One fast filly will be on her way to the Breeders’ Cup after Saturday’s Princess Rooney Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The winner will earn a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
It will come as no surprise if that winning filly or mare hails from the Saffie Joseph, Jr. barn.
Joseph won this race last year with Soul of an Angel, who cashed in the Breeders’ Cup ticket for a win in the Filly & Mare Sprint.
History does repeat in this game, and Joseph is loaded here with four of the eight entrants in the 7-furlong dash: Claret Beret, Mystic Lake, Ultimate Authority, and Haulin Ice.
Three are committed to this race. Mystic Lake was also entered in the $150,000 Liberty Bell Stakes at Parx on Saturday, where she is the 2-1 favorite.
With or without Mystic Lake (5-2), Joseph has a solid grip on the Princess Rooney with a contingent led by Claret Beret (3-1), who is a strong rebound prospect on her favorite track.
This will be her fourth start for Joseph. Her first try for the new barn came at Gulfstream, and it was something to behold: a 19 ¾-length blowout victory.
From there, it was on to Churchill Downs and a very game second in the Chicago Stakes (G2).
Then it was reach-for-the-stars time, the Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. Unfortunately, for her and those who bet her down to 2-1 as second choice, it was a crash and burn.
Claret Beret was eased in the lane, finishing 25 lengths behind trainer Bob Baffert’s Hope Road.
She has had time to regroup at the Palm Meadows training center and should be ready to dazzle again on her favorite track against less-challenging company.
Mystic Lake would be her main competition if she runs here instead of in Philadelphia.
Joseph, who is never afraid to venture far from his Florida base, has won three straight stakes with Mystic Lake in Texas, Delaware, and West Virginia.
This would be a return to graded company for the filly who won the Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream in January.
The question remains: should we run here or in Pennsylvania? We’ll see.
The other half of the quartet are interesting propositions.
Ultimate Authority (8-1) makes her first start for Joseph after a transfer from trainer Tim Yakteen in California. She is winless in three stakes tries out West, but one could argue the competition was more challenging than what is on tap here.
She was a distant third (beaten 16 1/2 lengths) most recently in the Santa Maria Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita in April.
Haulin Ice does (7-2) own a graded-stakes victory: the Vagrancy (G3) at Aqueduct in May. She has a win and a second in two listed stakes at Gulfstream since then.
Who might bust up the Joseph stranglehold on the race?
Reputation (6-1) looks like the best candidate. She blew away the competition in the Tyson Gilpin Stakes at Colonial Downs and now takes her first crack at a graded stakes.
Yes, a graded stakes, but also so much more, with the Breeders’ Cup slot the ultimate prize. The fillies have long-term West Coast ambitions, but we would like more immediate gratification.
So, it is time for those who bet on horse racing ...
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
