Princess of Sylmar adds blinkers
Even as Princess of Sylmar was winning four consecutive Grade 1 races last year and compiling a bankroll that is now more than $2 million, trainer Todd Pletcher felt at times that the filly wasn’t giving her all.
Now that Princess of Sylmar has lost two consecutive Grade 1 stakes, Pletcher feels the time is right to make a change that he hopes will help the filly return to her winning ways.
On Saturday, Pletcher put blinkers on Princess of Sylmar for a workout, and the filly put in a sensational move, working four furlongs in 47.18 seconds over Saratoga’s main track and then galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.75 and seven furlongs in 1:26.75.
“At this point, I don’t need to see anymore; it did what I was hoping,” Pletcher said of the blinkers.
Princess of Sylmar worked in company with Storm and finished three to four lengths ahead of that one at the wire while continuing on strong throughout the gallop-out.
Pletcher said the blinkers have been something he has thought about for Princess of Sylmar even dating back to last year. He decided to make the change after Princess of Sylmar put in a subpar effort in last month’s Delaware Handicap, where she was beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Belle Gallantey.
“Just watching her gallop for three years, she’s not always focused,” Pletcher said. “She’ll see something on the outside, and she’ll switch to her left lead, just gets distracted a little bit. I’m not going to make a change when one wins four Grade 1s in a row, and I wasn’t going to do it for the first time back, but it’s something that’s always been in the back of my mind. I’m thinking in Delaware she was a little bit off the bridle, a little bit unfocused. I felt now was the time to see where we are.”
In the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 22, Princess of Sylmar is expected to have the chance to avenge both of her losses this year. Close Hatches, who beat Princess of Sylmar in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, and Belle Gallantey are both expected to run.
On Saturday, Close Hatches worked five furlongs in 1:04 over a sealed Belmont main track. Last Wednesday, Belle Gallantey worked five furlongs in 1:03.12 at Saratoga.