Razorback Lady using Ana T. Stakes to prepare for Princess Rooney

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With the meet’s cornerstone event, the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes, just five weeks away, time is running out for local trainers to find a suitable prep for their distaff sprinters to prove worthy of a spot in the Win and You’re In event for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Last week, Stormy Embrace blew away her rivals in the $100,000 Musical Romance and established herself as the local favorite for the June 29 Princess Rooney. On Saturday, seven others led by graded stakes-placed Razorback Lady will try to prove worthy of taking on the division leader late next month when they square off at 6 1/2 furlongs in the $75,000 Ana T. Stakes, the main event on a 12-race program at Gulfstream Park.

Razorback Lady has been idle since finishing second in the Grade 2 Inside Information here March 16. Trained by Patrick Biancone, Razorback Lady set the pace for much of the Inside Information, then continued gamely after being headed in midstretch by America’s Tale, who won by 1 1/4 lengths. Razorback Lady dug in bravely to outlast graded winner Tequilita for second money.

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The versatile Razorback Lady, who won an allowance race on the turf to close out her 3-year-old campaign last December, has been much improved since undergoing minor throat surgery late last summer. She earned far and away her career best Beyer Speed Figure of 89 in the Inside Information and has been working forwardly for her return, posting a pair of bullet drills recently at Palm Meadows, including a half-mile from the gate in 46.80 seconds May 16.

“We freshened her up after the Inside Information, and this is the race we picked out as the perfect prep for the Princess Rooney,” said Biancone. “Since we did the tie-back surgery she’s never let us down, and this should be the perfect spot to bring her up to the big race in five weeks.”

Although she’s the most accomplished member of the field of late, Razorback Lady is not the richest. That distinction goes to Misschief Maas, who has earned over $300,000 during a 31-race career that has produced 10 victories. Misschief Maas , a popular item at the claim box over the past year, will make her first start since being claimed for $16,000 by trainer Monica McGooey on April 19.

Trainer Aubrey Maragh will send out the pair of Tiz Possible Dear and Worth Avenue. The former is coming off a pair of victories, the most recent of which came against statebred allowance types by 2 1/2 lengths. She received a lifetime high 81 Beyer for the win.