Quote:
Originally Posted by 31lengths
Anyone know who may be headed to the Summit of speed at Calder in 2 weeks?
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From Calder barn notes.....
Barn NotesDubai Escapade Drills ‘Bullet’ at Belmont: Probable for Princess Rooney
by: CRC Publicity
Miami Gardens, Fla. (July 4, 2006) --
Darley Stable’s brilliant 4-year-old filly Dubai Escapade worked a sharp half-mile in 47 flat Tuesday morning on the main track at Belmont Park, fastest of 69 timed at the distance, as she prepares for a probable start in Calder’s $500,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1) on Summit of Speed day, Sat., July 15.
“She worked fantastic,” said Brian Ange, assistant to trainer Eoin Harty, who is on a brief holiday. “She is a good work horse and galloped out in 59. I think they’re leaning in that direction (Calder), but a final decision won’t be made until Eoin gets back in a couple of days. We’ve already been in touch with Tex Sutton (charter flight) about those arrangements.”
Dubai Escapade would be a heavy favorite for the Princess Rooney, which will be run as a Grade 1 for the first time this year. The daughter of Awesome Again has won all four of her starts this year, beginning with a pair of allowance victories at Gulfstream Park and then the Madison Stakes (G2) at Keeneland by 4 ¾ lengths in April and Vagrancy Handicap (G2) by six lengths last out at Belmont on June 11.
Already on the grounds preparing for the Princess Rooney is S.M. Mitchell Ranch’s 4-year-old filly Leave Me Alone, who invaded for the Summit last year to earn a hard-fought victory in the $300,000 Azalea Breeders’ Cup (G3) for trainer Eric Kruljac.
In her next start after the Azalea, Leave Me Alone romped to a 7 ¾ lengths score in the Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. The chestnut daughter of Bold Badgett worked a ‘bullet’ five furlongs here Saturday in 1:01 flat. For this trip, Leave Me Alone shipped in from New York where she finished sixth last out behind Dubai Escapade in the Vagrancy.
Other probable/possible starters currently under consideration for the Princess Rooney include Kinsman Stable’s Ebony Breeze, Joe Mulholland, Jr.’s Malibu Mint, Ed Friendly’s My Miss Storm Cat and Charles Miller’s Calder-based Prospective Saint.
In other Summit news, trainer Greg Gilchrist has informed Calder officials to expect Harry Aleo’s Eclipse champion Lost in the Fog to arrive Saturday evening from his Northern California headquarters on a cargo flight along with 3-year-old filly stablemate Victorina.
Gilchrist flew Lost in the Fog in early for the Summit last year and is using the same schedule this trip rather than wait for next week’s scheduled Tex Sutton charters. The Florida-bred son of Lost Soldier was among the stars of the show, continuing his undefeated run with a 7 ¼ lengths tally in the $300,000 Carry Back Stakes (G2).
Lost in the Fog will be a heavy favorite in the $500,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) facing a talented field that also is expected to include Summerplace Farm’s Kelly’s Landing, John Petrini’s Joey P., Keith McKinney and Jack Sweesy’s Gold Storm, Anstu Stable’s Friendly Island, Timber Side Stable’s Nightmare Affair and David Hutson’s Pomeroy.
Victorina is a Florida-bred daughter of Delaware Township and will run in the Azalea Breeders’ Cup with Russell Baze riding both Gilchrist-trained runners on the Summit card. Victorina has won four of seven starts with two seconds and a third.
Victorina shipped to Kentucky last month along with Lost in the Fog, who won the Aristides Breeders’ Cup (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 3. Victorina also ran very well, rallying for third, beaten a length for it all in the Dogwood Breeders’ Cup (G3), that afternoon.
A pair of Calder-based probable starters for the Azalea posted workouts Tuesday morning with Buckingham Stable’s A Sea Trippi breezing a half-mile in 51 and Dare to Dream Farm’s Frolicing timed the same distance in 49 1/5.
A Sea Trippi is a daughter of Trippi trained by Ron Spatz and has plenty of stakes experience with a record of 11-3-4. She finished second last out in the Swept Away overnight stakes, a local preview for the Azalea, which was won by Frolicing, a homebred daughter of Royal Academy trained by Marty Wolfson.
