Will Simply Joking Deny Joseph Fourth Princess Rooney?

Grade 1-placed Simply Joking comes east for the first time in almost a year with designs set on the Sept. 12 Princess Rooney Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The 7-furlong race is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event with automatic qualifying for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland. The daughter of Practical Joke most recently placed third in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar and finished on the board in all but one of her last six starts, all graded contests. Her last race east of the Mississippi was last year's Raven Run Stakes (G2). Trainer Michael McCarthy also has her entered in the Locust Grove Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. If she runs in Kentucky, it would improve the odds for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who is looking for his fourth consecutive win in the Princess Rooney and has three entrants in the race. Starting from the inside post is Anakarina, who is coming off a win in the Love Sign Stakes. After a pair of seventh-place finishes to open the year, the Vekoma filly has bounced back nicely with two wins and two seconds. Indy Bay, the top earner in the field at $761,450, also had a less-than-ideal launch to her 4-year-old campaign, but has a win and three seconds, including the Sheer Drama Handicap last time out. Starting next to Anakarina is Kerry's Kiss, a 4-year-old Vino Rosso filly who has won three straight, including a win in the aforementioned Sheer Drama.