Alabama Memories: Princess of Sylmar

It's Alabama week, and I just had the great pleasure of spending time with the Stanco family this weekend at Saratoga -- What better opportunity could there be to look back at one of my favorite results in the historic race for sophomore fillies? 

Owned by Ed Stanco's King of Prussia Stable and trained by Todd Plecher, Princess of Sylmar came into the 133rd edition of the Alabama on a roll. After suffering her first defeat of 2013, when second to Close Hatches in the Gazelle, the chestnut filly rattled off consecutive Grade 1 wins in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. 

Sent off as the big 1-2 favorite in a compact field of five, Princess of Sylmar stayed withing striking distance of the three early leaders, under jockey Javier Castellano. Fourth early. the daughter of Majestic Warrior waited as Carnival Court, Montana Native and Fiftyshadesofhay all contested the early pace through the first four furlongs in :48.16.

Midway through the far turn, Castellano asked for his filly to move to the outside and go after the leaders. Without too much encouragement, Princess of Sylmar responded like a champion. The Pennsylvania-bred filly circled the leading three like a shot and took command turning for home. She kept it going down the stretch to cruise to the wire in front by an easy 2 1/2-lengths over the classy Fiftyshadesofhay.

In becoming the first filly to sweep the Kentucky Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks, and Alabama in more than 20 years, Princess of Sylmar earned her fifth stakes victory in her first six starts of the year, and her seventh win in her last eight races overall.

The pride of King of Prussia would make it four straight victories of the Grade 1 variety six weeks later, when she powerfully took the measure of the multiple champion older mare, Royal Delta in the Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park, in what may have been her most impressive race ever.

Unfortunately, despite the remarkable run of four consecutive Grade 1 wins, Princess of Sylmar was denied an Eclipse Award when the top Californian filly Beholder beat her in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Fans of the filly, who first won at Penn National, and first became a stakes winner during the winter meet at Aqueduct, will never forget her run through Louisville, two races at the Spa, and finally at Belmont. It was a great time to be a fan of the Princess.

Let's watch the historic Alabama one more time ... "Princess of Sylmar has picked them off, 1-2-3!" Leave it to the legendary race caller, Tom Durkin to capture the heartbeat of the moment so perfectly.