Kerry’s Kiss broke on top and was never threatened thereafter in Saturday’s $225,000 Princess Rooney (G3) at Gulfstream Park while providing trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. with his fourth consecutive victory in the seven-furlong stakes for fillies and mares.
While prevailing over 6-5 favorite Simply Joking by a comfortable 1 1/2 lengths in the “Win and You’re In’ Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race, Kerry’s Kiss also earned a fees-paid berth in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
In addition to extending her trainer’s Princess Rooney streak to four in a row, Kerry’s Kiss won her fourth consecutive race and followed in the hoofprints of Joseph-trained Three Witches (2023), Soul of an Angel (2024), and Haulin Ice (2025).
“It’s amazing. When we won the first one with Three Witches, it was great to win the first one. To come back and win with Soul of an Angel, who won the Breeders’ Cup, and then when you win three, you’re really grateful,” said Joseph, who watched the Princess Rooney in a hotel room in Lexington, Ky., where the Keeneland September Yearling Sale starts Monday. “When you have a competitive nature, you want to keep the streak going. To win the fourth one, we’re obviously grateful and thankful to be able to have these horses. To have the opportunity is a blessing.”
Joseph trains her for Epic Horses LLC, BAG Racing Stables LLC and the White House Stables LLC. Bred by Virginia Moore and Malia Hopkins, Kerry’s Kiss was offered by Legacy Bloodstock at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale and again at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton October Sale.
“We bought her off a two-turn race and we bought her with one-turn races in mind the whole time,” said partner Mark Cornett, who negotiated the private sale. “We couldn’t get the one-turn mile to go, so Saffie and I discussed it and we said, ‘Let’s cut her back to 6½ or seven [furlongs].’ The main thing is one turn, that’s what we wanted. And we were right. She’s a different filly going one turn. She can carry her speed going one turn.
Kerry’s Kiss was under complete control for jockey Edwin Gonzalez throughout the race that was run in a driving rain that began shortly before post time. The 4-year-old daughter of Vino Rosso showed the way while setting fractions of :22.12 for the first quarter of a mile and :44.71 for a half mile over a track rated ‘good.’
Simply Joking and jockey Juan Hernandez were well within striking range while chasing Kerry’s Kiss along the backstretch and on the far turn. However, the pacesetter continued to travel smoothly on the turn into the homestretch as the favorite was being asked for her run without making progress. Kerry’s Kiss drew off to score a decisive victory over Simply Joking, who held second, a length ahead of late running Just Philly.
Kerry’s Kiss ran the seven furlongs in 1:25.33 to win the 40th running of the Princess Rooney.
“Mark just told me to break and get your position if somebody wants to go. But I know my filly is doing so good. I didn’t want to go with anybody, and my filly can sit behind the pace, but she dragged me to the lead,” Gonzalez said. “I gave her a little breather and waited until turning for home to ask her. I let her run and she kept running. She’s doing so good, this filly.”
The Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint is definitely on the radar for Cornett and Joseph, who visited the Del Mar winner’s circle with Soul of an Angel following her victory in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
“I think she earned the shot. It’s a different level of race, but she’s fast and if everything continues to go good we’ll talk it over,” Joseph said. “I think it’s a strong possibility that it’s going to happen.”
-edited from www.paulickreport.com
