Bronx Beauty set for Rooney

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The field for next Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational remains in flux eight days out from the race, with the status of several of the fillies and mares on the second invitation list still in question as of Friday, including that of Grade 1 winner Ce Ce. But barring an unforeseen setback over the weekend, one mare who will be on a van to South Florida come Monday is five-time stakes winner Bronx Beauty, trainer Anthony Margotta Jr. confirmed.

Bronx Beauty will be returning to the scene of arguably her finest hour, a second-place finish, beaten a rapidly diminishing head by the speedy Lady’s Island, in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl in her 2020 finale here in December.

“She’ll breeze a half-mile from the gate here [at Monmouth Park] Saturday and if everything checks out after, we’re coming,” Margotta said. “I’ve got shipping arrangements all set. We’ll put her in a nice box stall and van her down. It’s a long ride, but she’s a professional about everything she does, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Bronx Beauty knows her way around the winner’s circle, having registered 10 victories from 28 career starts, including the Regret Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths last summer at Monmouth. She was given a brief freshening following her second-place finish in the six-furlong Minaret on Feb. 13 at Tampa Bay Downs before returning to finish second best behind Miss Auramet in the Politely Stakes, decided over a sloppy track, last month at Monmouth.

“Typically, we give her a break after she gets to Florida. She was really at the end of her campaign when she ran second in the Sugar Swirl,” Margotta explained. “Now, she’s fresh, and I’m glad we got a race under her before coming down there because usually her second and third starts back after leaving Florida each season have been her best.”

Margotta, who has engaged Edwin Gonzalez to ride Bronx Beauty, says his main concern is the seven-furlong distance of the Princess Rooney, as his horse has been at her best at up to six panels throughout her career.

“She’s never really delivered beyond six furlongs – that looks like where she really excels – which is a bit puzzling because she’s always trained like she’d stretch out,” he said. “The end of her works and the gallop-outs are always the best part when she breezes.”

Wide-open Florida-bred dash

A field of only six has been entered for Sunday’s $51,000 allowance feature, which is restricted to Florida-breds and will be decided at six furlongs as the third event on the afternoon’s 10-race program.

The headliner looms wide open. Thinkaboutit, off a career-best effort defeating older horses under a $35,000 claiming tag in his last start, is the likely tepid favorite over leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.’s in-form Bailey, who finished second, beaten just a half-length by My Mane Man, going seven furlongs under similar conditions last month.

The remainder of the wellmatched lineup includes Star Juancho and Vinnie Van Go, the only two older horses in the field; Awesome Pudding, who may prove the one to catch turning back in distance off a couple of disappointing efforts going longer in each of his last two starts; and Awesome Beach.