Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Runner-Up Edgeway Dominates Kalookan Queen

With the outcome never in doubt, heavily favored Edgeway was in complete command from her rail post en route to a 1 ¾-length win in Sunday's $75,000 Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by John Sadler and ridden to victory by John Velazquez, Edgeway, a 5-year-old mare by Competitive Edge, got 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.85.

“I watched her run, obviously, she runs really good races,” said Velazquez, who notched his third stakes win of the young meet and who was aboard for the first time on Sunday. “Today, the strategy was to chase them or chase me.  I broke (well), let her run to the lead and let them catch me. … When I asked her to run she responded right away, so I'm very proud.”

Most recently second in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6, Edgeway was off at 2-5 in a field of four older fillies and mares and with no show wagering, she paid $2.80 and $2.10.

“That was really good,” said Kosta Hronis, of Hronis Racing, LLC. “She bounced out of the Breeders' Cup really well. I think the plan was to give her a little bit more of a break, but she's been asking to run, John (Sadler) had her all trained up and ready to go. It's an honor to have John (Velazquez).  Any time we can have jockeys like this on the West Coast, we're always happy to see that.”

Out of the Stormin Fever mare Magical Solution, Edgeway, who took the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes two races back on Aug. 20, is now a two-time stakes winner.  With the winner's share from today's win of $47,160, she increased her earnings to $596,360.

Merneith, who had been idle for Bob Baffert since winning the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes Feb. 13, stalked the winner to the top of the lane, but was unable to keep up when Edgeway opened up three lengths turning for home. Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, she kept to her task and finished 5 ½ lengths clear of Stellar Sound while paying $2.40 to place.

Fractions on the race were 22.15, 44.96 and 1:09.95.

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Ce Ce Upsets Heavily Favored Gamine In Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Sprint

With just four rivals facing her in the gates and a five-race winning streak where she took no prisoners, there was perhaps no surer thing on the Breeders' Cup menu than Gamine defending her title in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Saturday at Del Mar.

In horse racing, though, there's no such thing as a sure thing.

After relentless pressure throughout the race, Gamine ultimately relented to finish third, while Ce Ce drove past the 2-to-5 favorite to earn the biggest win of her career.

Ce Ce, a 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality kept about three lengths back from the pace out of the gate, as Gamine took the early command in her usual fashion, pressed hard to the outside by Bella Sofia. Gamine clocked the opening quarter-mile in :22.31 seconds, a half-length ahead of Bella Sofia, with Edgeway looming closely behind on the rail.

Ce Ce crept up closer to the lead pack under jockey Victor Espinoza as the field approached the turn. As Gamine clicked a half-mile in :44.92 seconds, Bella Sofia drew up closer to the leader on the outside, and jockey Joel Rosario brought Edgeway up an open spot on the rail to pose a threat.

Those three set themselves up on even terms through the turn, as Espinoza took Ce Ce four-wide and entered the conversation at the top of the stretch. With the inside path, Edgeway took control of the lead from Gamine as they entered the straightaway, and Ce Ce accelerated from the outside at the six-furlong mark, run in 1:08.66.

With all the momentum on the outside trip, Ce Ce carried on past Edgeway, and kicked clear under a hand ride to win the Filly and Mare Sprint by 2 1/2 lengths. Edgeway continued on for second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Gamine.

“I had a lot of horse,” Espinoza said. “She bounced out of the gate, but I decided to sit back and she was nice and relaxed. When I shook the reins at her at the five-eighths pole, I got a little excited. I wanted to go inside, but that spot was taken. But it worked out pretty fine.”

Ce Ce stopped the clock in 1:21 flat in the seven-furlong race over a fast main track. She paid $14.40 to win as the field's third betting choice.

“Around the turn she put in her run and she was very good,” said trainer Michael McCarthy. “It's a proud moment for (Bo Hirsch and I). I wish I would have shaved a little more this morning. Such a fantastic day and fantastic event. Just happy for everybody.  She's been very consistent. I think last year I decided that this year we would go one turn with her. She's been touting herself this week that she was going to run a big one. I'm just glad she did on a stage like today.”

Saturday's Filly and Mare Sprint was Ce Ce's fifth win in her last six starts, and her eighth total career victory, compiling lifetime earnings of $1,753,100. McCarthy trains the homebred mare for Bo Hirsch.

