$200,000 Princess Rooney (G3) Attracts 34 Nominations

Joseph Nominates 8 for BC ‘Win and You’re In’ Event
G1 Winner Vahva Nominated for Sept. 20 7F Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – With a fees-paid berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) up for grabs, 34 horses have been nominated to the $200,000 Princess Rooney (G3) Sept. 20 at Gulfstream Park.

The Princess Rooney, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, is a ‘Win and You’re In’ Breeders’ Cup Challenge race that offers the winner a fees-paid berth in the seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

C2 Racing Stable LLC, Agave Racing Stable and Ken Reimer’s Soul of an Angel captured last year’s Princess Rooney by 3 ¼ lengths before trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. saddled the daughter of Atreides for a last-to-first half-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Joseph leads all trainers with eight nominees for this year’s Princess Rooney – C2 Racing Stable LLC, Kuehne Racing and Mark Corrado’s Andrea, Milnes Racing LLC’s Claret Beret and Dazzling Move, C2 Racing LLC, Milne Racing LLC, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s Haulin Ice, C2 Racing LLC, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s Indy Bay, C2 Racing Stable LLC’s Mystic Lake, C2 Racing Stable LLC, Kuehne Racing, Shining Stable LLC and Timothy Pinch’s Paradise City, Averill Racing LLC, Two Eight Racing LLC and ATM Racing’s R Disaster. All but Paradise Bay have won or finished in the money in graded stakes.

Belladona Racing LLC, Lynn Hudson, Edward Hudson Jr., West Pont Thoroughbreds, Twin Brook Stable, Will Farish, LBD Stable LLC, Runnels Racing and Manganaro Bloodstock’s Vahva, who captured last year’s Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs, has been nominated for the Princess Rooney after returning to winning form for trainer Cherie Devaux in the Chicago (G2) at Churchill Downs prior to finishing second behind Mystic Lake in the Pink Ribbon at Charles Town last time out.

Lea Farms LLC’s Power Squeeze, whom trainer Jorge Delgado saddled for a victory in the 2024 Alabama (G1), has been nominated to the Princess Rooney with a solid race record at Gulfstream Park, where the 4-year-old daughter of Union Rags won the 2024 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and finished a photo-finish second behind multiple Grade 1 winner White Abarrio in this year’s Ghostzapper (G3).

Gabriel Duignan’s Echo Sound, a 3-year-old daughter of Echo Town trained by Ian Wilkes, has been nominated to the Princess Rooney coming off a wide and tiring sixth in the Test (G1) that followed back-to-back victories in the Victory Ride (G3) at Saratoga and the Miss Preakness (G3) at Pimlico.

Connie S. Baker, Jerry Golovito and Terrance Scanlan’s Om N Joy, a 3-year-old Southern California-based filly trained by Aggie Ordonez, is among the more prominent nominees after winning five straight races, including the Tory Pines (G3) at Del Mar in her most recent start, since being transferred from turf.

Southern California-based trainer Phil D’Amato nominated three for the Princess Rooney – John Gallegos’ One Magic Philly, who finished sixth in the last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint after winning the Chillingsworth (G3) at Santa Anita, R Unicorn Stable’s multiple Grade 2-placed Super Shine, and BlackRidge Stables LLC, Medallion Racing, Schwing Thoroughbreds, Omar Aldabbah and William Strass’s Vodka With a Twist, a runner-up to Indy Bay in the Charles Town Oaks (G2) last time out.

Trainer Brad Cox is also represented by three graded stakes-placed 4-year-old fillies on the Princess Rooney nominations list – Frank Fletcher Racing and Ten Strike Racing’s Almostgone Rocket, Full of Run Racing II LLC and Madaket Racing LLC’s Alpine Princess and Juddmonte’s Impel.

The Princess Rooney will be supported by Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint, Ginger Punch Handicap and Aventura on the Sept. 20 card. Nominations for the Aventura, a mile event for 2-year-olds, included unbeaten Diciassette, Road Forever and Strategic Reserve.