Princess Rooney’s profession was much like a sandwich. Maintain your breath – it’s true. Throughout her three seasons on the racetrack, she had two sensational successful streaks with a skinny layer of disappointment between them that proved her to be one of many best mares in all of the grace of the game of kings.
Princess Rooney, bred in Kentucky by Ben and Tom Roach, was not very talked-about as a yearling. Her household lineage was not essentially the most modern. Her sire, Verbatum, was a superb if not excellent racehorse and stallion, whereas her dam and sire had been each unraced.
Maybe because of this, Princess Rooney was offered as a yearling for simply $38,000 to Paula J. Tucker, who despatched the grey mare to be educated in Florida beneath the care of Frank Gomez. It was right here within the Sunshine State that Princess Rooney laid the inspiration for an unforgettable profession.
Princess Rooney made her debut on Could 22, 1982 at Calder Racecourse, removed from the spring highlight of New York, Kentucky and California. Princess Rooney rewarded her supporters with a simple victory by three lengths after a robust efficiency in her first dash, beating eight rivals. Simply over two weeks later, she gained an allowance race at Calder by 4 lengths after which took a three-month break from racing to goal for an autumn marketing campaign. She began her profession in promising trend, however few might have predicted what her future would maintain.
When Princess Rooney returned within the fall, she had became a beast. First, she gained with full authority, beating her competitors by 18 lengths within the allowance race. She then gained the Mela Lucas Stakes at Calder by greater than a dozen lengths and headed to Belmont Park for the Grade 1 Frisette Stakes.
The speedy rise in school whereas heading to more durable circuits would have been a hindrance for many horses. Nevertheless, Princess Rooney overcame the obstacles like an Olympic hurdler, utilizing her velocity from the earlier race to overwhelm Frisette by eight lengths. 13 days later she returned to racing within the G2 Gardenia Stakes on the Meadowlands, and regardless of “grabbing 1 / 4” in the beginning (injuring herself by hitting herself together with her personal hoof), she got here via as normal and beat her challengers by 11 lengths.
Princess Rooney’s Gardenia’s win capped off a sensational 6-for-6 juvenile marketing campaign during which she averaged greater than 9 lengths of victory. Usually, in a season like this, Princess Rooney would have gained the Eclipse Award as champion two-year-old filly, however when the votes had been counted, she misplaced out to Landalluce, additionally undefeated and undefeated.
This would possibly not be the final time Princess Rooney missed out on the Eclipse Award regardless of designing a high-end marketing campaign. As a 3-year-old in 1983, she was as dominant as ever, successful two sprints at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland earlier than successful the G2 Ashland Stakes by 9 and a half lengths, her ultimate preparation for the distinguished Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
However beneath the dual spirals, Princess Rooney lacked her normal sparkle. After setting a conservative tempo, she pushed exhausting within the homestretch and held off a late comeback from Vibrant Crocus to win by simply 1 1/4 lengths. Her report was nonetheless good, 10-10. Nevertheless, horse racing analysts had been upset that she didn’t win by a wider margin.
“She appears to be like round lots each time,” jockey Jacinto Vasquez defined within the Fort Myers, Fla., newspaper on Could 7, 1983. information press. “Each time she noticed a shadow, she tried to leap, and when she acquired to the quarterpole, a man held a digital camera on the within of the rail, so she averted it.”
“I feel she’s gotten somewhat sloppy,” Frank Gomez agreed.
However three weeks later, the seemingly inconceivable occurred. Within the G1 Acorn Stakes, which was held on the identical monitor and distance as Frisette, Princess Rooney suffered a significant setback. After chasing at a excessive tempo, he was unable to reply within the homestretch and misplaced power, ending in second place, seven and a half lengths behind the winner. It was the primary lack of her profession and she or he did not even come near attempting.
Just a few days after Acorn, it was reported that Princess Rooney was affected by a knee harm, and practically seven months handed earlier than she returned to competitors within the six-furlong distance dash on the Meadowlands. Having misplaced a lot of the season, Princess Rooney was left with no time to enhance her Eclipse Award qualification, and shedding by a size in her return race actually didn’t assist her possibilities, although she later gained the championship award. When voting got here round once more, Princess Rooney was neglected within the chilly as late summer season sensation Heartlight No. 1 took residence the honors as champion 3-year-old filly.
