Princess Rooney, Smile Sprint top Gulfstream's spring-summer stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fl. - Gulfstream Park has released its spring-summer stakes schedule, which offers 29 events worth $3.85 million in purses topped by two “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup races, the Grade 2, $250,000 Princess Rooney and Grade 3, $250,000 Smile Sprint.

The spring-summer meet opens April 5.

The summer schedule will be highlighted by the $1.2 million Florida Sire Stakes for 2-year-olds and the $1 million Summit of Speed. The $100,000 Miami Mile and $100,000 Powder Break launch the schedule April 29. The Summit of Speed, which along with the Princess Rooney and Smile Sprint also includes the Grade 3 Carry Back, will be held July 1.

“We have made some adjustments in our spring-summer schedule that we believe will benefit all horsemen as well as bettors with quality racing and full fields,” said P.J. Campo, vice president of racing for The Stronach Group. “We believe our 2-year-old program, which produced Gunnevera and Three Rules last year, will be extremely strong this summer.”

The schedule also offers six stakes restricted to Florida-breds and four others for Florida-breds preferred.

The Florida Sire Series begins Aug. 5 with the six-furlong Dr. Fager and Desert Vixen, continues Sept. 2 with the seven-furlong Affirmed and Susan’s Girl and concludes Sept. 30 at 1 1/16 miles with the $400,000 In Reality and My Dear Girl.

Three Rules, third in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here last weekend, swept the open division of the Sire Series in 2016.