Grade 1 Winner Ce Ce Dominates Invitees To Princess Rooney

Bo Hirsch LLC's Ce Ce is still the most prominent invitee to the $350,000 Princess Rooney (G2) July 3 at Gulfstream Park.

The multiple Grade 1 stakes winner is also the most accomplished performer on the second of three invitational lists for the Princess Rooney, a seven-furlong Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' race for fillies and mares that will headline the Summit of Speed program that will also feature the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3), a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up.

Ce Ce, who captured the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita and the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn last year, is trained by Michael McCarthy, who ventured from his Santa Anita base with City of Light to win the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream in 2019. The 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality has raced twice this year, debuting with a 3 ¼-length victory in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance April 17 before coming up short in a fourth-place finish in the two-turn Santa Maria (G2) a month later.

Trainer Brad Cox, who took Gulfstream's top prize after saddling Knicks Go for a victory in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 23, is represented on the Princess Rooney invitational list by two horses. OXO Equine LLC's Mundaye Call joins Kueber Racing LLC and partners' Vault, who captured the Ruffian (G2) at Belmont last time out, on the list of 13 invitees.

Mundaye Call is one of five fillies and mares added to the second of three Princess Rooney invitation lists. Ciaglia Racing LLC and partners' Venetian Harbor, 2W Racing LLC's Bronx Beauty, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Sound Machine, and and Saul Kupferberg's Honor Way are also first-time Princess Rooney invitees.

Venetian Harbor, a 4-year-old daughter of Munnings who captured the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland before finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) last year, made a victorious 2021 debut on turf in the June 5 Monrovia (G2) at Santa Anita. The Richard Baltas trainee finished second in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland and Test (G1) at Saratoga last year before winning the Raven Run.

The second of three Princess Rooney Invitational lists includes two others who are Grade 1 stakes-placed graded-stakes winners: Medallion Racing and partners' Estilo Talentoso and Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC's Victim of Love.

Juan Arriagada-trained Estilo Talentoso won two of six starts at Gulfstream, including a maiden score and an overnight-stakes victory, before hitting the road to finish in a dead-heat with Belle's the One for second in the Madison, check in third in the Derby City Distaff, and win the Bed o' Roses (G3) at Belmont. Todd Beattie-trained Victim of Love, who captured the May 8 Vagrancy (G3) at Belmont, concluded her 2020 racing second with a third-place finish in the Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga.

Holly Hill Stables LLC's Pacific Gale, who captured the Inside Information (G2) and Hurricane Bertie (G3) during Gulfstream's Championship Meet; LLC's Lake Avenue and Gary Barber's Laura's Light are Grade 2 stakes winners have been included on the first two invitation lists.

Daniel J Lopez and George Chestnut's Chub Wagon, who remained undefeated while winning the June 13 Shine Again at Pimlico; Godolphin LLC's Lakeside Avenue, runner-up in the Ruffian last time out; Gary Barber's Laura's Light, a multiple graded-stakes winner on turf; and Windylea Farms IV LLC's Thissmytime, who finished second behind Pacific Gale in the Inside Information; round out the Princess Rooney invitation list.

The third and final invitational list will be published June 27.

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Grade 1 Winners Ce Ce, Kimari Top Nominees To ‘Win And You’re In’ Princess Rooney

Bo Hirsch LLC's Ce Ce, a multiple Grade 1 stakes winner, and Tom Broeck Farm, Inc.'s Kimari, who earned Grade 1 credentials in her most recent start, are prominent on the first invitation list for the $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2) July 3 at Gulfstream Park.

The seven-furlong Princess Rooney, a 'Win and In' race for this year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar, will co-headline the Summit of Speed program with the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3) at Gulfstream.

Ce Ce, who captured the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita and the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn last year, is trained by Michael McCarthy, who ventured from his Santa Anita base with City of Light to win the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream in 2019. The 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality has raced twice this year, debuting with a 3 ¼-length victory in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance April 17 before coming up short in a fourth-place finish in the two-turn Santa Maria (G2) a month later.

Wesley Ward-trained Kimari, second in the Commonwealth (G1) at Royal Ascot last year, became a Grade 1 stakes winner last time out in the seven-furlong Madison April 3 at Keeneland.

Lothenbach Stables Inc.'s Bell's the One, who finished three-quarters of a length behind Kimari while finishing second in the Madison, is a third Grade 1 winner on the list of 14 Rooney invitees, having won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs last September. The Neil Pessin trainee most recently finished fourth in the Derby City Distaff.

The first of three Princess Rooney Invitational lists also includes a trio of graded-stakes winners who are Grade 1 stakes-placed: Medallion Racing and partners' Estilo Talentoso, Lloyd Madison Farm LLC's Sconsin and Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC's Victim of Love.

Juan Arriagada-trained Estilo Talentoso won two of six starts at Gulfstream, including a maiden score and an overnight-stakes victory, before hitting the road to finish in a dead-heat with Belle's the One for second in the Madison, check in third in the Derby City Distaff, and win the Bed o' Roses (G3) at Belmont.

Gregory Foley-trained Sconsin, who won the Eight Belles (G2) last year, is coming off a victory in the Winning Colors (G3) at Churchill. The daughter of Include finished second behind Gamine in the Derby City Distaff in her prior start.

Todd Beattie-trained Victim of Love, who captured the May 8 Vagrancy (G3) at Belmont, concluded her 2020 racing second with a third-place finish in the Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga.

Holly Hill Stables LLC's Pacific Gale, who captured the Inside Information (G2) and the Hurricane Bertie (G3) during Gulfstream's Championship Meet, is among several Grade 2 stakes winners invited to the Princess Rooney. Other Grade 2 winners include Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc's Frank's Rockette, Godolphin LLC's Lake Avenue, Gary Barber's Laura's Light, and Kueber Racing and partners' Vault.

LBD Stable LLC and David Ingordo's Our Super Freak, who finished third behind Vault last time out in the Ruffian (G2) at Belmont; Daniel J Lopez and George Chestnut's Chub Wagon, who remained undefeated while winning the Shine Again at Pimlico Sunday; and Windylea Farms IV LLC's Thissmytime, who finished second behind Pacific Gale in the Inside Information; round out the Princess Rooney invitation list.

The Princess Rooney invitation list is scheduled to be updated on June 20 and June 27.

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Gulfstream Won’t Run Princess Rooney Invitational In 2020

The Grade 2 Princess Rooney Invitational won't be held at Gulfstream Park in 2020, the Daily Racing Form reported Monday. Earlier this year, the Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race for the Filly & Mare Sprint was rescheduled from the first week in July to Sept. 5 and the purse increased to $300,000.

“We had it all planned out, moving the date to a more attractive spot on the calendar in relation to the division, changing the distance back to six furlongs, raising the purse,” Gulfstream vice president of racing Mike Lakow told drf.com. “Then Covid hit and Churchill moved the Derby as well as their Grade 1 filly and mare sprint to the same day.”

Lakow expects to bring the Princess Rooney back in 2021, with the goal of rebuilding it into a Grade 1 race.

The Grade 3 Smile Sprint will still be run, but its purse will be reduced to $100,000 this year.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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