Stormy Embrace favored at 4-5 in Princess Rooney title defense

After repeating with a 10 ½-length romp in the May 18 Musical Romance, Stormy Embrace will seek a second consecutive edition of the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The seven-furlong event for distaffers serves as “Win & You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) and highlights a 12-race Summit of Speed program featuring five stakes.

The five-year-old Stormy Embrace registered a 103 BRIS Speed rating defeating Florida-bred rivals last out and netted a 105 figure when rolling by six lengths in the 2018 Princess Rooney. Wilmer Garcia rides for Kathleen O’Connell and the daughter of Circular Quay has been installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite among seven rivals.

Saguaro returns to stakes company with a two-race win streak and is listed as the early 5-2 second choice. An allowance scorer most recently at Belmont Park, the four-year-old Union Rags filly has captured three of six starts. Albin Jimenez picks up the mount for Michael Stidham. Trenchtown Cat switched from turf to dirt and defeated elders when posting a 3 3/4-length win in the May 25 Ana T. at Gulfstream. Rohan Crichton trains and Miguel Vasquez guides. Runner-up in the Inside Information (G2) two back, Razorback Lady promises to add pace. The Patrick Biancone trainee exits a second as the odds-on favorite to Trenchtown Cat and Julien Leparoux retakes the reins.

The $250,000 Smile Sprint (G3) follows the Princess Rooney and Jalen Journey heads a field of seven in the six-furlong test. Conditioned by O’Connell, the four-year-old gelding has been tabbed the 9-5 morning line favorite in his stakes debut and Luis Saez will pilot the Florida-bred.

Runner-up when trying elders in the restricted Big Drama two back, Garter and Tie exits a 10-length win over three-year-olds in the June 1 Ocala. The Ralph Nicks-trained colt comes next on the morning line at 7-2 and Jeffrey Sanchez has the assignment. Grade 3 turf victor Proforma will make his second straight dirt starts after recording a respectable second in the May 18 Maryland Sprint (G3) on the Preakness undercard. Jimenez rides for Stidham. Big Drama winner Royal Squeeze brings a four-race win streak to the mix and stakes hero Cautious Giant can’t be dismissed from contention.

The $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint kicks off the stakes action and eight-time stakes winner Pay Any Price will make a title defense in the five-furlong turf affair. He’s the early 3-5 favorite among six entered for turf.

Sam F. Davis (G3) winner Well Defined has been pegged a prohibitive 7-5 favorite among eight sophomore sprinters in the $75,000 Carry Back at seven furlongs.

Itsmyluckycharm and Lovesick rate as top contenders in the three-year-old filly counterpart to the Carry Back, the $75,000 Azalea.