — clocked in 1:36.25 – but was all out to hold off a surge from Letruska in deep stretch.

“We caught a flyer out of the gate,” Geroux said. “I was expecting Letruska to lead all the way. I don't know if she didn't break fast enough or stumbled, but we inherited the lead and I just took it from there. My filly is extremely talented. You know you want to slow her down, just keep her in a nice rhythm. Turning for home, she gave me everything she had. She maybe got a little bit tired down the lane, but it was good for her first race off the break. I don't think she was 100% cranked up for this. We have hopes for a big year with her.”

The win was the sixth from 12 starts for Shedaresthedevil, who won the G3 Honeybee at Oaklawn in 2020, along with the G3 Indiana Oaks prior to winning the Kentucky Oaks. She was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm.

“Whenever I run here, I'm nervous,” Staton Flurry of Flurry Racing said. “I expected the three (Letruska) to break good, but she didn't. We just went on with it. She really dug in. Florent rode a great race. I'm glad to have her back. It's going to be a fun year.”

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Ken McPeek chose to send his champion Swiss Skydiver to the west coast for her seasonal bow, but is still represented here by Envoutante (Uncle Mo). Third in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland in July, the dark bay checked in fourth to her Eclipse-winning stablemate in the GI Alabama S. Aug. 15. Returning to winning ways in the GIII Remington Park Oaks Sept. 27, she went wire-to-wire in Churchill's GII Falls City S., dominating by six lengths Nov. 26.

Letruska (Super Saver) captured the GIII Shuvee S. at Saratoga in August, but faded to fourth next out after setting the pace in Belmont's GII Beldame Invitational S. Oct. 4. Running away to a 6 3/4-length score in Gulfstream's GIII Rampart S. Dec. 12, the bay scored a facile victory in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. last time Jan. 31.

Completing this small, but competitive field of five is Motion Emotion (Take Charge Indy). Runner-up in a pair of Oaklawn optional claimers last April, the bay checked in second to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in Churchill's GII Fleur de Lis H. June 27. She was fourth in Saratoga's GI Personal Ensign S. Aug. 1 in her final start for trainer Richard Baltas and owners Abbondanza Racing, Mark DeDomenico and Medallion Racing. Motion Emotion was purchased by Spendthrift Farm for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale and My Racehorse joined in as partner. Transferred to Steve Asmussen, she finished fifth in the Houston Ladies Classic last time.

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Probable post time for the Azeri, which goes as the fifth of 12 races, is 2:03 p.m. (Central). The 1 1/16-mile Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17.

Shedaresthedevil will be making her first start since finishing third in her first race against older horses, the $400,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland. Shedaresthedevil had won her previous three starts, including the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks, which was moved from the spring to the fall last year because of COVID-19, is the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil returned to the work tab Feb. 1 at Oaklawn, then shipped to Fair Grounds because of anticipated winter weather. The daughter of Daredevil recorded four works at Fair Grounds, the last a 5-furlong move in 1:00.20 March 6, before returning to Hot Springs Wednesday. Cox indicated in January that Shedaresthedevil, the 2-1 program favorite, couldn't afford any training hiccups to make the Azeri, won last year by 2019 Kentucky Oaks champion Serengeti Empress.

“In a perfect schedule, I would have liked to have gotten a few more works into her,” Cox said. “But her last two works have been really, really good. Kind of really was the decision-maker. Her last two works have been well in hand. She's doing well. Her weight's good, so I feel confident she's going to run a good race. I don't think she's 100 percent tight, but she's very close.”

Shedaresthedevil was the top locally based 3-year-old filly last year, winning the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) before running third behind eventual divisional champion Swiss Skydiver in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3). Shedaresthedevil races for a partnership that includes Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.

The projected five-horse Azeri field from the rail out: Envoutante, Brian Hernandez Jr. to ride, 121 pounds, 5-2 on the morning line; Motion Emotion, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 6-1; Letruska, Joel Rosario, 124, 3-1; Getridofwhatailesu, Javier Castellano, 121, 3-1; and Shedaresthedevil, Florent Geroux, 119, 2-1.

Envoutante, a stablemate of Swiss Skydiver, will also be making her 4-year-old debut Saturday. Envoutante exits what trainer Kenny McPeek termed a “beast of a race,” a front-running six-length victory against older horses in the $200,000 Falls City Stakes (G2) Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs.

Speedy Mexican star Letruska (12 of 16 overall) was an allowance winner last April at Oaklawn and a front-running 3 ½-length winner of the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 31 at Sam Houston in her last start.

