The rematch that all racing fans are wanting to see just may be on after all. After stating that four-time Grade I winner Princess of Sylmar would be shelved for the rest of the season after beating two-time Breeders’ Cup Distaff champion Royal Delta in the Beldame Invitational, recent workouts apparently have her connections thinking about paying the $100,000 necessary to supplement her to run in the 2013 BC Distaff, where she’ll likely face Royal Delta in that much-anticipated rematch. The Penn-bred Princess of Sylmar has won four straight and six-of-seven this year, including the Kentucky Oaks.
Filly just kept getting better all season
Stepping up from allowance company for her three-year-old campaign, Princess of Sylmar opened 2013 with two dominating seven-length victories in the Busanda and Busher Stakes at Aquaduct. In her first try at the Grade II level, she ran second to Close Hatches in the Gazelle, and then turned the tables on that one with her Kentucky Oaks score. Those were followed by wins in the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, before beating her elders for the first time with the two-length win in the Beldame.
Solid works have owner reconsidering
On that day everyone agreed that Royal Delta probably didn’t show her best, and another race against the upstart in the BC Distaff would likely be one of the most anticipated races on Breeders’ Cup weekend. Owner /breeder Ed Stanco had said both before and after the Beldame that Princess of Sylmar would not run again this year in order to rest up for a four-year-old campaign. However, after a solid half-mile work at Belmont on Saturday, Stanco told the Daily Racing Form he may be willing to enter the filly in the Distaff.
The Grade 2 $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby features the two biggest names from the Triple Crown trail September 24 at Parx as a field of 12 gathers in one of the most intriguing betting races of the year.
The $1 million Cotillion Stakes September 24 at Parx features a true clash of the titans as the six-horse field is headlined by the undefeated, five-time grade 1 winner Songbird who figures to face the most stern challenge of her career.
In a completely wide open renewal of the Presque Isle Mile September 18 at Presque Isle Downs, 13 runners including the also-eligible will contest the eight furlong trip over synthetic footing.
Champion Songbird is set to make her much-anticipated return to the races in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Grade 2 event will be run at a mile and a sixteenth and has attracted a field of seven.
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