Exotics Plays for the 2022 Princess Rooney Stakes

Make Mischief wins the Maddie May Stakes (Photo by Chelsea Durand/Coglianese Photos)

July 1st, 2022

A good field of six fillies and mares will dash seven panels on the Gulfstream Park main surface in Saturday’s $300,000 Princess Rooney S. (G2). The race is led by defending champ and reigning Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) heroine #5 Ce Ce (4-5) from the barn of Mike McCarthy. By Elusive Quality, the six-year-old is the certain class of the field, but I will be searching for an upset in the heat.

The Mark Casse-trained #6 Make Mischief (6-1) earned a career-best 104 Brisnet Speed figure for her dominant tally in the Critical Eye S. at Belmont Park most recently, and I am expecting a similar effort on this occasion. The Into Mischief four-year-old flashed a lot of potential as a sophomore while facing some of the better horses in her division in 2021, with arguably her top result coming when a good third in the Acorn S. (G1) at Belmont Park.

Make Mischief has shown improvement this season with a pair of runaway tallies from three tries, and I believe that the cutback in distance to seven-eighths is a good thing for her, as well. The Empire State-bred miss bounced out of her big score last time out with a swift half-mile breeze, and I feel that she is peaking at this stage of her development. The versatile bay can prompt the pace or rally from off of it, and she will have clear sailing from the start after being assigned the outside post position, as well. Edwin Gonzalez will be in the silks.

Ce Ce is an obvious must-use for multiple reasons, but she might be a bit dull on the drop from route races to this dash over an oft speed-favoring oval. The high-quality chestnut has yet to reach her levels from last campaign from a trio of performances in 2022, and her small price is not worth it to me. I acknowledge that the mare could undoubtedly win, but I will limit her usage to the exotics.

#3 Glass Ceiling (7-2) could not overcome a slow start when a distant third in the Bed o’ Roses S. (G3) most recently for Charlton Baker, but the Constitution mare will move forward on Saturday in her second run over the course. The Kentucky-bred bay had won four straight prior to her latest and will be forcing the pace from the outset beneath Edgard Zayas.

The wildcard in the cast is #1 Spirit Wind (6-1) who is controlling speed from the rail. The Ralph Nicks pupil was excellent in her seasonal bow when cruising home a five-length victress of the Musical Romance S. and could be any kind in her second of the season. The sophomore faces a tough group of more experienced contenders on Saturday, but she could prove to be tough to reel in if she clears early under Leonel Reyes.