Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Ce Ce still in the picture for Princess Rooney Stakes
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla – With Bell’s the One opting to stay at home and capturing last Saturday’s Roxelana Stakes at Churchill Downs and trainer Wesley Ward looking elsewhere for Kimari’s next start, Ce Ce becomes the only Grade 1 winner still in consideration for the $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational here July 3.
On Monday, trainer Michael McCarthy confirmed that the Grade 2 Princess Rooney could still be in the cards for Ce Ce, who posted back-to-back victories in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile and Grade 1 Apple Blossom during late winter and early spring of 2020. Although Ce Ce has had limited experience at the seven-furlong distance of the Princess Rooney, she did register a relatively easy 3 1/4-length victory against three rivals going seven furlongs under allowance conditions on April 17 for her lone tally since the 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom one year earlier.
McCarthy cited transportation issues as among the key factors whether he will ship Ce Ce from her Santa Anita base to Gulfstream Park for the Princess Rooney, with Tex Sutton air transport still out of operation due to a leasing issue. McCarthy said a final decision on her status for the race, which highlights the Summit of Speed program along with the Grade 3 Smile Sprint Invitational, would be made following her next work. Ce Ce breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 last Friday at Santa Anita.
Among the incentives that might bring Ce Ce to South Florida for the Princess Rooney are that it is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge event and that Ce Ce’s owner, Bo Hirsch LLC, would receive a payment of $20,000 if she does start because she is a Grade 1 winner.
Collaborate targets Curlin
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said the Grade 3 Curlin on July 30 at Saratoga would likely be next for his 3-year-old prospect Collaborate.
The lightly raced Collaborate bounced back from a disappointing effort as the overwhelming favorite in the Roar Stakes earlier this spring to easily defeat allowance opposition going a mile here Sunday, earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. The Curlin would mark the second start at nine furlongs for Collaborate, who finished a tiring fifth as the second betting choice in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in March.
“We did a throat procedure on him after the” Roar, Joseph said. “The 86 Beyer is decent, not overwhelming, but I liked how he sat and waited and quickened. I truly believe the talent is there, and it looks like we may have finally got everything in order. The Curlin will reveal the truth.”
Joseph also trains the multiple graded stakes-placed Sound Machine, who was tendered an invitation to the July 3 Princess Rooney this past week and is expected to run.
Sound Machine will be among the leading local candidates for the Princess Rooney coming off a 2 1/2-length victory in the restricted Musical Romance Stakes. That race was decided at 6 1/2 furlongs, and Joseph does have some reservations regarding Sound Machine’s ability to handle the seven furlongs of the Princess Rooney, because she is winless in three starts at that distance.
Pace should suit Rebelde
The pace should be an honest one when a field of seven 3-year-old and up allowance rivals compete for a $52,000 purse going one mile in Friday’s main event. First post for Friday’s program is 2 p.m.
Everyonelovesjames, Ludington, and Fundy’s Tide all do their best running on the front end, a scenario that could set things up nicely for Rebelde, who rallied to a 5 1/2-length victory under a $25,000 claiming tag at a mile here April 29. He returned off that effort just eight days later to finish second in a tough $30,000 starter allowance, beaten by the red-hot Tune In, who registered his fourth consecutive victory that day.
Crea’s Brklyn Law proved no match for Rebelde on April 29, but is another who figures to reap the benefits of a hotly contested pace while seeking his first victory since July 2020. Malibu Max also is capable of stalking and picking up the pieces while in search of his fourth consecutive victory and first since being claimed for $12,500 out of a win going one mile on May 31.