Kerry’s Kiss won the Grade 3 Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park on September 12 and secured an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
The four year old filly went to the front early and remained there through seven furlongs. Simply Joking finished second and Just a Philly finished third. Kerry’s Kiss completed the race in 1:25.33 on a sloppy surface.
A fourth straight victory
The result extended the winning streak for Kerry’s Kiss to four races and kept her unbeaten since joining trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The Princess Rooney was also her first graded stakes victory.
OTB Bet covered the field in the Princess Rooney Stakes preview. Kerry’s Kiss entered with strong local form and converted that form into a championship qualifying performance.
Breeders’ Cup implications
The Princess Rooney is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series for the Filly and Mare Sprint. Kerry’s Kiss now owns a guaranteed place in the championship at Keeneland.
For more context on that race, visit the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint guide.
The Gulfstream result adds another established runner to the championship picture and gives Kerry’s Kiss a clear late season target after a strong summer campaign.
Image credit: Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash.