“I think she's the speed,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “You check the numbers. Anyone that wants to run with her, needs to run fast. If we lose, we lose. But the other one is taking a big risk.”

Gutierrez said he hopes to use the Azeri as a steppingstone to the Apple Blossom, among the country's premier two-turn events for older fillies and mares.

Getridofwhatailesu, also trained by Cox, came from well off the pace to win the $150,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 23 at Oaklawn in her last start. She has a 3-1-0 record in four career starts in Hot Springs.

“She obviously likes Oaklawn,” Cox said. “It looks like there's going to be some pace in there, so she might get a setup. Come-from-behind horses tend to do not as well in shorter fields, but if there's ever one that looked like she could do well in, it would probably be this one, based off just the paper.”

Completing the field is Motion Emotion, who chased Letruska in the Houston Ladies Classic before tiring to finish a well-beaten fifth in her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Motion Emotion recorded sharp front-running maiden and allowance victories in 2019 at Oaklawn before finishing second in the Honeybee and Fantasy when with trainer Tom Van Berg.

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Shedaresthedevil, under exercise rider Fernando Espinoza, breezed on a fast track following the first break to renovate the racing surface for newly minted Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox and co-owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs. Clockers had the 4-year-old daughter of Daredevil galloping out a half-mile in :49.80.

“Really, really good,” Cox said after watching the work. “We were just looking for like :38, and she honestly looked like she was going :38. Just well within herself. Just nice and easy. We're not going to get in a big hurry with her, just kind of pick it up a little bit each week. Couldn't have asked for a better first work back.”

Shedaresthedevil was a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020 after winning four races, including Oaklawn's $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) and the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs, Shedaresthedevil hasn't started since finishing third in the $400,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland, her first start against older horses.

Following the Spinster, Shedaresthedevil received a 60-day break, Flurry said, before resuming light training in mid-December in Kentucky. She arrived at Oaklawn Jan. 9. Cox said the 1 1/16-mile Azeri, Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17, is a potential landing spot for Shedaresthedevil's 2021 debut.

“It's going to get close there,” Cox said. “We're just going to have to kind of really watch her and let her tell us if she's ready for that, but that would be the first logical target.”

Cox already has won Oaklawn's first of three Apple Blossom preps and is scheduled to have the heavy favorite in the second.

Getridofwhatailesu – in her stakes debut – was a 1 ½-length winner of the $150,000 Pippin at 1 mile Jan. 23. It marked the third victory in the last four starts for Getridofwhatailesu, who hadn't raced since winning an allowance route last March at Oaklawn. Cox said Getridofwhatailesu was subsequently diagnosed with “lameness that didn't require surgery” and sent to Custom Care Equine in South Carolina to recover.

“They did a fantastic job,” Cox said. “She came back to us and when we started breezing her she appeared to be the same horse she was last year. We had a lot of high hopes for her last year. We thought she was a graded-stakes filly. It wasn't ideal, probably, to bring her back in that stake off the layoff, but just based off the condition book, with what she's eligible for, there's not a lot of options. We were kind of forced into the race and it worked out well.”

Cox said Getridofwhatailesu is being pointed for the Azeri.

Monomoy Girl, Cox's dual Eclipse Award winner, is scheduled to make her 2021 debut in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. Monomoy Girl has won 13 of 15 career starts, including the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland to conclude a perfect 2020 campaign (4 for 4) and clinch an Eclipse Award as the country's champion older dirt female. Monomoy Girl won the 2018 Kentucky Oaks en route to champion 3-year-old filly honors.

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Shedaresthedevil wintered last year at Oaklawn and won its $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) in March before going on to capture an allowance race at Churchill Downs, the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) and the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs.

Following a third-place finish in her first start against older horses, the $400,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland, the Daredevil filly received a 60-day break, Flurry said, before resuming light training in mid-December in Kentucky. Trainer Brad Cox said the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 13 at Oaklawn is a possible first 2021 target for Shedaresthedevil.

“Glad to have her back on track and back here,” Flurry said. “She looks phenomenal. It seems like she enjoyed her time off and it did her well. She's put on some weight and seems very bright eyed. Excited to see what 2021 holds in store for her, beginning with the Azeri.”

The Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17. Cox said champion Monomoy Girl is pointing for the second race in the prep series, the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 15, for her 2021 debut. Monomoy Girl is based at Fair Grounds.

Oaklawn's first major Apple Blossom prep is the $150,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 23. Nominations to the 1-mile event closed Thursday.

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