# Princess Rooney Stakes

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.
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.
The event was contested at a distance of seven furlongs until 1997. The event was run at six furlongs from 1998 to 2015.
In 1999, the event was upgraded to Grade III status by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and carried a $300,000 purse. Three years later the event was upgraded again to Grade II. 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.
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. The following year, the distance was increased back to the original 7 furlongs.
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. The following year, the race became an invitational event.
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.
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.

## 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:
* 3 - Jerry Bailey (2002, 2003, 2005)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 5 - Martin D. Wolfson (1995, 1996, 2010, 2013, 2017)
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 | |
| 2023 | Three Witches | 4 | Leonel Reyes | Saffie Joseph Jr. | e Five Racing Thoroughbreds | 7 furlongs | 1:22.89 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Ce Ce | 6 | Victor Espinoza | Michael W. McCarthy | Bo Hirsch | 7 furlongs | 1:22.20 | $300,000 | II | |
| 2021 | Ce Ce | 5 | Victor Espinoza | Michael W. McCarthy | Bo Hirsch | 7 furlongs | 1:21.94 | $350,000 | II | |
| 2020 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held |
| 2019 | Stormy Embrace | 5 | Wilmer A. Garcia | Kathleen O'Connell | Matalona Thoroughbreds | 7 furlongs | 1:22.99 | $250,000 | II | |
| 2018 | Stormy Embrace | 4 | Wilmer A. Garcia | Kathleen O'Connell | Matalona Thoroughbreds | 7 furlongs | 1:21.81 | $250,000 | II | |
| 2017 | Curlin's Approval | 4 | Luis Saez | Martin D. Wolfson | Alter's Racing Stable & Bridlewood Farm | 7 furlongs | 1:21.68 | $250,000 | II | |
| 2016 | Spelling Again | 5 | Luis Saez | Brad H. Cox | Seajay Racing | 7 furlongs | 1:22.09 | $250,000 | II | |
| 2015 | Merry Meadow | 5 | Javier Castellano | Mark A. Hennig | William Parsons Jr. & David S. Howe | 6 furlongs | 1:09.29 | $250,000 | II | |
| 2014 | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | Race not held | 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 2011 | Sassy Image | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Dale L. Romans | Jerry Romans | 6 furlongs | 1:11.61 | $350,000 | I | |
| 2010 | Jessica Is Back | 6 | Elvis Trujillo | Martin D. Wolfson | Farnsworth Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:11.48 | $350,000 | I | |
| 2009 | Game Face | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | Todd A. Pletcher | Zabeel Racing International | 6 furlongs | 1:10.74 | $350,000 | I | |
| 2008 | Mistical Plan | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Doug F. O'Neill | J. Paul Reddam | 6 furlongs | 1:10.76 | $400,000 | I | |
| 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 | |
| 2006 | Malibu Mint | 4 | Josue Arce | James R. Chapman | John & Martha Mulholland | 6 furlongs | 1:10.02 | $500,000 | I | |
| 2005 | Madcap Escapade | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Frank L. Brothers | Bruce Lunsford | 6 furlongs | 1:09.93 | $500,000 | II | |
| 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 | |
| 2003 | Gold Mover | 5 | Jerry D. Bailey | Mark A. Hennig | Edward P. Evans | 6 furlongs | 1:11.31 | $500,000 | II | |
| 2002 | Gold Mover | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Mark A. Hennig | Edward P. Evans | 6 furlongs | 1:10.21 | $400,000 | II | |
| 2001 | Dream Supreme | 4 | Pat Day | William I. Mott | Kinsman Stable | 6 furlongs | 1:10.48 | $400,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Hurricane Bertie | 5 | Pat Day | Bernard S. Flint | Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein | 6 furlongs | 1:11.43 | $400,000 | III | |
| 1999 | Princess Pietrina | 5 | Rosemary Homeister Jr. | Frank Carlisi | Gemini Stables | 6 furlongs | 1:10.49 | $300,000 | III | |
| 1998 | U Can Do It | 5 | Eibar Coa | Larry Pilotti | Carina & Frank Marano | 6 furlongs | 1:10.12 | $250,000 | Listed | |
| 1997 | Vivace | 4 | Randy Romero | Cam Gambolati | Post Oak Farm | 6 furlongs | 1:10.94 | $250,000 | Listed | |
| 1996 | Chaposa Springs | 4 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Martin D. Wolfson | Suresh Chintamaneni | 7 furlongs | 1:23.40 | $100,000 | Listed | |
| 1995 | Miss Gibson County | 4 | Gary Boulanger | Martin D. Wolfson | Michael E. Pegram | 7 furlongs | 1:23.18 | $100,000 | Listed | |
| 1994 | Roamin Rachel | 4 | Wigberto S. Ramos | Claude R. McGaughey III | Tri Honors Stable | 7 furlongs | 1:24.01 | $100,000 | Listed | |
| 1993 | Lady Sonata | 4 | Michael Andre Lee | Oliver E. Edwards | V E J Stables | 7 furlongs | 1:23.00 | $50,000 | Listed | |
| 1992 | Magal | 5 | Ruben Hernandez | Raymond Tamargo | Dolares S. Tamargo | 7 furlongs | 1:23.60 | $50,000 | Listed | |
| 1991 | Magal | 4 | Ruben Hernandez | Raymond Tamargo | Dolares S. Tamargo | 7 furlongs | 1:24.62 | $54,250 | Listed | |
| 1990 | Sweet Proud Polly | 3 | Pedro A. Rodriguez | Ronald J. Sarazin | Mrs. Eric H. Cocks | 7 furlongs | 1:25.00 | $53,400 | | |
| 1989 | Ana T. | 4 | Robert Neal Lester | George Julian | Holly Rincon | 7 furlongs | 1:24.80 | $81,650 | | |
| 1988 | Spirit of Fighter | 5 | Odin J. Londono | Daniel C. Hurtak | Dennis Punches & Dan Hurtak | 7 furlongs | 1:24.60 | $54,250 | | |
| 1987 | Classy Tricks | 4 | Marland C. Suckie | Ron A. Felix | Harry Katz & Sidney L. Port | 7 furlongs | 1:25.00 | $53,400 | | |
| 1986 | Classy Tricks | 3 | Robert Neal Lester | Ron A. Felix | Harry Katz | 7 furlongs | 1:25.00 | $45,550 | | |
| 1985 | Birdie Belle | 4 | J. A. Santiago | Leo Sierra | Cuardra Santa Rita | 7 furlongs | 1:24.40 | $55,400 | | |