Princess Cecilia stays perfect with neck victory in Eleanor Casey

The Pennsylvania-based filly Princess Cecilia kept her perfect record intact when she rallied in the stretch to get up by a neck over Golden Debutante in Saturday night’s $51,150 Eleanor Casey Memorial Stakes at Charles Town.

Sent off the slight favorite in a field reduced to five 2-year-old West Virginia-bred fillies by four scratches, Princess Cecilia ($4) overcame a bad start, in which she bore out and had to steady. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche got Princess Cecilia to settle slightly off the pace set by Bonnie de Castle. Princess Cecilia mounted a three-wide rally coming into the stretch of the seven-furlong race and just got up in the final strides over 6-5 second choice Golden Debutante, ridden by Travis Dunkelberger.

Based at Parx Racing with trainer Richard Vega, Princess Cecilia is now 4 for 4 since launching her career in September. She completed the two-turn, seven-furlong race in 1:26.67.

Golden Debutante, making her first start against winners after winning her career debut on Nov. 28, outfinished pacesetter Bonnie de Castle by three-quarters of a length for second.