Royal Delta will be trained by Mott but under different ownership
It wasn’t written on the stars, but Royal Delta fans had their fingers crossed all along the Keeneland November breeding stock sale episode that the new owner who would outbid Frank Stronach for the 3-year-old filly will like to race the Breeders’ Cup winning
filly again.
They got their wish and Leon, the new owner, sent the Empire Maker filly back to Bill Mott for training as he intends to race Royal Delta as a 4-year-old in 2012.
“We’re very pleased and couldn’t happier,” Mott said Dec. 5.
The daughter of Delta Princess by A.P. Indy, Royal Delta got sold for $8.5 million after her win in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies at Churchill Downs on 4 November, 2011, where she cleverly gained an advantage over her tricky opponent, It’s Tricky.
The 1 1/8 mile event on dirt is certainly the highlight of her career thus far, and now she is pointed toward the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup where she could race alongside the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom.
Besilu Stables owned Royal Delta has had a sparkling 2011 where she managed to win 4 starts out of seven with a lone second and third placed finish. Royal Delta finished an uncharacteristic ninth in her season opener which was also her second start after
her maiden special weight race.
Prior to the Breeders’ Cup win, Royal Delta picked up her first grade 1 win in the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on 20 August, 2011, at about 1 ¼ miles.
It’s Tricky was the victim again as she finished second behind Royal Delta followed up by Pinch Pie while Royal Delta covered the distance in 2 minutes and 3.13 seconds.
She represented her connections yet again in another grade 1 race, this time at Belmont Park in the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes but failed to out finish the more experienced and rampant Havre de Grace, who covered the 1 1/8 mile distance in 1 minute and 49.39
seconds.
Royal Delta’s purchase price was the third highest in the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in the history of the sale.
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