Horse race
The Princess Rooney Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three and older over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt run annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida .
History
The inaugural running of the event was on 10 August 1985 at Calder Race Course as the Princess Rooney Handicap .[ 1]
The event is named in honor for the U.S. Hall of Fame filly Princess Rooney , who won her first four starts at the Calder racetrack.[ 2]
The event was contested at a distance of seven furlongs until 1997.[ 3] The event was run at six furlongs from 1998 to 2015.[ 4]
In 1999, the event was upgraded to Grade III status by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and carried a $300,000 purse.[ 3] Three years later the event was upgraded again to Grade II.[ 3] The event was a Grade I event from 2006 to 2014. The race was not run in 2014 due to changes in the racing schedule resulting from Gulfstream announcing their lease of the Calder Race Course property.[ 5]
In 2015, the race was run at Gulfstream for the first time as the Princess Rooney Stakes , as the conditions were changed from handicap to allowance weights. The race had also been downgraded to Grade II status.[ 3] The following year, the distance was increased back to the original 7 furlongs.[ 3]
In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States , Gulfstream Park did not schedule the event in their updated and shortened spring-summer meeting.[ 3] The following year, the race became an invitational event.[ 3]
In April 2023 Gulfstream announced that the Princess Rooney, usually run in early July, would be moved to a new date at the beginning of October. As a consequence of the change, the American Graded Stakes Committee downgraded the race to Grade III status.[ 6]
The race is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series, with the winner receiving automatic entry to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint .[ 7]
Records
Speed record:
7 furlongs: 1:21.68 - Curlin's Approval (2017)
6 furlongs: 1:09.29 - Merry Meadow (2015)
Margins:
6+ 3 ⁄4 lengths - Game Face (2009)
Most wins:
2 - Classy Tricks (1986, 1987)
2 - Magal (1991, 1992)
2 - Gold Mover (2002, 2003)
2 - Stormy Embrace (2018, 2019)
2 - Ce Ce (2021, 2022)
Most wins by a jockey :
Most wins by a trainer :
Most wins by an owner:
2 - Harry Katz (1986, 1987)
2 - Dolares S. Tamargo (1991, 1992)
2 - Edward P. Evans (2002, 2003)
2 - Matalona Thoroughbreds (2018, 2019)
2 - Bo Hirsch (2021, 2022)
Winners
Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
Grade
Ref
At Gulfstream Park – Princess Rooney Stakes
2024
Soul of an Angel
5
Drayden Van Dyke
Saffie Joseph Jr.
C2 Racing Stable & Agave Racing Stable
7 furlongs
1:23.23
$210,000
III
[ 8]
2023
Three Witches
4
Leonel Reyes
Saffie Joseph Jr.
e Five Racing Thoroughbreds
7 furlongs
1:22.89
$200,000
III
[ 9]
2022
Ce Ce
6
Victor Espinoza
Michael W. McCarthy
Bo Hirsch
7 furlongs
1:22.20
$300,000
II
[ 10]
2021
Ce Ce
5
Victor Espinoza
Michael W. McCarthy
Bo Hirsch
7 furlongs
1:21.94
$350,000
II
[ 11]
2020
Race not held
2019
Stormy Embrace
5
Wilmer A. Garcia
Kathleen O'Connell
Matalona Thoroughbreds
7 furlongs
1:22.99
$250,000
II
[ 12]
2018
Stormy Embrace
4
Wilmer A. Garcia
Kathleen O'Connell
Matalona Thoroughbreds
7 furlongs
1:21.81
$250,000
II
[ 13]
2017
Curlin's Approval
4
Luis Saez
Martin D. Wolfson
Alter's Racing Stable & Bridlewood Farm
7 furlongs
1:21.68
$250,000
II
[ 14]
2016
Spelling Again
5
Luis Saez
Brad H. Cox
Seajay Racing
