Royal Delta Loses

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:02 pm

I thought she hasn't ran against jack crap all year but still this is a big deal.

I am to the point now that anytime a horse runs against a field without any real compitition i don't factor it whatsoever in my handicapping it's a pointless race.

Cree · Postby **Cree** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:13 pm

She's beaten the other older fillies who *could* have been her competition for the top older mare, at least in the East.

She's lost to Funny Proposition who freaked that day, and Princess of Sylmar who has become Pletcher's best 3-year-old filly.

What I would like to know is how Pletcher snuck Princess of Sylmar into the Kentucky Oaks under the radar...while he touted Dreaming of Julia and Unlimited Budget...he had a filly that would turn out to be this good.

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:56 am

Sylmar was soundly beaten in her oaks prep

Dreaming of Julia had ran off the TV screen in her last race and Unlimited Budget was undefeated

Cree · Postby **Cree** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:00 am

Did they lose that race on purpose? She has been nothing but phenomenal since that loss. And even before it.

TJ · Postby TJ » Sun Sep 29, 2013 3:07 pm

Princess of Sylmar will rest on her laurels after leaving her division to whip her elders yesterday. She will return to the races next season. TJ
http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-park-no ... again-year

Cree · Postby **Cree** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 6:37 pm

Ok, devil's advocate.

Princess of Sylmar has won the Oaks, Alabama, CCAO, and now Beldame.
She beat Beholder by a 1/2 length in the Oaks. Four G1s, beat the older gals. Only loss to Close Hatches.

Beholder has won the Las Virgenes, SA Oaks, and Zenyatta. Three G1s, beat the older gals.
Two losses- an upset in January by 3/4 lengths and the 1/2 length in the Oaks.

Princess comes to SA for Distaff, gets beat by Beholder on her home court... Who is the champion 3-year-old filly???

Princess has had a tough campaign, and it was very impressive, but I think a loss in the Distaff and a win by Beholder (which I think is very possible), would threaten Princess' Eclipse.

Thoughts?

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:21 pm

TJ wrote:Princess of Sylmar will rest on her laurels after leaving her division to whip her elders yesterday. She will return to the races next season. TJ
http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-park-no ... again-year

lol that's the equivalent of being at a press conference, dropping the microphone and walking off the stage. lol beat the best horse in the division in the prep and just leave.

TJ · Postby TJ » Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:00 pm

I'm old school, the heck with the BC races. I agree with their decision to pass on the BC and leave Royal Delta and Beholder hanging. The Princess has nothing to prove and everything to lose. She deserves and earned this break they are going to give her....after all she's only three and is a win machine. She whipped Beholder (3 GR I wins) and Close Hatches (2 GR I wins) in the Oaks...she's the Queen of the 3YO fillies with 4 GR I wins. She beat the best older mare in the country. She has the 3YO filly eclipse award in the bag. If Royal Delta (2 GR I wins) doesn't pull off something spectacular in the BC race of their choice, Princess of Sylmar is in line to win all the honors. TJ

ratherrapid · Postby **ratherrapid** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:06 pm

TJ wrote:I'm old school, the heck with the BC races. I agree with their decision to pass on the BC and leave Royal Delta and Beholder hanging. The Princess has nothing to prove and everything to lose. She deserves and earned this break they are going to give her....after all she's only three and is a win machine. She whipped Beholder (3 GR I wins) and Close Hatches (2 GR I wins) in the Oaks...she's the Queen of the 3YO fillies with 4 GR I wins. She beat the best older mare in the country. She has the 3YO filly eclipse award in the bag. If Royal Delta (2 GR I wins) doesn't pull off something spectacular in the BC race of their choice, Princess of Sylmar is in line to win all the honors. TJ

that's one view. another might be that horses love to race, that a break is unnecessary because winning, running and good care makes them stronger and more energetic, and that generally horses come back from breaks weaker instead of stronger. DW Lukas might think--race 'em while they're hot. depends on horse and situation possibly?

