HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park has announced a $3.5 million Spring/Summer stakes schedule highlighted by the $350,000, Gr. II Princess Rooney Invitational and $200,000, Gr. III Smile Sprint Invitational Saturday, July 3, and the $1.3 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.

    The schedule includes 34 stakes with $500,000 in incentives for Florida-bred and Florida-sired horses’ courtesy of the FTBOA.

    The Princess Rooney, a ‘Win & In’ for Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and Smile, which make up the Summit of Speed, were moved to September last year after being run in July since its inception 20 years ago at Calder Race Course. The Princess Rooney was cancelled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Both races will be invitationals this year for the first time.

   “This year we focused on bringing back the popular Summit of Speed on July 4th weekend,” said Mike Lakow, Gulfstream’s Vice President of Racing. “The Princess Rooney fits perfectly on the national calendar within the female sprint category. We’ve increased the purse to $350,000 and have made the race an invitational along with The Smile. The Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint on Sunday, July 4 completes the Independence Day weekend.”

    The Sire Stakes will begin on July 31 and culminate on Sept. 25 with the $350,000 In Reality and $350,000 My Dear Girl. Florida-bred stakes races will include the $75,000 Big Drama on May 1, $75,000 Musical Romance and $75,000 Soldier’s Dancer on May 29, the $75,000 Ginger Punch June 12, and the $75,000 Benny the Bull on August 14.    

    The stakes schedule begins on Saturday, May 1 with the $75,000 Honey Ryder for fillies at 1 1/16-miles on the turf, and the Big Drama for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs.

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