While the $220,000 Princess Rooney (G3) has declined in stature since its Grade 1 heyday, its impact on the division’s leading race, the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), has not abated as much in recent years.
For example, two-time Princess Rooney winner Ce Ce (2021-22) went on to capture the Filly and Mare Sprint and the female sprint title in 2021. Last year, Princess Rooney heroine Three Witches later crashed the Breeders’ Cup trifecta at odds of 34-1.
A field of 10 will line up Saturday for the 2024 renewal of the Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park over seven furlongs, with an automatic bid to the Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on the line.
The six-year-old Beth’s Dream is the quintessential horse for the course, having won eight of 11 starts over Gulfstream’s main strip, including her last four in succession. Her recent Brisnet Speed ratings (98-103-95-100) have been strong, too, encompassing wins in an allowance, two overnight handicaps, and the Sheer Drama H.
Soul of an Angel brings class to the Princess Rooney, having knocked heads with some of the leading distaffers in the country this season. The highlights of her campaign thus far have been a 4 3/4-length decision over Randomized in the Ruffian (G2) over a one-turn mile, and a photo-finish loss to champion Idiomatic in the Molly Pitcher (G3).
Soul of an Angel shortens up after finishing 10 lengths third in the Ogden Phipps (G1) going nine furlongs. In contrast to Beth’s Dream, however, Soul of an Angel is not by any stretch a win machine. She’s won only four times in 39 career starts and is 1-for-18 at Gulfstream.
Grade 2 veteran Maryquitecontrary was the beaten favorite in last year’s Princess Rooney, finishing second by a length to Three Witches. She scored a second straight win in the Rampart S. in late December, but has since dropped five in a row, the last two to Beth’s Dream.
The three-year-old Haulin Ice impressively captured the Azalea S. by 9 1/2 lengths over this track and distance on July 13, but folded badly as the 2-1 favorite in the Charles Town Oaks (G3) last out, a two-turn, seven-furlong test.
