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Royal Delta (foaled February 2, 2008 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. The daughter of Empire Maker is best known for winning back-to-back editions of the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic, and back-to-back divisional titles (American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, 2011, and American Champion Older Female Horse, 2012. She has won the Grade I Alabama Stakes, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, Beldame Stakes, and Delaware Handicap in addition to her Breeders' Cup triumphs. == Early racing career == Trained by Bill Mott, Royal Delta won by 12 lengths in her debut as a two-year-old in a one-mile maiden special weight race on October 30, 2010, at Belmont Park. She then finished off the board at ninth in the Suncoast Stakes race at Tampa Bay Downs. In her third career start, she raced at Keeneland Race Course and won an allowance race on the synthetic. Her connections decided to enter her in the second jewel of America's de facto Filly Triple Crown, the Black-eyed Susan Stakes. Royal Delta was the third choice at 3-1 on the morning line in a strong field of six stakes winners, but she eventually went off as the co-favorite at 9-5. When the gates opened, she veered inside and settled immediately to be one of the trailers. On the club house turn, she moved into a stalker's position about four lengths back in fifth place. Around the final turn, Royal Delta's jockey, Jose Lezcano, took the inside path and passed two horses. At the top of the stretch, Royal Delta passed morning line favorite Wyomia, ran down leader Hot Summer, and moved to a three-length lead. Approaching the wire, Buster's Ready made a rush at her, but Royal Delta held on to win by 2 1/2 lengths. That win earned her the lion's share of the $250,000 purse: $150,000, which moved her total earnings up to $219,000. After the race, Royal Delta was covered with a blanket of daisies, Black-Eyed Susans and pink ribbon. On July 23, 2011, Royal Delta ran third in the Coaching Club American Oaks. It's Tricky won by 3/4 of a length over Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty. It was two lengths back to Royal Delta in the show spot. On August 20, 2011, Royal Delta scored a five and a half length victory in the $500,000 grade one Alabama Stakes, avenging her loss to Plum Pretty and It's Tricky from a month earlier. She finished the mile and a quarter race (10 furlongs) in 2:03.13 under jockey Jose Lezcano. After the Alabama Stakes, rather than face her own division again, Royal Delta contested the Grade I Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park. There she faced eventual champion and American Horse of the Year Havre de Grace. After racing close to the lead, she held a clear second in the slop while proving no match for Havre de Grace, who drew off to win by 9 lengths. On November 4, 2011, Royal Delta won the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Churchill Downs as the slight favorite over nine opponents. Rival It's Tricky held second over Pachattack. The performance cemented her status as the top sophomore filly in the country and earned her the Eclipse Award for American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. In late November, she was sold at the Keeneland auction for $8.5 million to Benjamin Leon's Besilu Stables. That price was, at the time, the third highest ever paid at auction for a racing or broodmare prospect, behind Ashado and Better Than Honour, who sold for $9 million and $14 million, respectively. Leon outdueled Adena Springs owner Frank Stronach and said afterwards that he would return Royal Delta to the races in 2012 at age four, and would keep her in the barn of trainer Bill Mott. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Royal Delta」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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