Merry Meadow looks to rebound in Princess Rooney

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Merry Meadow has the lowest last-race Beyer Speed Figure in the field and has not started in nearly four months, but the multiple graded stakes winner still figures to be the public’s choice in Sunday’s $250,000 Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 2 Princess Rooney is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Merry Meadow shipped to south Florida for the first time last winter and found the Sunshine State very much to her liking, winning three straight stakes, two of them graded, including the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie by 9 1/2 lengths. But the streak came to a screeching halt when Merry Meadow finished last, 21 lengths behind the winner, Classic Point, as the 1-2 favorite in the seven-furlong, Grade 2 Inside Information on March 21.

“She got caught up in the pace because of the way she broke from her inside post, and that isn’t the way she wants to run,” said trainer Mark Hennig, recalling the poorest performance of Merry Meadow’s career. “We’ve always known seven furlongs is probably her limit under the best of circumstances, and [rider Javier Castellano] protected her at the end.”

Merry Meadow was freshened at Payson Park before rejoining Hennig’s barn this spring at Belmont Park, where she’s had six works, including a bullet four furlongs in 46.60 seconds May 23.

“She’s always done well fresh, and hopefully we’ll be able to take her back off the pace,” said Hennig.

Merry Meadow is one of only two horses to ship down for the race, along with Tea Time for trainer Michael Matz.

The local contingent is led by the speedy R Free Roll, who will be saddled for the first time by trainer Sally Mitchelhill in the Princess Rooney. R Free Roll defeated Merry Meadow when the pair met over a sloppy track last summer at Saratoga, registering a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length triumph in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss for the most important of her nine career wins.

Flutterby comes into the Princess Rooney off easily her best effort, a wire-to-wire, 9 1/4-length tally in the Sea Lily Handicap five weeks ago. Flutterby is trained by the 94-year-old Jerry Bozzo, who will bid to become the oldest trainer ever to saddle a graded stakes winner in the Princess Rooney.

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Key contenders

Merry Meadow (Last 3 Beyers: 37-96-97)

Hennig said his biggest concern is not the layoff but the local weather at this time of year.

“I just hope she acclimates well once she gets down here and handles the heat of the day,” he said.

R Free Roll (Last 3 Beyers: 87-88-88)

This will be the rubber match with Merry Meadow. She finished fourth behind that rival in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl 4 1/2 months after winning the Honorable Miss.

Flutterby (Last 3 Beyers: 98-85-39)

Owner-trainer Bozzo said he felt sending her to the lead made a world of difference in her last start, although she’ll have her hands full trying to outsprint R Free Roll to the front Sunday.

Phaniebdancing (Last 3 Beyers: 85-83-84)

She’s training exceptionally well for her turn back to six furlongs for trainer Marty Wolfson, who has won this race on four previous occasions.