Calder: Princess Rooney shot a reward for Bouquet Booth's latest win

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography

Bouquet Booth earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figuure for winning a six-furlong sprint at Churchill Downs in 1:09.91.

MIAMI – According to the racing office at Calder, it seems getting horses to south Florida over the next week may be the obstacle that keeps field sizes to a relative minimum for Saturday’s rich Summit of Speed program.

One trainer who took it upon himself to make sure he got his horse to Calder, and got her there in plenty of time, is Steve Margolis, whose Bouquet Booth arrived here Thursday for the Grade 1 Princess Rooney. The start will be the first against Grade 1 competition for Bouquet Booth since she finished fifth 14 months ago in the Kentucky Oaks.

Bouquet Booth, a daughter of Flower Alley, has run well on all surfaces and won at distances ranging from seven furlongs to a mile and 40 yards early in her career. But it had been more than a year between victories for the versatile Bouquet Booth when Margolis turned her back to six furlongs for an impressive six-length win in a third-level optional $80,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs on May 24. That performance earned her a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure and a start in the Princess Rooney.

“She’s coming off her best race, is doing really well, and it doesn’t look like the Princess Rooney is coming up the toughest spot for a Grade 1, outside of Musical Romance,” said Margolis, who trains Bouquet Booth for Right Time Racing LLC. “I also figured it would be best to get her down there in plenty of time to train and even work over the track. I’ll let her have a little half-mile work on Sunday. A lot of people use the weather or the track down there as an excuse, but if you ship in far enough in advance and let them get over the track, a good horse will usually run its race.”

Margolis shipped Bouquet Booth into the barn of his former boss, trainer Howie Tesher, who has been stabled regularly at Calder for the past several summers. Margolis served as Tesher’s assistant before striking out on his own in 2000.

“She’s really never run a bad race other than the turf race at Churchill on Oaks Day but she half-sprung a shoe in that one,” said Margolis. “After that I just decided it was time to try and shorten her back up again. I also put some blinkers on to sharpen her a little and she wound up running the best number race of her career. I know we’re taking a big step up on Saturday but she’s coming into it the right way and even running second or third in a Grade 1 would mean a lot for her.”

Shaun Bridgmohan, who began his career at Calder and has been aboard Bouquet Booth for all four of her victories, will return to his roots to handle her again in the Princess Rooney.

Bouquet Booth was one of three horses who arrived here Thursday for the Summit of Speed. The others are Nicole H., also for the Princess Rooney, and Gantry, who figures to be among the favorites in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap. At the moment they are the only shippers confirmed for the Summit of Speed.

Musical Romance turns in sharp breeze

Musical Romance, the reigning division champion and runner-up in last year’s Princess Rooney, looked very sharp breezing an easy half mile in 46.42 seconds and galloping out five-eighths in 58.59 over a fast track on Friday.

“I originally planned on working her Saturday but moved it back a day because I was afraid, going only a half mile, that she might work too fast and I wanted to give her an extra day if she did,” said trainer Bill Kaplan. “Although you saw her, even though she went fast she did it so easily.”

Trinniberg unlikely for Carry Back

In contrast to Musical Romance, Trinniberg just loped through an easy half-mile breeze in 50.78 about 30 minutes later on Friday. The work was the first for Trinniberg since his victory over Currency Swap in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day.

Trinniberg is among the nominees for Saturday’s Grade 3 Carry Back, but owner Shivananda Parbhoo said he will wait until just before entries are drawn Monday before making a final decision on his speedster’s status for the race.

“I really have no plans on running him there. The Amsterdam is the race I’m pointing for next,” said Parbhoo, referring to the Grade 2 race at 6 1/2 furlongs on July 29 at Saratoga. “But if it comes up really easy there’s a chance. I’ll wait until Monday to decide but if we enter, we’ll run. I just gave him an open gallop this morning, I didn’t want to take anything out of him. He’s ready and plenty fit if we decide to run.”