Spelling Again Prevails in Princess Rooney

Seajay Racing's Spelling Again turned back a late bid from Cali Star and won the Princess Rooney Handicap Presented by Hardacre Farm (gr. II) by a neck July 2 at Gulfstream Park. 

The Princess Rooney, part of the track's Summit of Speed program, offered a $250,000 purse and a fees paid, automatic starting berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. I) in November at Santa Anita Park. 

"She's in good form and doing great, she obviously earned a (Breeders' Cup) slot, but it will be totally up to her how she's doing if we go that far with her," said winning trainer Brad Cox. "I'm a one-race-at-a-time kind of guy. I was thinking the Groupie Doll (gr. III)) at Ellis Park (Aug. 6), but I'll let her totally dictate where she'll run next time."

Tracking from fourth, then third, early while My Miss Venezuela carved out the opening fractions for a half mile, Spelling Again started her roll leaving the backstretch for Luis Saez. Making the lead at the five-sixteenths pole as Kiss to Remember joined her, she knuckled down to shake free of that challenger and had enough in reserve to repel late-running Cali Star to get the win. 

"It was a good set-up," Saez said. "She had a great trip. She broke good and she was right there. She was always very comfortable. I had a little pressure early, but I knew I had enough horse. When she came to the stretch she kept running. I got nervous—that other horse was flying—but I knew I just had to ride harder. And we got it."

Spelling Again, a Pennsylvania-bred 5-year-old daughter of Awesome Again  —Spelling, by Alphabet Soup, finished seven furlongs in 1:22.09. Saturday's win marked her sixth in 20 and second in a graded event following last year's victory in the Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs.

Birdatthewire, the 11-10 favorite, finished third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Cali Star after racing in last in the field of eight early.

Spelling Again, who was bred and raced by George Strawbridge before being claimed three times last year at Santa Anita Park, paid $8.80. $4.80, and $2.60 while Cali Star returned $5 and $2.80 and Birdatthewire paid $2.20. 

Kiss to Remember finished fourth, followed by My Miss Venezuela, Be Mind Phil, Concealedwithakiss, and Willow Hills.