Plans for Princess of Sylmar in flux

ELMONT, N.Y. – Princess of Sylmar, who came out of her fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 22 with a case of the thumps, is unlikely to make the Grade 1 Beldame on Sept. 27, and plans for her are in flux.

Princess of Sylmar has not worked since the Personal Ensign. Trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday that the four-time Grade 1-winning filly was a little slow to bounce back from her brief illness, which is typically caused by an electrolyte imbalance. Pletcher was hoping to breeze her Sunday or Monday but decided to wait.

“I just haven’t quite been happy with the way she bounced out of it,” Pletcher said. “She had a pretty severe case of the thumps. It seemed to knock her out of the [feed] tub a little bit. Starting to get her back now. She’s been galloping every day. Just felt like I needed a little more time until I breeze her. We’ll see how this week goes, possibly breeze Sunday. If she were to work lights out, I wouldn’t rule out the Beldame, though a one-work scenario wouldn’t be ideal. The Spinster is a week later. We’ll keep that as a possible option as well and see if we’re pleased with the way she goes.”

Teen Pauline, another Pletcher trainee, worked five furlongs in 1:02.66 over the Belmont training track Monday. Teen Pauline has not run since winning the Grade 2 Top Flight at Aqueduct on March 1. Though she is nominated to Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom at Belmont going 6 1/2 furlongs, she will not run in that spot.

“She found her niche going around two turns on the dirt,” Pletcher said. “We’re trying to find the correct option for her. That was her first five-eighths. Still have a little more work to do before she’s ready. Trying to keep all our options open.”

Pletcher said Teen Pauline went back to Stonestreet Farm in the spring after he didn’t feel she was training satisfactorily.