7 furlongs
1:22.09
$250,000
II
[ 15]
2015
Merry Meadow
5
Javier Castellano
Mark A. Hennig
William Parsons Jr. & David S. Howe
6 furlongs
1:09.29
$250,000
II
[ 16]
2014
Race not held
At Calder Racetrack – Princess Rooney Handicap
2013
Starship Truffles
4
Edgard J. Zayas
Martin D. Wolfson
Chasing Tails Stables
6 furlongs
1:10.57
$350,000
I
[ 17]
2012
Musical Romance
5
Juan Leyva
William A. Kaplan
William A. Kaplan & Pinnacle Racing Stable (Adam Lazarus, managing partner)
6 furlongs
1:10.92
$400,000
I
[ 18]
2011
Sassy Image
4
Mike E. Smith
Dale L. Romans
Jerry Romans
6 furlongs
1:11.61
$350,000
I
[ 19]
2010
Jessica Is Back
6
Elvis Trujillo
Martin D. Wolfson
Farnsworth Stables
6 furlongs
1:11.48
$350,000
I
[ 20]
2009
Game Face
4
Edgar S. Prado
Todd A. Pletcher
Zabeel Racing International
6 furlongs
1:10.74
$350,000
I
[ 21]
2008
Mistical Plan
4
Corey Nakatani
Doug F. O'Neill
J. Paul Reddam
6 furlongs
1:10.76
$400,000
I
[ 22]
2007
River's Prayer
4
Clinton L. Potts
Paula S. Capestro
Paula S. Capestro, Bantry Farms & Martin Racing Stable
6 furlongs
1:10.66
$500,000
I
[ 23]
2006
Malibu Mint
4
Josue Arce
James R. Chapman
John & Martha Mulholland
6 furlongs
1:10.02
$500,000
I
[ 24]
2005
Madcap Escapade
4
Jerry D. Bailey
Frank L. Brothers
Bruce Lunsford
6 furlongs
1:09.93
$500,000
II
[ 25]
2004
Ema Bovary (CHI)
5
Roberto M. Gonzalez
Larry D. Ross
Richard T. Beal Jr. & Lana Ramsey-Borg
6 furlongs
1:10.81
$500,000
II
[ 26]
2003
Gold Mover
5
Jerry D. Bailey
Mark A. Hennig
Edward P. Evans
6 furlongs
1:11.31
$500,000
II
[ 27]
2002
Gold Mover
4
Jerry D. Bailey
Mark A. Hennig
Edward P. Evans
6 furlongs
1:10.21
$400,000
II
[ 28]
2001
Dream Supreme
4
Pat Day
William I. Mott
Kinsman Stable
6 furlongs
1:10.48
$400,000
III
[ 29]
2000
Hurricane Bertie
5
Pat Day
Bernard S. Flint
Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein
6 furlongs
1:11.43
$400,000
III
[ 30]
1999
Princess Pietrina
5
Rosemary Homeister Jr.
Frank Carlisi
Gemini Stables
6 furlongs
1:10.49
$300,000
III
[ 31]
1998
U Can Do It
5
Eibar Coa
Larry Pilotti
Carina & Frank Marano
6 furlongs
1:10.12
$250,000
Listed
[ 32]
1997
Vivace
4
Randy Romero
Cam Gambolati
Post Oak Farm
6 furlongs
1:10.94
$250,000
Listed
[ 33]
1996
Chaposa Springs
4
Laffit Pincay Jr.
Martin D. Wolfson
Suresh Chintamaneni
7 furlongs
1:23.40
$100,000
Listed
[ 34]
1995
Miss Gibson County
4
Gary Boulanger
Martin D. Wolfson
Michael E. Pegram
7 furlongs
1:23.18
$100,000
Listed
[ 35]
1994
Roamin Rachel
4
Wigberto S. Ramos
Claude R. McGaughey III
Tri Honors Stable
7 furlongs
1:24.01
$100,000
Listed
[ 36]
1993
Lady Sonata
4
Michael Andre Lee
Oliver E. Edwards
V E J Stables
7 furlongs
1:23.00
$50,000
Listed
[ 37]
1992
Magal
5
Ruben Hernandez
Raymond Tamargo
Dolares S. Tamargo
7 furlongs
1:23.60
$50,000
Listed
[ 38]
1991
Magal
4
Ruben Hernandez
Raymond Tamargo
Dolares S. Tamargo
7 furlongs
1:24.62
$54,250
Listed
[ 39]
1990
Sweet Proud Polly
3
Pedro A. Rodriguez
Ronald J. Sarazin
Mrs. Eric H. Cocks
7 furlongs
1:25.00
$53,400
[ 40]
1989
Ana T.
4
Robert Neal Lester
George Julian
Holly Rincon
7 furlongs
1:24.80
$81,650
[ 41]
1988
Spirit of Fighter
5
Odin J. Londono
Daniel C. Hurtak
Dennis Punches & Dan Hurtak
7 furlongs
1:24.60
$54,250
[ 42]
1987
Classy Tricks
4
Marland C. Suckie
Ron A. Felix
Harry Katz & Sidney L. Port
7 furlongs
1:25.00
$53,400
[ 43]
1986
Classy Tricks
3
Robert Neal Lester
Ron A. Felix
Harry Katz
7 furlongs
1:25.00
$45,550
[ 44]
1985
Birdie Belle
4
J. A. Santiago
Leo Sierra
Cuardra Santa Rita
7 furlongs
1:24.40
$55,400
[ 1]
See also
References