Plecher has changed up his training methods of late, including that Plecher now is actually giving superb warm ups pre-race.

ct2346 · Postby **ct2346** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 3:38 am

The times are different but years ago, in a year like this, we would have seen clamor towards an east vs. west matchup of Princess of Sylmar vs. Beholder. our world has shrunk so that underlying perception of geography doesn't exist as much. I for one would have loved to see it....and my money would be on Beholder.

Cree · Postby **Cree** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 4:21 am

I don't think a small 1/2 length is a "whipping". But, yes, she did beat her. I was just asking.

TJ · Postby TJ » Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:11 pm

ratherrapid wrote:
TJ wrote:I'm old school, the heck with the BC races. I agree with their decision to pass on the BC and leave Royal Delta and Beholder hanging. The Princess has nothing to prove and everything to lose. She deserves and earned this break they are going to give her....after all she's only three and is a win machine. She whipped Beholder (3 GR I wins) and Close Hatches (2 GR I wins) in the Oaks...she's the Queen of the 3YO fillies with 4 GR I wins. She beat the best older mare in the country. She has the 3YO filly eclipse award in the bag. If Royal Delta (2 GR I wins) doesn't pull off something spectacular in the BC race of their choice, Princess of Sylmar is in line to win all the honors. TJ

that's one view. another might be that horses love to race, that a break is unnecessary because winning, running and good care makes them stronger and more energetic, and that generally horses come back from breaks weaker instead of stronger. DW Lukas might think--race 'em while they're hot. depends on horse and situation possibly?

Plecher has changed up his training methods of late, including that Plecher now is actually giving superb warm ups pre-race.

Hi Rather,
When I said old school, I was referring to the BC races versus old school classic races....not training, as each horse should be trained as an individual. At the GR I level...these horses run hard and fast against the very best. That can leave a horse pretty empty, especially after winning four GR I's in a row over a 4+ month span of time winning twice at 1 1/8th miles and twice at 1 1/4 miles. I prefer seeing horses win the classic races like the Oaks, Alabama, the Coaching Club American Oaks, The Beldame....it doesn't get better than that. Guess I'm just a dinosaur:>) This is why I say she went the old school route, racing and winning every major 3YO filly race around. She then moved on and beat the older fillies and mares, to me that's very impressive. It also takes more out of a younger filly then it would had she stayed in her own division....a break is in order, unless you want to squeeze the lemon dry and possibly risk injury? I take nothing away from Beholder who is a nice 3YO filly who also beat her elders, but she stayed in California all year long except to race in the roughly run Oaks where she had a clear advantage only to be run down by Princess of Sylmar. It would be nice to see the rubber match, but why would they ship Princess of Sylmar cross country, to run against Beholder over her home track, with the BC training giant Mandella calling the shots. Those 4 hard fought GR I victorys had to leave her a bit drained, then ship her on top of that? I think they played their cards well and are looking out for the welfare of their horse. It still leaves them with a legitimate shot of winning the division albeit in the hands of the voters. Just look at the comments here, the voting for the eclipse awards will be just as tough after (like bdw said), she dropped the mike and walked off stage:>) TJ

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:46 pm

this is where i feel the breeders cup got it wrong

there is zero doubt in my mind that if the breeders cup was anywhere else other than california, she would run. if you know you are running her next year put her in the bag she's done enough this year. i don't like her going all the way out there then coming all the way back and then trying to get rest / re trained up to march or so of next year.

TJ · Postby TJ » Sat Oct 12, 2013 6:37 am

Princess of Sylmar's connections may have a change of heart about running her in the Distaff? The decision will be made this morning, after she worked a 1/2 in 49.79B with allowance winner Street Thug while they galloping out 7/8ths in 1:31.33. Mott also worked Royal Delta the same distance in a quick 46.41B. In the article below, Mott announces he will also run Close Hatches in the Distaff. TJ
http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-park-no ... up-distaff

TJ · Postby TJ » Sat Oct 12, 2013 1:59 pm

Update with a change of heart from Princess of Sylmar's owner. He's now anxious to announce she will run in the BC Distaff after her work this AM. Pletcher took a hold of his enthusiasm and told Stanco to wait a week (after her next workout) before making the decision. TJ
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... in-distaff