Soul of an Angel Shortens Up for Princess Rooney

C2 Racing Stable and Agave Racing Stable's Soul of an Angel  receives class relief Sept. 21 as she breaks from post 5 of 10 in the seven-furlong, $220,000 Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

In her last four starts, the daughter of Atreides  has faced the distaff division's best, emerging with a grade 2 win and grade 1 and 3 placings.

However, the Princess Rooney is not a guaranteed victory. The 5-year-old mare is winless in 10 starts on the Gulfstream main track, finishing second four times, and has not raced at a distance of less than a mile since her December 2021 debut. Her victory May 4 in the Ruffian Stakes (G2) came over a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"We bought her (after the March 9 Azeri Stakes) to cut her back in distance, and then she won the Ruffian, which was a nice surprise, and we never got to run her one turn again," said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. "We're very keen to cut her back. Ideally, we'd prefer a one-turn mile, but we're interested in seeing how she runs at seven-eighths."

Video: Ruffian S. (G2)

Joseph also starts graded stakes-placed Imonra , but his third entry, Haulin Ice , is expected to scratch.

Among the leading challengers to the Joseph barn is Virginia Gamble's Beth's Dream , breaking from post 10. Holding a record of 8-for-10 at Gulfstream, the multiple stakes-winning Jess's Dream mare proved her class in her last two starts by defeating grade 2 winner Maryquitecontrary , who returns for a third crack at that foe.  Maryquitecontrary finished second in last year's Rooney.

"Her last race was a race I expected her to run really big in and I thought she did," said Edward Plesa Jr., trainer of Maryquitecontrary. "Needless to say, Beth's Dream is a really tough horse to beat, but it seems to me that there might be a little more speed in this race. Hopefully that will be the case and that will soften up things for us towards the end."

Pacholli , a grade 1 winner in Uruguay, makes her United States debut, while the other four entrants exit non-stakes company.

As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, the winner will receive an automatic fees-paid berth to the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 2.

The Princess Rooney is post 10 with post time at 5:35 p.m. ET.