Nicole H gets perfect trip, wins Endine Stakes

Under a truly perfect ride from David Centeno, odds-on favorite Nicole H got through along the inside to seize command of the lead and never look back in the $100,000 Endine Stakes at Delaware Park.

Facing five rivals in the six-furlong sprint, Nicole H settled along the rail in the fourth position early on as Winning Image set a very quick pace of :21.47 and :44.39 seconds. Starlite Starbrite and Wild Bout Tiffany were tracking her in second and third, while Eve Giselle and Diamante de Fuego trailed the field.

Coming off the turn, Centeno sent Nicole H for a narrow opening along the inside and got through in perfect fashion, enabling his mount to take over the lead. Winning Image proved game in defeat, regaining a bit of lost ground toward the finish, but the results were never really in doubt. Nicole H held well to win by 1 1/4 lengths while stopping the clock in 1:09.96 seconds.

Starlite Starbrite finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Winning Image. Wild Bout Tiffany, Eve Giselle, and Diamante de Fuego completed the order of finish.

The winner, a daughter of Mr. Greeley out of Hot Chipotle, by Victory Gallop, is trained by Michael Hushion and owned by Gem, Inc. (Waken).

-Keelerman

MUSICAL ROMANCE WINS THE PRINCESS ROONEY HANDICAP!

Last year's Eclipse champion female sprinter Musical Romance picked up the second grade I victory of her career this afternoon at Calder Race Course, wearing down pace-setting Golden Mystery and holding off a late bid from Nicole H to win the $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. I) by a half-length.

Ridden to victory by Juan Leyva, Musical Romance broke a bit slowly at the start, but quickly recovered and settled into the third position early on, about 2 1/2 lengths behind Golden Mystery. Wild Bout Tiffany was racing in second, with Bouquet Booth and Beloveda also up close. Nakano, Nicole H, and Spectacular Sky were next, while Leopard Rock, Flying Trip, and Indulgence were the early trailers.

Golden Mystery continued to lead the way through quick fractions of :21.80 and :45.10, and still held the lead in the homestretch, but Musical Romance shifted to the outside in the stretch and soon wore the front-runner down to seize command of the race. However, Nicole H soon came running from off the pace, and briefly appeared to be on her way to victory. But Musical Romance succeeded in stemming off her late bid, hitting the wire a half-length in front while stopping the clock for six furlongs in 1:10.92.

Nakano finished 2 3/4 lengths back in third, while Flying Trip, Bouquet Booth, Indulgence, Golden Mystery, Leopard Rock, Wild Bout Tiffany, Beloveda, and Spectacular Sky completed the order of finish.

The winner is trained by William Kaplan and owned by Pinnacle Racing Stables and William Kaplan.

-Keelerman

Princess Rooney Handicap Entries and Post Positions

Here are the entries and post positions for the $300,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. I), to be run on Saturday at Calder Race Course. The prestigious six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares has drawn a large and talented field of eleven, including last year's Eclipse champion female sprinter Musical Romance.

1 Spectacular Sky
2 Beloveda
3 Golden Mystery
4 Flying Trip
5 Musical Romance
6 Nakano
7 Bouquet Booth
8 Indulgence
9 Nicole H
10 Wild Bout Tiffany
11 Leopard Rock

-Keelerman