Grade 1 Winners Ce Ce, Kimari Top Nominees To ‘Win And You’re In’ Princess Rooney

Kimari registers her first Grade 1 victory in the Madison Stakes with Joel Rosario riding his fourth consecutive graded stakes of the day at Keeneland

Bo Hirsch LLC’s Ce Ce, a multiple Grade 1 stakes winner, and Tom Broeck Farm, Inc.’s Kimari, who earned Grade 1 credentials in her most recent start, are prominent on the first invitation list for the $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2) July 3 at Gulfstream Park.

The seven-furlong Princess Rooney, a ‘Win and In’ race for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar, will co-headline the Summit of Speed program with the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3) at Gulfstream.

Ce Ce, who captured the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita and the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn last year, is trained by Michael McCarthy, who ventured from his Santa Anita base with City of Light to win the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream in 2019. The 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality has raced twice this year, debuting with a 3 ¼-length victory in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance April 17 before coming up short in a fourth-place finish in the two-turn Santa Maria (G2) a month later.

Wesley Ward-trained Kimari, second in the Commonwealth (G1) at Royal Ascot last year, became a Grade 1 stakes winner last time out in the seven-furlong Madison April 3 at Keeneland.

Lothenbach Stables Inc.’s Bell’s the One, who finished three-quarters of a length behind Kimari while finishing second in the Madison, is a third Grade 1 winner on the list of 14 Rooney invitees, having won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs last September. The Neil Pessin trainee most recently finished fourth in the Derby City Distaff.

The first of three Princess Rooney Invitational lists also includes a trio of graded-stakes winners who are Grade 1 stakes-placed: Medallion Racing and partners’ Estilo Talentoso, Lloyd Madison Farm LLC’s Sconsin and Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC’s Victim of Love.

Juan Arriagada-trained Estilo Talentoso won two of six starts at Gulfstream, including a maiden score and an overnight-stakes victory, before hitting the road to finish in a dead-heat with Belle’s the One for second in the Madison, check in third in the Derby City Distaff, and win the Bed o’ Roses (G3) at Belmont.

Gregory Foley-trained Sconsin, who won the Eight Belles (G2) last year, is coming off a victory in the Winning Colors (G3) at Churchill. The daughter of Include finished second behind Gamine in the Derby City Distaff in her prior start.

Todd Beattie-trained Victim of Love, who captured the May 8 Vagrancy (G3) at Belmont, concluded her 2020 racing second with a third-place finish in the Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga.

Holly Hill Stables LLC’s Pacific Gale, who captured the Inside Information (G2) and the Hurricane Bertie (G3) during Gulfstream’s Championship Meet, is among several Grade 2 stakes winners invited to the Princess Rooney. Other Grade 2 winners include Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc’s Frank’s Rockette, Godolphin LLC’s Lake Avenue, Gary Barber’s Laura’s Light, and Kueber Racing and partners’ Vault.

LBD Stable LLC and David Ingordo’s Our Super Freak, who finished third behind Vault last time out in the Ruffian (G2) at Belmont; Daniel J Lopez and George Chestnut’s Chub Wagon, who remained undefeated while winning the Shine Again at Pimlico Sunday; and Windylea Farms IV LLC’s Thissmytime, who finished second behind Pacific Gale in the Inside Information; round out the Princess Rooney invitation list.

The Princess Rooney invitation list is scheduled to be updated on June 20 and June 27.