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| Staff Writer |
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The spotlight falls on female sprinters this weekend as Gulfstream Park hosts the Gr.3 Princess Rooney Stakes on September 21. The seven-furlong dirt contest offers a coveted 'Win and You're In' berth for the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on November 2.
Named after the Hall of Fame filly, the Princess Rooney has a rich history of producing top-class performers. Ce Ce, trained by Michael McCarthy, completed the Princess Rooney-Breeders' Cup double in 2021, whilst last year's winner Three Witches went on to finish a creditable third in the 2023 Breeders' Cup for Saffie Joseph Jr.
Joseph Jr is double-handed this year, fielding Imonra and Soul of an Angel. The latter, owned by C2 Racing Stable and Agave Racing Stables, drops back to seven furlongs for the first time after facing top-notch opposition in her recent starts. A Gr.2 winner over a mile earlier this season, Soul of an Angel narrowly missed out to champion Idiomatic in the Gr.3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The main danger appears to be Virginia Gamble's Beth's Dream, who brings a four-race winning streak to the table for trainer Victor Barboza Jr. Breaking from the outside in a field of 10, Beth's Dream will be looking to continue her impressive run of form.
"In the Princess Rooney, I have two seconds in the race. It's important for me, my team, the owners. It's my dream to win the Princess Rooney," Barboza said.
Whilst not an official Challenge Series race, the US$300,000 Gr.2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes on September 20 has a history of producing Breeders' Cup contenders. Run over 6½ furlongs on Tapeta, the race has been a springboard for several champions, including Groupie Doll, Musical Romance, and Informed Decision, all of whom went on to claim Eclipse Awards.
This year's renewal has attracted a field of nine, predominantly comprising synthetic specialists and dual surface performers. Roses for Debra, representing Cheyenne Stable and John O'Meara, heads the market for trainer Christophe Clement. A three-time winner over the Presque Isle surface earlier in her career, she has since developed into a graded stakes-winning turf sprinter.
Clement also saddles the second favourite, Gal in a Rush, for West Point Thoroughbreds, Chris Larsen, and Titletown Racing Stables. The mare comes into the race off the back of a victory in the Gr.3 Hendrie Stakes over the same trip at Woodbine.
The Princess Rooney Stakes, currently a Group Three contest, has seen its status fluctuate over the years. From 2006 to 2013, it held Group One status at the now-defunct Calder Race Course as part of their popular Summit of Speed programme. The race moved to Gulfstream Park in 2015 as a Group Two before being downgraded to its current status last year following a schedule change.
As the fillies and mares prepare to battle it out in these prestigious sprints, all eyes will be on which runners can use these contests as stepping stones to Breeders' Cup glory. With rich histories and talented fields, both the Princess Rooney and the Presque Isle Masters promise to deliver exciting action for racing fans on both coasts.