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: 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) 2 - C2 Racing Stable (2024, 2025)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Gulfstream Park – Princess Rooney Stakes2026Kerry's Kiss4Edwin GonzalezSaffie Joseph Jr.Epic Horses, BAG Racing Stables and The White House Stables7 furlongs1:25.33$225,000III2025Haulin Ice 4Edgard ZayasSaffie Joseph Jr. C2 Racing Stable, Paul Braverman, Miller Racing & Timothy Pinch7 furlongs1:22.80$200,000III2024Soul of an Angel 5Drayden Van DykeSaffie Joseph Jr. C2 Racing Stable & Agave Racing Stable7 furlongs1:23.23$210,000III2023Three Witches 4Leonel ReyesSaffie Joseph Jr. e Five Racing Thoroughbreds7 furlongs1:22.89$200,000III2022Ce Ce6Victor EspinozaMichael W. McCarthyBo Hirsch 7 furlongs1:22.20$300,000II2021Ce Ce5Victor EspinozaMichael W. McCarthyBo Hirsch 7 furlongs1:21.94$350,000II2020Race not held2019Stormy Embrace5Wilmer A. GarciaKathleen O'ConnellMatalona Thoroughbreds 7 furlongs1:22.99$250,000II2018Stormy Embrace4Wilmer A. GarciaKathleen O'ConnellMatalona Thoroughbreds 7 furlongs1:21.81$250,000II2017Curlin's Approval4Luis SaezMartin D. WolfsonAlter's Racing Stable & Bridlewood Farm7 furlongs1:21.68$250,000II2016Spelling Again5Luis SaezBrad H. CoxSeajay Racing7 furlongs1:22.09$250,000II2015Merry Meadow5Javier CastellanoMark A. HennigWilliam Parsons Jr. & David S. Howe 6 furlongs1:09.29$250,000II2014Race not heldAt Calder Racetrack – Princess Rooney Handicap2013Starship Truffles4Edgard J. ZayasMartin D. WolfsonChasing Tails Stables6 furlongs1:10.57$350,000I2012Musical Romance5Juan LeyvaWilliam A. KaplanWilliam A. Kaplan & Pinnacle Racing Stable (Adam Lazarus, managing partner)6 furlongs1:10.92$400,000I2011Sassy Image4Mike E. SmithDale L. Romans Jerry Romans 6 furlongs1:11.61$350,000I2010Jessica Is Back6Elvis TrujilloMartin D. Wolfson Farnsworth Stables 6 furlongs1:11.48$350,000I2009Game Face4Edgar S. PradoTodd A. PletcherZabeel Racing International6 furlongs1:10.74$350,000I2008Mistical Plan4Corey NakataniDoug F. O'NeillJ. Paul Reddam6 furlongs1:10.76$400,000I2007River's Prayer4Clinton L. PottsPaula S. CapestroPaula S. Capestro, Bantry Farms & Martin Racing Stable6 furlongs1:10.66$500,000I2006Malibu Mint4Josue ArceJames R. ChapmanJohn & Martha Mulholland6 furlongs1:10.02$500,000I2005Madcap Escapade4Jerry D. BaileyFrank L. BrothersBruce Lunsford6 furlongs1:09.93$500,000II2004Ema Bovary (CHI)5Roberto M. GonzalezLarry D. RossRichard T. Beal Jr. & Lana Ramsey-Borg6 furlongs1:10.81$500,000II2003Gold Mover5Jerry D. BaileyMark A. HennigEdward P. Evans6 furlongs1:11.31$500,000II2002Gold Mover4Jerry D. BaileyMark A. HennigEdward P. Evans6 furlongs1:10.21$400,000II2001Dream Supreme4Pat DayWilliam I. MottKinsman Stable6 furlongs1:10.48$400,000III2000Hurricane Bertie5Pat DayBernard S. FlintRichard, Bertram & Elaine Klein6 furlongs1:11.43$400,000III1999Princess Pietrina5Frank CarlisiGemini Stables 6 furlongs1:10.49$300,000III1998U Can Do It5Eibar CoaLarry PilottiCarina & Frank Marano6 furlongs1:10.12$250,000 Listed 1997Vivace4Randy RomeroCam GambolatiPost Oak Farm6 furlongs1:10.94$250,000 Listed 1996Chaposa Springs4Laffit Pincay Jr.Martin D. WolfsonSuresh Chintamaneni7 furlongs1:23.40$100,000 Listed 19954Gary BoulangerMartin D. WolfsonMichael E. Pegram7 furlongs1:23.18$100,000Listed 1994Roamin Rachel4Wigberto S. RamosTri Honors Stable7 furlongs1:24.01$100,000Listed 1993Lady Sonata4Michael Andre LeeOliver E. EdwardsV E J Stables7 furlongs1:23.00$50,000 Listed 1992Magal5Ruben HernandezRaymond TamargoDolares S. Tamargo7 furlongs1:23.60$50,000 Listed 1991Magal4Ruben HernandezRaymond TamargoDolares S. Tamargo7 furlongs1:24.62$54,250 Listed 1990Sweet Proud Polly3Pedro A. RodriguezRonald J. SarazinMrs. Eric H. Cocks7 furlongs1:25.00$53,400 1989Ana T.4Robert Neal LesterGeorge JulianHolly Rincon7 furlongs1:24.80$81,650 1988Spirit of Fighter5Odin J. LondonoDaniel C. HurtakDennis Punches & Dan Hurtak7 furlongs1:24.60$54,250 1987Classy Tricks4Marland C. SuckieRon A. FelixHarry Katz & Sidney L. Port7 furlongs1:25.00$53,400 1986Classy Tricks3Robert Neal LesterRon A. FelixHarry Katz7 furlongs1:25.00$45,550 1985Birdie Belle4J. A. SantiagoLeo SierraCuardra Santa Rita7 furlongs1:24.40$55,400

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References