DEL MAR, Calif. - The presence of Gamine scared away most of the competition from this year’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. But for at least one set of connections the decision to run against the defending female sprint champion paid huge dividends. Ce Ce was beaten three lengths by Gamine in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga in August, and she returned the favor Saturday at Del Mar, running by Gamine in upper stretch and drawing clear to win the Filly and Mare Sprint by 2 1/2 lengths. Edgeway, another filly previously beaten soundly by Gamine, outfinished Gamine to get second by three-quarters of a length. :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2021: See DRF’s special section with recaps, results, charts, news, and more for each division Gamine, softened up by Bella Sofia, had to settle for third, 1 3/4 lengths in front of Bella Sofia, who was fourth. Proud Emma finished last of five. Estilo Talentoso, the only other one entered in the race, was scratched earlier in the week by Breeders’ Cup veterinarians. The win was the first Grade 1 victory of this year for Ce Ce and the third of her career. She has won three graded stakes this year, and defeating Gamine in the biggest race in the division might earn her an Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter. Ce Ce’s trainer, Michael McCarthy, said that when Gamine beat his filly in Saratoga, Gamine got loose on easy lead, running an opening quarter in 23.20 seconds. “She can do that in her sleep,” McCarthy said. Saturday, there would be no easy lead for Gamine, who under John Velazquez was pressed by Bella Sofia and Luis Saez through a quarter in 22.31 seconds and a half-mile in 44.92 in the seven-furlong race. “When you have a horse breathing down your neck right away, it changes the whole race,” Velazquez said. “They sacrificed and [screwed] both of us and that’s what happened. She took me to the quarter pole and 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 were in trouble.” Conversely, Victor Espinoza said he grew excited when he shook his reins at Ce Ce at the five-eighths pole and his filly inched closer to the leaders. At the quarter pole, Espinoza tipped Ce Ce four wide, and she was basically on even terms turning for home. Ce Ce passed the pacesetters at the three-sixteenths pole and cruised home a comfortable winner. Ce Ce, a 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality owned and bred by Bo Hirsch, covered the seven furlongs in 1:21.00 and returned $14.40 as the third choice. She earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. “Turning for home I wanted to be right next to them,” said Espinoza, who won his first Breeders’ Cup race since the 2015 Classic aboard Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. “I thought that was the only chance I really had to nail this race and it worked out perfectly fine.” :: Get everything you need with a DRF Breeders' Cup package! Includes PPs, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more. Ce Ce was coming off a five-length victory in the Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 3, and McCarthy felt Ce Ce had taken a step forward since then. “It was a little bit reminiscent of the Preakness,” said McCarthy, referring to his Preakness win with Rombauer. “You’re certainly happy that they go ahead and show themselves. They’re going to run well. Whether they’re 1-2-3, I don’t know. When she hit the sixteenth pole and no one was coming, special feeling.” McCarthy may get to enjoy more special feelings from Ce Ce as Hirsch said he intends to race Ce Ce next year as a 6-year-old. “At my stage in life I want more fun than money,” Hirsch said. “As long as she wants to run, and we know she wants to run, we’re going to run for a while.” Gamine, who won this race last year by 6 1/4 lengths and was 4 for 4 this year, suffered just her second loss in 11 career starts. She hadn’t run since her Ballerina victory on Aug. 28 at Saratoga. “That’s not the Gamine we know,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “She was off a long while. I blame myself.” Bella Sofia, the lone 3-year-old in the field, battled Gamine and faded in the stretch. Although she got bumped in upper stretch, she pretty much was done by that point. “We tried to go with Gamine and we set up the race for the third-best horse,” trainer Rudy Rodriguez said.