Ce Ce's 2021 campaign has been a dramatic reversal from her 2020 season, when she notched a Grade 1 victory in the Beholder Mile, then stretched out to 1 1/16 miles to take the G1 Apple Blossom Handicap, before eventually finishing fifth in that year's Breeders' Cup Distaff. She was moved back to one-turn races in 2021 to astounding success, coming into this year's Breeders' Cup with wins in the G2 Princess Rooney Stakes and a five-length dismantling of the G3 Chillingworth Stakes.

The only time Ce Ce faced defeat in a sprint race this season was the G1 Ballerina Handicap, where she finished third to Gamine.

Quotes from other connections:

Jockey Joel Rosario (second with Edgeway) – “I was on the inside and I had the room to run, but I was probably just second best today.”

Trainer Bob Baffert (third with 2-5 favorite Gamine) – “She was out there and she just got tired at the end. The winner ran a great race. I really can't make a lot of excuses. She just got tired. I blame myself with the preparation. She had some time off and I think a race in between probably would have helped her. I think I made a mistake there. Now, she'll be ready. Going in, I was hoping I was okay here. The winner is a good filly. She looked great in the paddock. I knew she was the one to beat.”

Jockey John Velazquez (third with 2-5 favorite Gamine) – “When you go that fast early, it's hard to keep up the whole way around when you are pressed all the time. At the quarter pole, I thought she was going to have it, but as soon as I moved my hands and she didn't respond the way I thought, I knew I was in trouble.”

Trainer Rudy Rodriquez (fourth with Bella Sofia) – “We tried to go with Gamine and we set up the race for the third-best horse. I thought we were running good. We got bumped a little bit in the stretch, but I think we were done already at the time. This is what you expect in these big races. They went pretty fast and came home fast and that's what it is.”

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Saturday BC Runners and Their Siblings and Dams Entered in KEENOV

In Friday's TDN, Brian DiDonato provided a list of weanling siblings and dams of Breeders' Cup Friday contenders entered in the Keeneland November Sale. Today, Christie DeBernardis followed up with Saturday Breeders' Cup contenders, their dams and younger siblings who are set to sell at that marquee auction. As Brian said, there is no update like a Breeders' Cup update!

Hip 103 – GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint contender Edgeway (Competitive Edge) will head straight from Del Mar to Lexington, where she will be offered in Book 1 of KEENOV. A $275,000 OBSAPR purchase by David Ingordo, the Hronis Racing colorbearer won two of four starts last year and was second in the GIII Dogwood S. Kicking off this season with a pair of wins, including the Carousel S. Apr. 10 at Oaklawn, the John Sadler trainee checked in fourth in the July 5 GII Great Lady M S. and won this venue's GIII Rancho Bernardo H. last out Aug. 20. Edgeway faces just four rivals Saturday, but one is a champion, one is a MGISW and one is a speedy Grade I-winning sophomore on the rise. Consigned by Lane's End, the 4-year-old filly is out of SW Magical Solution (Stormin Fever), who is a half-sister to GISW The Lumber Guy (Grand Slam).

Hip 172 – Book 1 also includes another Breeders' Cup runner in GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint contender Charmaine's Mia (The Factor). The bay kicked off her 5-year-old season with a trio of victories in the Jan. 9 GIII Las Cienegas S., Feb. 20 GII Buena Vista S. and Apr. 3 GII Royal Heroine S. She was off the board in her last three starts, most recently finishing eighth against males in the GII Eddie D S. Oct. 1. Privately acquired at the end of last season, Charmaine's Mia was campaigned by Agave Racing Stable, Medallion Racing and Rockin Robin Racing Stables with trainer Phil D'Amato. The daughter of SW Charming Vixen (Bernstein) is part of the Taylor Made consignment.

