The career of Princess Rooney was not unlike a sandwich. Hold the laughter – it’s true. During her three seasons on the track, she packaged a thin layer of disappointment between two sensational winning streaks that stamped her as one of the greatest fillies to every grace the sport of kings. Bred in Kentucky by Ben and Tom Roach, Princess Rooney wasn’t exactly a hot commodity as a yearling. Her pedigree wasn’t the most fashionable; her sire, Verbatim, was a respectable though not outstanding racehorse and stallion, while her dam and damsire both were unraced.
Sports cards and collectibles were down and out after what is referred to as the “junk wax” era of overproduction from the late 1980s into the mid-1990s. As someone who lived through it, nothing was more discouraging than pulling out the old dusty collection from the closet only to find out the rookies and stars you chased as a kid were worth less than the paper they were printed on. Nobody wants a Barry Bonds rookie card that looks like it made a trip through the washing machine!
Encompassing a magnificent career as a journalist, author, historian, and in distinguished service and leadership to racing institutions, the late Edward L. Bowen will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding achievement in the Thoroughbred industry. Bowen’s contributions will be celebrated at the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards on Jan. 22 at the Breakers Palm Beach in Florida.
