Race of the Week: Princess Rooney at Gulfstream | Saturday, October 7, 2023

‍The Lead:
A Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint berth will be on the line Saturday at Gulfstream Park when the tradition-rich Princess Rooney Stakes takes its new place on the calendar. The former summer staple is now positioned as a Win & You're In for the F&M Sprint on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

The Princess Rooney goes as Race 9 and has been won the past two years by Ce Ce, who would go on to win the Breeders' Cup F&M Sprint in 2021 and finish fourth a year ago.

​Field Depth:  
Grade 2 winner MARYQUITECONTRARY is Grade 1-placed and stands out on class. The field includes Grade 2-placed FLAKES as well as Grade 3-placed LAST LEAF and R ADIOS JERSEY.

Pace:
Expect early heat from the outside of the 9-runner gate with POIEMA and R ADIOS JERSEY flashing from the start, along with OLIVIA DARLING in the 3-hole. The pace should be solid for 7 furlongs and give late-running sorts a chance to rally.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

1-FLAKES: 3-year-old takes on elders for the first time and will have to be sent forward from the rail perhaps harder than her best running lines suggest. Given that she's never paired up consecutive victories, I like the fact that she's freshened since a July runner-up in the Azalea.

2-MARYQUITECONTRARY: Late-runner returns to the scene at Gulfstream where she rattled off 5 straight wins late in 2022 into January of this year, culminating in the Grade 2 Inside Information. She was runner-up in Keeneland's Grade 1 Madison to champion Goodnight Olive, but not match in 2 Saratoga majors against Echo Zulu, Goodnight Olive and others. Makes a second barn change now to David Fawkes and has a local bullet work for the return. Tough vs. these.

3-OLIVIA DARLING: Runner-up in stakes company at Tampa and Pimlico, the latter on the Preakness undercard. Most of the Princess Rooney's opposing early speed is to her outside, which means she'll have to be full throttle throughout. She's winless in 4 tries at 7 furlongs, so the combination of distance and pressure will be tough to overcome.

4-BLUEFIELD: Since relocating from Maryland to Florida and joining trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., this 7-year-old has rattled off 6 consecutive strong efforts. She rallied for second in the Saylorville at Prairie Meadows last out, a track notoriously friendly to early speed -- so it's a better effort than it looks on paper. She's fresh since July and can threaten.

5-THREE WITCHES: Most lightly raced filly in the field with 6 career starts despite heading into the tail of her 4-year-old season. She responded well to a March-to-August layoff before winning in allowance company last time for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. It's fair to make her prove she can duplicate big efforts while facing stakes foes for the first time.

6-LAST LEAF: The 2022 Game Face and Azalea winner at Gulfstream when a 3-year-old, she's struggled this year to find that form while 0-for-6 on the season.  She's faced very strong company, however, against the likes of Frank's Rockette, Echo Zulu and Wicked Halo among others. A bit flat late in her races, so the 7F might not be her optimum, but certainly in the talk.

7-ROSIE'S HALO: Overmatched in the Sheer Drama vs. R Adios Jersey, it's a leap to put her previous optional claiming / allowance form up against the best in this race. A third member of the Saffie Joseph Jr. barn in the gate, but perhaps the least dangerous.

8-R ADIOS JERSEY: Super sophomore in 2021 when with Georgina Baxter barn, and has returned to that outfit this summer with a rapid improvement in form once again. Disqualified from her Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks win for a medication infraction and Baxter has had her share of such headlines. Set speed is going to try and go wire-to-wire at all costs.

9-POIEMA: $62,500 claim in July has run a pair of improving efforts for new owner-trainer Joe Catanese III. All of her best success has been on the front, however, and R Adios Jersey to he direct inside almost insures they are going to cook.

Most Certain Exotics Contender:
MARYQUITECONTRARY gets the right set-up for her late kick and is nearly flawless at this track and this distance.

Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
Don't see any major bombs here, but the modest speed figures for Flakes could elevate her price and tempt for a share. She's got more ceiling than some of these being a 3-year-old.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$80 exacta MARYQUITECONTRARY over LAST LEAF. $20 exacta MARYQUITECONTRARY over FLAKES.

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