Rosario could be the difference for Stunning Princess in De La Rose
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Her ability to run well fresh, her affinity for a mile, and the addition of Joel Rosario to her saddle may help Stunning Princess get her first stakes victory in Sunday’s $135,000 De La Rose Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile at Saratoga.
Stunning Princess, a daughter of Cairo Prince, is making her first start in 107 days, or since she finished third in the Sand Springs Stakes on April 2 at Gulfstream Park. She had placed in two stakes prior, including a third-place finish behind Bleecker Street – a subsequent Grade 1 winner – in the Grade 3 Endeavour at Tampa Bay Downs.
Stunning Princess’s two career wins have come off a layoff. In March 2021, Stunning Princess came off an eight-month layoff to win a maiden race. In December 2021, Stunning Princess came off a 97-day freshening to win a first-level allowance. Trainer Danny Gargan said he gave Stunning Princess a freshening following the Sand Springs because it was her fourth race in four months.
“I ran her a lot last winter and I just wanted to freshen her up and focus on coming here,” Gargan said Friday outside his Saratoga barn.
Joel Rosario will ride Stunning Princess, replacing Irad Ortiz Jr., who is named to ride Love and Thunder for Chad Brown.
“She likes to hang and be second or third, but I think Joel can be the factor that puts us over the top,” said Gargan, who trains Stunning Princess for Randy Hill and Brereton Jones. “I was really, really happy to get him on the horse. He’s a super-strong finisher and she needs that strong finish.”
Our Flash Drive put together a three-race winning streak last summer at Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse. She won the Grade 3 Selene over a synthetic surface and the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen over turf. Our Flash Drive has been competitive against the likes of Rougir and Fluffy Socks in graded stakes in the U.S.
“I think she’ll enjoy the Saratoga’s turf course more than Woodbine,” Casse said Friday. “Woodbine is a tough. You turn for home and you have three-eighths of a mile to run. She gets around the turns pretty well, kind of similar to Got Stormy.”
Dylan Davis rides Our Flash Drive from post 6.
Jouster, a front-running type last year, has found success from off the pace this year, most recently successfully stretching out to a mile in the Perfect Sting Stakes at Belmont Park. Luis Saez rides Jouster for Todd Pletcher.
Love and Thunder, third with trouble in the Perfect Sting, and Nazuna, winner of a first-level allowance on July 8, both go out for Brown.
:: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more
Plum Ali, who beat Stunning Princess in a July 23 maiden race here in 2020, In Good Spirits, and Assertive Style complete the field on turf.
Battle Bling and Halo City are entered to run only if the race is transferred to the main track.