Crist: Personal Ensign Analysis

Friday’s G1 Personal Ensign is easily the second-best race this year for the nation’s top older fillies – topped only by the G1 Ogden Phipps on the Belmont Stakes undercard, a race from which all four of today’s favorites (who ran 1-2-3-5 that day) emerge. The only principal missing this time is Beholder, who finished third in a blanket finish where only 1 ¾ lengths separated the first five finishers.

Everyone who has run back since has done nothing but reinforce the quality of the race. Belle Galantey (5th) and Princess of Sylmar (2nd) returned to run 1-2 in the Delaware Handicap, while Antipathy came back to win the G3 Shuvee. Close Hatches, who won the Phipps, is the only one who hasn’t raced since, but has a history of running well off similar breaks.

The race goes through Princess of Sylmar, for better or worse. She has a lot in her favor: Victories over the track in last year’s CCA Oaks and Alabama, and a two-turn nine-furlong route today instead of the one turn 8.5f configuration of the Phipps. She just missed that day. The question is whether this is the same Princess of Sylmar who won four Grade 1’s last year in a tremendous campaign.

It boils down to how much of an excuse you want to give her for losing the Delaware Handicap at odds of 1-5 last time out. The pace was mild and the track was kind to speed, but Princess of Sylmar couldn’t gain any ground down the stretch. Also, she puts blinkers on today, an unusual move this far along in a horse’s career. She gets one more chance with me in what should be a terrific race.

This probably isn’t a spot where it’s wise to get cute with longshots with so many accomplished and reliable runners in the field, but Stanwyck deserves some consideration for at least a minor award. She was second to Antipathy in the Shuvee after a layoff since April, should improve here with that prep and a little more distance, and is 15-1 on the morning line.