Female sprint champion Musical Romance, preparing for the upcoming Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. I) at Calder Casino & Racecourse, turned in a bullet half-mile in :46 1/5 over the track June 29.
The $400,000 Princess Rooney, for fillies and mares at six furlongs, highlights Calder's "Summit of Speed" program July 7. Entries are to be taken July 2. Musical Romance ran second in last year's race, finishing a neck behind Sassy Image.
Trainer Bill Kaplan, who co-owns the 5-year-old daughter of Concorde's Tune with Pinnacle Racing Stables, was pleased by the workout. It was the fourth for Musical Romance over the Calder main track since June 6.
In her most recent start May 5, Musical Romance ran second to the impressive Groupie Doll, who broke the Churchill Downs track record for seven furlongs in the Humana Distaff (gr. I).
“She was doing it all on her own,” Kaplan said of the drill. “She really gets a lot out of her work in the morning, so bringing her up to the race this year without a real prep hasn’t been that much different. She’s perfectly fit for the race.”
The drill was quickest of 40 at the distance on the morning.
“Being at home for this race takes a lot of the pressure off that comes with shipping and having to deal with a different racetrack,” Kaplan said. “I’m still interested in seeing who is coming. There were some good solid horses nominated to the race, and once you put them in the gate anything can happen. But I am confident.”
Musical Romance has started four times this season with one win, that coming in the Inside Information Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park March 17. Winner of last fall's Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I), the Florida-bred dark bay mare has a career mark of 10-6-7 in 37 races with earnings of $1,394,575.
