Victor Espinoza | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ce Ce, Smooth Like Strait Work Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup Tries

Two of trainer Michael McCarthy's major Breeders' Cup candidates, multiple Grade 1 winner Ce Ce and Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile winner Smooth Like Strait, moved closer to their goals Friday with four-furlong workouts at Sana Anita Park in Arcadia Calif., Ce Ce timed in :47.80 and Smooth Like Strait in :47.40.

They are being pointed to the Filly & Mare Sprint and the Mile, respectively.

“They'll have two more breezes before the Breeders' Cup,” McCarthy said. “We're on course.”

McCarthy plans to retain their regular riders, Victor Espinoza and Umberto Rispoli, for the Breeders' Cup races.

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Ce Ce On Track For BC Filly & Mare Sprint, Rombauer Scheduled To Return To Santa Anita

Bo Hirsch's multiple Grade I winner Ce Ce, dominating winner of the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes Oct. 3 under a textbook ride by regular pilot Victor Espinoza, remains on course for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, trainer Michael McCarthy reports.

“She's doing well and Victor fits her and knows her well,” McCarthy said of the 5-year-old mare by Elusive Quality out the Grade I stakes-winning Miss Houdini. “They've been successful together.”

Espinoza has ridden Ce Ce in 12 of her 14 career races, winning six.

McCarthy also informs that his Preakness-winning Rombauer, idle since running third in the Belmont, recently enjoyed some R&R and is scheduled to return to Santa Anita “in about 10 days.”

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England’s Rose Wins Swingtime At Santa Anita

In her first stakes assignment, the John Shirreffs-conditioned England's Rose proved more than equal to the task as she displayed an impressive turn of foot to rally from off the pace and take Saturday's $70,000 Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, England's Rose got one mile on turf in 1:33.99.

Taken in-hand out of the gate, England's Rose who was shortening up off of a 1 3/8 mile turf allowance win, saved ground early and under patient handling and with just two horses to beat at the three-furlong marker, rallied impressively while five-deep off the turn for home to win going away.

“Victor did a good job, taking ahold of her and dropping back to save ground early,” said Shirreffs. “She's got a great finishing kick, so he waited as long as he could, but when those fillies came up inside her around the far turn, he had to go. Now we'll try to move up (in class). You always like to see them repeat a performance.”

First or second in her last four starts, England's Rose last started on Sept. 3 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. Off as the 7-2 second choice in a field of eight fillies and mares three and up, she paid $9.40, $4.00, and $3.00.

“I was hoping we had enough pace,” said Espinoza, who has ridden England's Rose in all but one of her seven starts. “You never know before the race. My only thought was that hopefully they would go a little quick…I can't really change how she likes to run, so it's one of those things you just have to let the horse do all the work and let her run in the end.”

A 5-year-old mare by English Channel out of the Kris S. mare Gingham and Lace, England's Rose is owned by Mercedes Stables, LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy and David Ingordo, and Steve Mooney.

With the winner's share of $46,320, England's Rose has earnings of $159,450 from an overall mark of 7-3-2-0.

The actual favorite at 7-2, Norma Jean B. was attentive to the pace and took command inside the eighth pole but was no match for the winner late. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, she paid $3.80 and $3.40.

Chilean-bred Brooke, off at 4-1, rallied from off the pace with Kyle Frey and paid $3.60 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths better than Avenue de France.

Fractions on the race were :23.02, :46.80, 1:10.70, and 1:22.52.

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

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Flavien Prat Heads Jockey Colony For Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet

With Southern California kingpin Flavien Prat heading the charge, a full complement of world class jockeys is set to compete throughout the course of Santa Anita's upcoming 16-day Autumn Meet, which is set to open on Friday, Oct. 1. A total of four stakes, three of them Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, will headline a nine-race program, with first post time at 1 p.m.

Prat, a 29-year-old native of Malun, France, is enjoying yet another tremendous year, having just won the riding title at the recently concluded Del Mar Summer Race Meet. Although based in Southern California, Prat has ridden in major stakes throughout the country in 2021 and he currently ranks fourth among North American jockeys with earnings of more than $16.8 million.

A triumvirate of talented riders, Juan Hernandez, Abel Cedillo and Umberto Rispoli, should again figure prominently in the Autumn Meet standings. Hernandez and Cedillo, former leading riders at Golden Gate Fields, finished two-three at Del Mar, while Italian native Rispoli, regarded as one of the circuit's top turf riders, checked in fourth. (Hernandez and Rispoli rank 12th and 14th nationally, with respective earnings of $7.8 million and $7.5 million).

Legendary Hall of Fame jockeys Mike Smith, Victor Espinoza and Kent Desormeaux are again set to call Santa Anita home beginning next Friday and they'll all be aboard Breeders' Cup hopefuls throughout opening weekend.

“Jersey Joe” Bravo, who relocated to Southern California this past summer, enjoyed a solid summer at Del Mar, finishing fifth in the standings, and he adds considerable depth to a strong jockey colony. Regarded as California's best “gate rider,” Edwin Maldonado is enjoying perhaps the best year of his career and he figures to have plenty of live mounts throughout the 16-day stand.

Brazilian-born Tiago Pereira, who notched his biggest North American win aboard Tripoli in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Aug. 21, along with Mario Gutierrez, Geovanni Franco, Kyle Frey, Tyler Baze, Ricky Gonzalez, Drayden Van Dyke and Jose Valdivia, Jr., all comprise a deep pool of journeyman talent that fans and horsemen can readily embrace.

Jessica Pyfer, a recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University, continues in her quest to be named America's Eclipse Champion Apprentice Jockey for 2021, while fellow “bug” riders Diego Herrera, Emily Ellingwood and Alexis Centeno all form a solid group of apprentice talent.

A great deal of anticipation surrounds next Friday's Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, named in honor of retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, as it marks a return to Santa Anita's Camino Real Hillside Turf Course. For 3-year-olds and up, the Eddie D will be contested at about 6 ½ furlongs and will likely attract a full field of 10 or 12 runners.

Three Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” stakes, the Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah, the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier and the $100,000 Speakeasy will provide their respective winners with fees-paid berths in corresponding stakes over the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar Nov. 5 & 6.

For additional information on Santa Anita's upcoming Autumn Meet, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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