BUSHER S., $98,000, AQU, 2-2, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45 2/5, ft.
1--PRINCESS OF SYLMAR, 122, f, 3, by Majestic Warrior
1st Dam: Storm Dixie (SP), by Catienus
2nd Dam: Golden Wave Band, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Wind Talk, by Drone
O-King of Prussia Stable; B-Ed Stanco (PA); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Javier Castellano. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $188,220.
2--Kelli Got Frosty, 120, f, 3, Frost Giant--Nick's Honor, by Jump Start. O-Sunrise Stables, Lee Sacks, Aubrey Flanagan & Gary Tolchin. $20,000.
3--Let Me Entertain U, 116, f, 3, Nobiz Like Shobiz--Take the Cake, by Fly So Free. O-Elizabeth J Valando. $10,000.
Margins: 7, HF, NK. Odds: 0.25, 2.70, 14.50.
Also Ran: Kimono, Marcellina d’Oro.
Princess of Sylmar continued her winning ways with another large-margin success. After making up ground to run fourth in her Oct. 12 career opener at Penn National, the chestnut thumped Keystone State-breds by 19 lengths under the lights at that oval Nov. 18. She romped by 5 1/4 lengths in an optional claimer over this surface Dec. 13, and drew off by 7 1/2 lengths in Aqueduct’s Busanda S. Jan. 5. Those displays saw her listed at even-money on the morning line, and the Big A faithful bet her down to 1-4. Content to race in third just off the slow early fractions--the half went in :51.12--set by Kimono (Bernardini), the Pennsylvania-bred ranged up three wide on the far turn and kicked into gear in midstretch en route to her fourth straight win. "She’s very amazing," said winning rider Javier Castellano. "She has a long, beautiful stride, but at the same time, when you ask her, she’s got a quick reaction. I moved kind of early because I felt the pace was too slow, and she finished unbelievable. I didn’t force her to go by the horse--I just asked her a little bit and she took off. I think she’ll run all day."
Owner/breeder Ed Stanco was on hand to lead his budding star into the winner’s circle.
"I’m truly in the zone," he said. "I think that’s great, but remember, we are taking our time with her. We think there is a lot more ahead of her, so our plan--[trainer] Todd [Pletcher] and I talked about it--was ‘Let’s just take our time and let her move along and let her learn how to run and be happy. And one day, she’ll be at a big race.’
Princess of Sylmar will likely make her next appearance in the nine-furlong GII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct Apr. 6.
"The Gazelle is absolutely a target for us because she can run the distance," Stanco added. "She can go all day. I talked to Todd about it, but I think she might be able to go more than a mile and an eighth. As you know that opens up many, many possibilities, so we’re obviously very, very thrilled. She’s nice and happy, and that’s how we want to keep her. She’s a New York horse and she likes cold weather. She grew up in cold weather on the farm, and she’s going to stay right here." Click for the brisnet.com chart or VIDEO
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