Ceiling Crusher sparkles in the Evening Jewel under Juan Hernandez (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— A filly that appears headed to stardom, Doug O’Neill’s undefeated Ceiling Crusher seeks her fourth consecutive win as she stretches out for the first time and heads a field of five sophomore fillies going a mile and one sixteenth in Sunday’s $150,000 Melair Stakes at Santa Anita.
Named for John Sadler’s unbeaten daughter of Debonaire Roger who defeated an outstanding group of males, including Snow Chief in her final start, the Grade II Silver Screen Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 5, 1986, the Melair is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.
Off at 1-5 going 6 ½ furlongs in the statebred Evening Jewel Stakes here on April 8, Ceiling Crusher, an attentive second after the first quarter mile, surged to a sensational 15 ½ length score while earning a lofty 94 Beyer Speed Figure under Juan Hernandez, who rides back on Sunday.
By Mr. Big out of the Indian Charlie mare Palisadesprincess, Ceiling Crusher is owned by Wonderland Racing Stables, LLC, Todd Cady, Tim Kasparoff and Ty Leatherman.
Second, beaten a mere neck at odds of 21-1 in the Grade III Senorita Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf May 6, Steve Miyadi’s Tom’s Regret will be ridden back by Kyle Frey and rates a solid chance stretching out for the first time in her seventh career start.
A distant second to the top selection in the Evening Jewel, Tom’s Regret is by Tom’s Tribute and is out of the Quality Road mare Pure. With an overall mark of 6-2-3-1, she has earnings of $216,253.
With a recent race to her credit, trainer Rafael DeLeon’s Chismosa, a two-time stakes winner while unbeaten in three statebred starts at Del Mar last summer, was a very respectable sixth, beaten only 2 ¼ lengths in the Grade III Senorita.
By Clubhouse Ride out of the Cat Dreams mare You Can Dream, Chismosa is owned by her breeder Jaime Renella and will be ridden for the first time by Tiago Pereira.
THE $150,000 MELAIR STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 5 of 10 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT
- Tom’s Regret—Kyle Frey—120
- Carole Lombard—Ramon Vazquez—124
- Danzing Cat—Antonio Fresu—120
- Chismosa—Tiago Pereira—120
- Ceiling Crusher—Juan Hernandez—120
First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.