Hip 175 – Selling just five hips after Charmaine's Mia is the unraced Achalaya (Bellamy Road), who is the dam of GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile entrant Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed). Out of MGSW Wild Heart Dancing (Farma Way), the 9-year-old mare is a half to stakes-placed Unbridled's Heart (Unbridled's Song) and Leopard Rock (Speightstown). A $4,000 FTKFEB purchase in 2015, Achalaya's first foal was Casa Creed, a $105,000 KEESEP buy turned GI Jaipur S. winner and now Breeders' Cup contender for Bill Mott. She summoned $8,500 from Stonestreet carrying her second foal by Liaison at the 2017 OBSWIN sale. The dark bay was sent back through the same auction the following year carrying her third foal by Stonestreet's Jess's Dream, who is now Grade III winner Chess's Dream, and brought $15,000 form Trackside Farm. Achalaya RNA'd for $195,000 in foal to Distorted Humor at the 2019 KEENOV sale. The resulting foal was a colt and she had a colt by Omaha Beach this year. Achalaya is offered by Gainesway in foal to Horse of the Year Authentic.

Hip 176 – Achalaya's weanling colt by Omaha Beach, Casa Creed's youngest half-sibling, follows his dam into the ring Wednesday.

Hip 3519 – On the second-to-last day of the sale, which is the third day of Book 5, buyers will have the chance to buy the full-sister to Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint contender Proud Emma (Include). Texas breeders Eric and Randi Moreau-Sipiere purchased their unraced dam Debutante Dreamer (Proud Citizen) for just $2,500 at the 2017 KEENOV sale. Proud Emma won the GIII Bayakoa S. in December and is winless in four starts this year, but finished second to Edgeway in the Rancho Bernardo. She enters the World Championships off a fourth in the GIII Chillingworth S. Oct. 3. The dark bay weanling filly is part of the Ballysax Bloodstock consignment.

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Edgeway, Bravo Team Up For Rancho Bernardo Score At Del Mar

Hronis Racing's Edgeway, the even-money favorite in a short field of four fillies and mares, went about her business in fine fashion Friday afternoon and came away a one-length winner in the 50th edition of the Grade 3, $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The 4-year-old daughter of Competitive Edge covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.80 under Joe Bravo and won her race in easier fashion than the margin would indicate. She also gave her trainer, John Sadler, his sixth victory in this distaff sprint going back to a fine filly named Track Gal the conditioner saddled to win the race in 1995, '96 and '97.

Finishing second in the Rancho Bernardo was Gem Inc and Kagele's Proud Emma, while pulling in third was Don Alberto Stable's Stellar Sound.

Edgeway was winning her fifth race in her eighth start and the winner's share of $60,000 pushed her earnings so far to $379,200. With show wagering cancelled due to the short field, Edgeway returned $4.00 and $2.60, while Proud Emma paid $4.60.

In the track's Rainbow Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager, for the 18th straight time a single bettor couldn't tab all six winners on his or her own meaning there will be yet another carryover into Saturday's TVG Pacific Classic Day card where a “mandatory” payout awaits. Friday's carryover amount of $1,874,996 will be in the pool to start the day tomorrow and it and all the “new” money that comes in on the bet will go out to those who have the most winners, guaranteed.

Some projections put the likely “new” money amount in the $6- to $10-million range. If so, it will virtually ensure that the track will best its non-Breeders' Cup single-day betting record of $25,870,431 set on August 18, 2018, a TVG Pacific Classic Day.

Racing for the big TVG Pacific Classic Day card begins at 2 p.m. Saturday. Eleven races will be on tap with the Pick 6 wager beginning on Race 6, which is scheduled to go off at approximately 4:30 p.m.

JOE BRAVO (Edgeway, winner) – “She was feeling real positive from the break right on through. I was in the catbird seat pretty much all the way. At the three-eighths (pole) I just cut her loose and she got real brave then. She's a nice filly and good horses make my job easier. It'll be interesting to see what John (trainer Sadler) does with her next.”

JOHN SADLER (Edgeway, winner) – “This has been such a good race for me and it is fun to win it again; it has been a few years in between wins. This is a good filly, she has a great record. The only bad race was her last one and Gamine (who left Edgeway 11 ¼ lengths behind in the Great Lady M at Los Alamitos) is the best in the country. She came back from it today, so I'm very happy.”

FRACTIONS:  :22.31  :44.94  1:10.05  1:16.80

The stakes win was the third of the meet for rider Bravo, but his first in the Rancho Bernardo. He now has five stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Sadler, but sixth in the Rancho Bernardo. He now has 79 stakes wins at Del Mar, second most of all trainers.

The winning owners, Hronis Racing, are Kosta and Pete Hronis of Delano, Calif.

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