Natural progression, and getting the jump on the horse to beat, proved beneficial for Three Witches in Saturday’s $200,000 Princess Rooney (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The 10-1 chance beat 7-5 favorite Maryquitecontrary by a half-length to snare the Breeders’ Cup Challenge prep for next month’s Filly and Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.
The seven-furlong Princess Rooney was the stakes debut for Three Witches, who was coming off a decisive first-level allowance win at Gulfstream on Aug. 27. It was the four-year-old’s first start since a sub-par performance in early March.
Never more than three lengths off the lead while racing in midpack, Three Witches advanced into contention in upper stretch and grabbed the lead approaching the eighth pole. Maryquitecontrary, a Grade 2 winner who had won six of her previous seven starts at Gulfstream, trailed the field of eight through the opening half-mile, made good progress through the lane, but was simply left with too much to do.
“She wasn’t far off on numbers if ‘Mary’ didn’t run her best,” said Saffie Joseph, who trains Three Witches for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds. “I think Mary fired. I thought she was going to get us. Most of the time when she gets in that spot, she runs down horses.”
Ridden by Leonel Reyes, Three Witches finished up in 1:22.89 over a fast track and returned $22.40 to win. Maryquitecontrary finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of second choice R Adios Jersey, who was followed by Bluefield, Olivia Darling, Rosie’s Halo, Poiema, and Flakes.
Three Witches has now won three of seven starts while racing exclusively at Gulfstream.
“She’s run some decent races where she showed some glimpses of hope and then she’d disappoint after a couple races,” Joseph said. “We gave her a break and she came back to win well.
“The Breeders’ Cup, we’ll talk about. It’s another jump up. She earned the right to go. We’ll have to decide.”
Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, Three Witches sold for $350,000 at Keeneland September. She is by Into Mischief and out of Layreebelle, a daughter of Tale of Cat who has also reared Grade 2 winner Spellbound and Grade 3 scorer Kid Cruz. Spellbound herself is the dam of Grade 2 heroine Soothsay.
