Princess Sylmar – Champion 3 year old filly

Princess of Sylmar started fourth at the Alabama Stakes at the Saratoga Racecourse on August 17, the 2013 Chestnut Filly of Majestic Warrior and Catienus held her pace till the last stretch of the 1 ¼ Miles race finally winning by 2 ½ lengths.

Javier Castellano rode the filly home leaving Fiftyshadesofhay and Carnival Court behind; Carnival Court who had had a very impressive start was leading the way till the last stretch of the race following close was Fiftyshadesofhay and Princess of Sylmar along with Galloping Giraffe another of Todd Pletcher’s trained coming in fourth.  Overtaking from outside on the far turn she passed the leaders while charging through Javier aboard. Leading by two lengths at the quarter pole at 1:37.91 she stretched far with a lead of a final 2 ½ lengths to home.

Princess of Sylmar trained by Todd Pletcher won the Kentucky Oaks a grade 1 stakes race following which was the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks also a grade 1 event along with five wins and a second (Gazalle Stakes gr II) in six starts this racing season. With the third grade 1 victory at the Alabama Stakes, Pletcher (winner of the Eclipse Award five times) seems confident that his filly has established herself as the champion 3 year old filly.

According to Pletcher, Princess of Sylmar who is a “come-from-behind” horse surely did the trick in the five horse field Saturday morning. “I just let her enjoy the trip and when she was ready to go I asked her, and she just took off. She went right by them. She's an amazing horse. Everything we've asked, she has responded so well so far." – Bloodhorse

Owner Ed Stanco also impressed by his filly, commented that this would be the last race of the season for the ‘Princess’ - “Wasn't that something, how she took off? But I have to ask Todd how she galloped out; that's the most important thing. Let's hope (we crowned a champion today)” – Bloodhorse.

Travers Cup Competition Building Up!

“A calm storm blows over the pastures before the war begins!”  The Travers Stakes an American Grade 1 horse racing of the thoroughbreds to be held on August 24 at the Saratoga Race Course will be the witness to one of the greatest races fought between champion 3 year olds at the left – handed dirt turf.

Todd Pletcher, one of the most talented trainers has two of his top champions racing at the Travers August 24 for the 1 million dollar stakes. Palace Malice and Verrazano,   who were seen to be at their top shapes breezed 00:49.02 and 00:49.05 at the practice session on August 11. At the same time Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey updated that his bay colt Orb the winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands breezed almost the same length in 00:59 at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland where he will be preparing to depart after his cold-water spa and a morning in the hyperbaric chamber.

Palace Malice the winner of the Belmont Stakes along with the winner of the Haskell Invitational Handicap Verrazano has been ruling the 3 year old division for the past few months. Verrazano who clocked to breeze the five furlongs stretch at 1:01.39 whereas Orb breezed it through at less than a minute. McGaughey who was very delighted with his session commented; "The track had a little bit of water in it, which I think he probably appreciated. It was harrowed and everything. He worked great, came back great, and ate right up.” – Bloodhorse.

Two of Pletcher’s other runners are Prince of Sylmar; the winner of the Alabama Stakes (gr.1) and Graydar also a multiple grade winner were in the peak of their performances too while breezing through at 00:49.50 and 00:50.52 for half a mile stretch same morning respectively.

Among the other contenders are Will Take Charge, Moreno, Romansh and Transparent, Java’s War, War Dancer and Golden Soul.

All  the above mentioned runners are winners and or runner ups in Grade 1 and 2 races and I am expecting to see a neck-tie battle between the champions  carrying  126 pounds at the 1 ¼ mile of the 1 million Travers Cup on August 24,2013.

Figures crossed while I try my luck to race Orb and Palace Malice at the Belmont Stakes virtual 3D simulation game @ http://www.horseracegame.com/tournaments.php

Whitney Handicap winner Cross Traffic makes Way for the Challenge in Woodward Stakes

One of the most awaited American Grade 1 Thoroughbred horse racing is the Whitney Handicap. Open to three year old over a distance of 9 furlongs, this stake race is a part of the “Win and You’re in” challenge to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Held last Saturday at the Saratoga Race Course, the title was lost by last year’s winner Fort Larned who placed fourth. Winning the title with a superb run was Cross Traffic, runner up Successful Dan and third Mucho Macho Man.

Saturday’s 75,000 dollars race saw the splendid run of Todd Pletcher trained and Jockey Velazquez led four year old son of Unbridled’s Song and dam Stop Traffic. Stop Traffic who is the daughter of Cure of the Blues who had won the Ballerina at the Spa. Unbridled’s Song who passed away recently July 26 was one of the leading sire.

He opened the quarter mile with 00:24.96 leading the way into the second quarter in 00:23.11 and the third in 00:22.11, bettering each quarter by almost a second Pletcher seemed satisfied with his colt’s performance.

One of the news reports I had read earlier had mentions of Pletcher “That's pretty impressive. You don't see that many sub-23 internally, especially in a dirt race.”

Complimenting too was his jockey John Velazquez; "He put himself into the race right away," he added. "Every time they turned up the pressure, he was able to turn it up another notch. It was a perfect trip, but it was a self-produced perfect trip."

This win helps Pletcher plan the colt’s race career ahead, looking to run the 60th running of the Woodward Stakes at the Saratoga Race Course on August 31 followed by the Jockey Gold Cup.

Training hard and good on the morning of Aug 3 Cross Traffic’s performance will be worth seeing on the 1 1/8 mile of dirt turf of the Woodward Stakes on August 31, especially with John Velazquez’s history in the last few years.

Some of the past winners were: 

2012: To Honor and Serve, Jockey: John Velazquez

2011: Harve de Grace; Jockey: Ramon A. Dominguez

2010: Quality Road; Jockey: John Velazquez