Quote:
Originally Posted by pweizer
This is a sensible move. What race would they run her in where she could win.? I am nut sure I would want to pay and ship for the right to face Royal Delta.
That said, the idea that shipping a horse takes too much out of them is quite troubling. This is why Zenyatta never got the chance to prove her greatness (since crossing the Rockies was so tiring) and I sure hope that Princess of Sylmar has the chance to prove hers as well.
Paul
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She's not Breeders' Cup nominated, that's not nothing. I know it's not as much as it used to be, but it's still a cost to weigh. Easier to see them paying the supplemental on her at 4 when she's more mature. Also, if she takes on Royal Delta who's Distaff bound and wins, she'll have taken on the top older mare AND her own division. There'd be no need to go to prove anything unless she faced the boys. If she loses the Beldame because Royal Delta's just that much better, she still wins the Eclipse for 3yo filly and didn't have to ship out to California after paying a supplement for the privilege of a defeat. It's actually sportsmanlike that they're seeking out the competition and giving us a matchup we'd be deprived of otherwise.
As for shipping, some horses ship better than others. People can snark about crossing the Rockies if they want, but if you can run out of your stall vs getting on a plane, many trainers think of that as a plus.