Three Witches held off heavy favorite Maryquitecontrary to win the Oct. 7 Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The Princess Rooney, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series proposition that awards the winner a fees-paid berth to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.
Three Witches, a 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, recorded her first graded-stakes success in what was her stakes debut.
“She’s run some decent races where she showed some glimpses of hope and then she’d disappoint after a couple races,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “We gave her a break and she came back to win well. Today, she put it together. Obviously, she had to make a jump, and she did.”
Three Witches completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.89. Maryquitecontrary made a wide bid from last to get second, 3 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher R Adios Jersey .
Three Witches is scheduled to sell at the Keeneland November Sale the week after the Breeders’ Cup.
“The Breeders’ Cup we’ll talk about,” Joseph said. “It’s another jump up. She earned the right to go. We’ll have to decide.”
The Princess Rooney was moved to October after having been a July staple for more than 20 years at its original home, Calder Race Course, and, since 2015, at Gulfstream.
Video: Princess Rooney Invitational S. (G3)
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