Pennsylvania-bred Princess of Sylmar ascended to the top spot in in the latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-Bred Poll, announced today.
Meanwhile, Noble Moon continued to hold a narrow lead as top three year-old.
The four year-old Princess of Sylmar, bred by Ed Stanco and running for his King of Prussia Stable, is a daughter of Majestic Warrior out of the stakes-placed Catienus mare Storm Dixie. After a productive 2013, in which she won six of eight starts, four in Grade 1 company, she kicked off her 2014 season with an easy win in the Cat Cay Stakes at Aqueduct. Her schedule seems likely to take her next to the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on Belmont Stakes day.
Princess of Sylmar took over the top spot from Virginia-bred Blueskiesnrainbows, who had held it for the first two editions of the poll. Neither horse has raced since the last poll.
The remainder of the top 5 older horses remained unchanged: Ben’s Cat, Falling Sky, and Delaunay.
A handful of horses received votes for the first time without cracking the top 5. These include Down Town Allen, the seven year-old mare who posted the 20th victory of her career last Saturday, in the Original Gold for West Virginia-breds, at Charles Town; Maryland-bred Hamp, who won Saturday’s Henry S. Clark at Pimlico; and Pennsylvania-bred Roadhog, a near-miss second to Hamp.
Among the sophomores, Grade 2 Jerome winner Noble Moon continued to cling to a narrow lead, though his nearest pursuer changed.
Noble Moon, a Virginia-bred son of Malibu Moon out of the winning Kingmambo mare Mambo Bell, finished sixth in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial in his most recent start. Bred by the Estate of Edward P. Evans, he is trained by Leah Gyarmati for Treadway Racing Stable.
For the second straight week, he held just a three point lead over the second-place horse — but it was a different horse this time. Last time, now-retired Gracer held second; she has now fallen to third, replaced by Virginia-bred Thank You Marylou, most recently third in the Grade 1 Ashland.
The big mover among the junior set was Maryland-bred Daring Dancer. The Sagamore Farm homebred, trained by Graham Motion, won last Saturday’s Grade 3 Appalachian in her seasonal debut, running her record to a perfect three-for-three.
Other newcomers receiving consideration without cracking the top 5 included Pennsylvania-bred Supermonic, recently third in the Grade 3 Lexington; Elevated, another PA-bred, who ran second in the Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town; and a pair of Virginia-breds, Miss Besilu and Midnight Dream.
Overall, four Pennsylvania-breds, three Maryland-breds, and three Virginia-breds populated the poll.
This marked the third semi-monthly edition of the poll.
Horses that have run in 2014 and were bred in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and the Carolinas were eligible.
POLL RESULTS
TOP MIDLANTIC-BRED THREE YEAR-OLDS
- Noble Moon (47) — Virginia
- Thank You Marylou (44) — Virginia
- Gracer (35) — Pennsylvania
- Daring Dancer (32) — Maryland
- Storming Inti (23) — Pennsylvania
Others receiving votes: Joint Custody, Steady N Love, Supermonic, Just Call Kenny, Elevated, Giovanni Boldini, Extrasexyhippzster, On the Backstreets, Exit Stage Left, Sonny Inspired, Miss Besilu, Midnight Dream
TOP MIDLANTIC-BRED FOUR YEARS OLD AND UP
- Princess of Sylmar (58) — Pennsylvania
- Blueskiesnrainbows (48) — Virginia
- Ben’s Cat (33) — Maryland
- Falling Sky (21) — Pennsylvania
- Delaunay (18) — Maryland
Others receiving votes: Emotional Kitten, Bold Curlin, Hamp, Kitten’s Point, Down Town Allen, Ilikecandy, Celtic Katie, Embarr, Roadhog, Golden Production, Broad Rule, More Than a Cruise, Brenda’s Way, Zeewat
Participating Voters: Ted Black (freelance writer), Michael Campbell (Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey), Cindy Deubler (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), Linda Dougherty (freelance), Debbie Easter (Virginia Thoroughbred Association), Anne Frederick (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Cricket Goodall (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Nick Hahn (freelance), Jeff Nations (freelance), Kate Painter (West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association), Vinnie Perrone (freelance), Frank Petramalo (Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association), David Richardson (Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association), John Scheinman (freelance), Dan Tordjman (freelance), Frank Vespe (The Racing Biz), Bill Watson (freelance), Lydia Williams (freelance), Bobby Zen (freelance).
Note — Not all participating voters will vote in every poll.
POLL LEADERS IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND
- None of the top five in either category is scheduled to be in action this weekend. Steady N Love, seventh among three year-olds, is 5-1 in Saturday’s Geisha Stakes for Maryland-bred fillies and mares at Pimlico.
(Featured image, of Princess of Sylmar, by Teresa Genaro.)
