McCarthy Trainee Set for G2 Princess Rooney Title Defense

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Bo Hirsch LLC’s Ce Ce is scheduled to ship from Santa Anita to Gulfstream Park Wednesday morning for a planned title defense in Saturday’s $300,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2).

The Michael McCarthy-trained 6-year-old mare tuned up for the Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares with a five-furlong workout in 59.60 seconds Saturday morning.

“Her breeze was excellent,” McCarthy said. “She’ll ship on Wednesday.”

Ce Ce ran seven furlongs in a swift 1:21.94 while winning the 2021 Princess Rooney to give McCarthy his second big-race success at Gulfstream, where he saddled City of Light for an impressive victory in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in 2019.

After earning a fees-paid berth for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) with her dominating Princess Rooney triumph, Ce Ce went on to prevail by 2 ½ lengths at Del Mar in the Nov. 6 seven-furlong race for fillies and mares, clinching the 2021 Eclipse Award female sprinter title.

Ce Ce, a multiple Grade 1 stakes-winning daughter of Elusive Quality, captured the March 12 Azeri (G2) before finishing third behind victorious Letruska in the April 23 Apple Blossom. Both Oaklawn Park appearances were around two turns at 1 1/16 miles.

The Princess Rooney headlines the Summit of Speed card that will also feature the $100,000 Smile Sprint (G3), a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up.