For some time, Princess Rooney’s profession appeared to be within the doldrums. She began 1984 with the bottom end of her profession, ending fourth within the Bal Harbor Stakes on grass, and it was pure to marvel if she would ever be capable of get again to her finest kind. With the primary version of the Rich Breeders’ Cup Distaff just below a 12 months away, modifications had been wanted to reignite Princess Rooney’s aggressive spirit.
Maybe a change of surroundings would do the trick. It was determined that Princess Rooney can be despatched to coach with coach Neil Drysdale in California, and that the Breeders’ Cup can be held at Hollywood Park.
However what was speculated to be a straight journey took a tough flip as they made their method throughout the nation. “(Princess Rooney) was first transported in a van from Florida to Kentucky, however upon arrival a tree fell on high of the van,” Don Clippinger recalled. philadelphia inquirer “Princess Rooney, who is generally a good-natured and calm mare, turned extraordinarily agitated and hit her hock.”
Drysdale then took his time preventing the as soon as unstoppable filly. Princess Rooney hadn’t run in two months, however when she returned to the monitor, her situation initially solely improved steadily. She gave it her all to win the minor Susan’s Lady Stakes by a nostril, then completed third within the Grade 2 Hawthorn Handicap and second within the Grade 2 Milady Handicap, each gained by the four-year-old Advert Advert Advert Advert.
Few might have predicted that Princess Rooney, who completed first in certainly one of her previous six begins, would as soon as once more emerge as a robust contender for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. However she nonetheless improved little by little, and Drysdale persevered and made one other look towards Adore within the Grade 1 Self-importance Invitational Handicap at Hollywood Park.
This time the outcomes had been completely different. As if a change had been flipped, Princess Rooney turned again the clock and rallied tenaciously within the homestretch, carrying down Adore and successful by a head in a stakes-record time of 1:46.1/5 over 1 1/8 miles.
“Man, she’s a match,” marveled successful rider Eddie Deloussay within the July 16, 1984 problem. Los Angeles Occasions. “Once we got here to Adore within the straight, she took off once more, however my filly got here again too. When she’s proper, she’s an actual runner.”
And apparently, Princess Rooney was proper once more. As if inspired by her first main prize win for the reason that Kentucky Oaks, Princess Rooney gained back-to-back races within the G3 Chula Vista Handicap and the G1 Spinster Stakes, a outstanding streak that has made her the favourite to win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on November tenth.
The problem at Hollywood Park was positive to be fierce. All six of Princess Rooney’s rivals have gained on the G1 degree, together with 1984 Kentucky Oaks winner Fortunate Fortunate Fortunate and later 1985 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Life’s Magic.
However within the ultimate begin of her profession, on the 1983 Kentucky Oaks, Princess Rooney lastly delivered the very best efficiency that efficiency analysts had predicted would clinch a championship. After battling for the early lead with Fortunate, Fortunate, and Fortunate, Princess Rooney took management on the far flip, opened up with an early stretch, and widened the lane to take the lead over her rivals by seven lengths.
Drysdale marveled within the November 11, 1984 problem, saying, “I had a great feeling about her, however I by no means thought she would win like that.” fort lauderdale information. “I knew (DeLausai) wasn’t asking her to run when she acquired to the highest of the straight, however I do not know the way way more she had left. I am glad she gained like this, as a result of she gained the Eclipse Award.”
Drysdale was proper. When the votes for the 1984 Eclipse Awards had been counted, Princess Rooney was lastly acknowledged because the class champion.
However the trophy solely confirmed what horse racing followers and analysts already knew. Princess Rooney proved herself to be a very nice racehorse by reviving a racing profession that appeared misplaced.
Be aware: This story was initially printed in 2019 and has been up to date.
fascinating information
- Princess Rooney retired with a report of 21 races, 17 wins, 2 seconds, 23 locations and 1 place, with prize cash of $1,343,339.
- A lot of Princess Rooney’s early success was in Florida, so it is comprehensible why the Grade 3 Princess Rooney S, held at Gulfstream Park, was named in her honor.
- Princess Rooney spent some huge cash to complete third or higher on the Kentucky Oaks. In response to the Could 7, 1983 problem of New York day by day information“Three separate bets of $50,000, $100,000 and $170,000” had been positioned and proven on Princess Rooney. Happily for these huge bettors, Princess Rooney fared as anticipated.
- After being offered as a possible broodmare for $5.5 million, practically 145 occasions her unique buy worth, Princess Rooney produced seven named foals, six of whom gained races.
- Princess Rooney lived to be 28 years previous and died on October 7, 2008.
