Another Grade One Triumph for Princess of Sylmar

Outstanding filly Princess of Sylmar (3f Majestic Warrior x Storm Dixie, by Catienus) added another elite prize to her ever growing tally on Saturday when capturing the Grade I Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. Sent out a short priced favourite, the Todd Pletcher trained filly surged away at the finish to take the 1 and ¼ mile contest by two and a half lengths. The high class daughter of Majestic Warrior has now won her past three starts in Grade I events, the Alabama Stakes following on from the Coaching Club American Oaks and Kentucky Oaks, her efforts sure to have her favoured to be the Eclipse Award Champion 3YO Filly. “The Kentucky Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks and now this --that's a pretty hard trifecta to win,” said Todd Pletcher. “She has definitely established herself as the champion 3-year-old filly, unless somebody does something [big]." Pletcher is yet to finalize plans for her next assignment. "We'll see how she comes out of it," he said. "I don't think we'll make a decision right away. We never make decisions right after a race, but Ed [Stanco, owner] is committed to running her next year, and, who knows, maybe even as a 5-year-old. At some point you don't want to be greedy, but at the same time she is doing unbelievably well, and sometimes you have to take advantage of that, so we have some thinking to do." Princess of Sylmar is the first winner for stakes-placed Storm Dixie, a half-sister to Grade III winner Rhythm Band and has the overall record of seven wins and a second from nine starts with prizemoney topping $1.3 million.. She is the best of six stakes-winners by leading young sire Majestic Warrior, whose oldest progeny are three year-olds.