www.pabred.com January 2014 DEDICATED TO THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS PA-BRED REMINDERS —PHBA’S FOCUS ON— • Early registration: Within 365 days of foaling •Yearling registration: PRINCESS OF SYLMAR STILL Dec. 31 of yearling year • Stallion registration: QUEEN OF PENNSYLvania April 30 of year breeding • Broodmare domicile By Barbara Luna report: Oct. 15 prior to year foaling or within 15 d Stanco, majority partner of Pennsylva- The following spring, Princess of Sylmar days of arrival in state Enia breeder and owner King of Prussia was foaled at Ronnie and Betsy Houghton’s F Stable, is CEO of Toa Re America, a Mor- Sylmar Farm in Christiana. Living nearby in VISIT pabred.COM ristown, N.J.-based reinsurance company Malvern, Stanco made one of his regular trips • Current news which is the overseas subsidiary of Japan’s Toa to the farm the day the chestnut filly was foaled. • Entries/Results Tokyo. But when it comes to caring for the “Racing has its own adrenaline rush, but I • PA-Breds for sale • Rules, regulations, forms filly Princess of Sylmar, Stanco is happy to really enjoy going out to the farm. It is great defer to her trainer. to have 20 yearlings surrounding you in a big F Stanco, who has been with Todd Pletcher field,” he said. “The hardest part is trying to CONTACT INFORMATION for 12 years, says “Todd is the CEO, and I name the babies, but to me, one of the best John B. (Jeb) Hannum III am on the board of directors. He is the real parts of the filly’s story is her name – she was Executive Secretary [email protected] genius, and he plans everything out for the named for the Houghtons’ Sylmar Farm, filly.” Plans which this past season included a where she was born, raised and broken to ride.” Dorothy B. Weber trip to the West Coast for the 30th running Asst. Exec. Sec., CIO/CTO Princess of Sylmar lost her debut at Penn of the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. King of National, but was sensational breaking her 701 E. Baltimore Pike, Ste. E Prussia Stable is a small group of seven part- maiden by 19 lengths in her second start at Kennett Square, PA 19348 ners formed in 2006 which owns and breeds the Grantville track in November 2012. She 610-444-1050 phone just two mares, racing their offspring. www.pabred.com then reeled off three more wins, including “We like to race just one or two horses at two stakes at Aqueduct, before finishing sec- F a time,” said Stanco. “We are just a couple of ond in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes. Her next BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brian N. Sanfratello prudent guys who work with a manageable victory was in the Kentucky Oaks-G1 over President budget.” the Eclipse Award winner Beholder. That be- Roger E. Legg Stanco’s first Breeders’ Cup runner was gan a historic skein of wins in the 3-year- Vice President Capeside Lady, who ran for the partnership old filly division which included the Grade 1 Richard D. Abbott So Madcapt Stable and was sixth in the 2005 Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama Secretary Stakes at Saratoga. Dale Schilling, V.M.D. Distaff. At the time, Stanco thought he’d nev- Treasurer er have another Breeders’ Cup experience. Stanco admits that he had suggested the John D. Benson In 2006, bloodstock agent Joe Brocklebank Alabama Stakes in August for his Pennsyl- David Charlton encouraged the purchase of Storm Dixie vania-bred filly. As a native of upstate New Thomas B. Houghton from the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old York, it was a race he always dreamed of win- Steven E. Long sale in Timonium. The daughter of Catienus ning. “My uncle used to take me to the races Carl McEntee in Saratoga when I was a kid,” he said. “I fell Susan Meckling retired stakes-placed with one win. In 2009, Elizabeth M. Merryman her planned breeding to Grand Slam at Ash- in love with the horses.” Connie L. Nesteruk ford Stud in Versailles, Ky., was cancelled af- The Alabama was Princess of Sylmar’s Renee Nodine, V.M.D. ter the stallion was injured covering a mare. third consecutive Grade 1 victory, and rum- Vicky Schowe Instead, Storm Dixie was bred to first-year blings about an Eclipse Award as top 3-year- Jane White stallion Majestic Warrior, a son of A.P. Indy. old filly became louder. “Ed threw a huge party at Sarato- ers’ Cup starters, “is if she continued to “We saw how the races were run- ga, and we were all invited,” said Betsy train well after the Beldame, we felt she ning out there, and she had a couple Houghton, there along with about 120 deserved the opportunity. Collectively, of things against her,” said Betsy. “The people, including the filly’s farm black- to have won four Grade 1 races as she slow start from her stumbling, and the smith, Chris Marsh, and his family, and did is extremely rare. I cannot think of speed bias were very unfortunate, but Kim Eshelman, who has been breaking anyone else that has done that. I always we knew she had come into the race in youngsters at Sylmar for 36 years and have some reservations about shipping great shape. She’ll be back next year.” was the first person to put tack on Prin- any horse to California, but she had After the race, Princess of Sylmar cess of Sylmar. “Ed stood up at the party been training so well.” shipped to Rood and Riddle in Ken- and introduced Kim, saying she was the “It was pretty simple. It was not tucky for a complete physical. Coming filly’s first grade teacher. He gave credit about her worth, but about something out of the race in perfect condition, she to everyone who had a part in this.” much bigger,” said Stanco. “The fans was shipped to WinStar Farm for her “She came out of the Alabama so wanted to see her, and there was no way previously planned vacation. She will well,” said Stanco. “Her exercise rider, we were going to sit home if she was return to the track and Pletcher’s care Jake Nelson, said she was back training healthy. We were quite an entourage at in January. like she had never even raced. We still Santa Anita,” he said. “With the partners “I have trained some of the top fil- were adamant, however, that we’d not go very passionate about this filly, we had lies in the country,” said Pletcher. “She the Breeders’ Cup. But then came the 50 people – friends from all over: Colo- stacks up to the very top of that list. Beldame against older fillies and mares.” rado, Texas, California, Kentucky and Her record places her right among Her 2-length victory at Belmont Pennsylvania. Win or lose, our filly has them, and I am looking forward to her in the Grade 1 Beldame over cham- quite a following.” 4-year-old campaign.” pion Royal Delta nearly guaranteed the Unfortunately, Princess of Sylmar Pletcher said that East Coast races 3-year-old filly championship. Rarely did not handle the speed-favoring San- like the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes has a filly accomplished what she had in ta Anita surface. Added to that was an and Delaware Handicap could be on winning four consecutive Grade 1 races. outside post and a stumble coming out her 2014 agenda. Prior to the Sept. 28 Beldame, the of the gate, and the filly was defeated, Princess of Sylmar has a just-turned Breeders’ Cup was not in the plans. finishing last of six. Stanco said Javier 2-year-old half-sister by E Dubai. She is But “champions don’t stay home,” said Castellano asked her to move on the currently hack ing under saddle at Syl- Stanco. “Todd is an incredibly focused backstretch, and got no response. mar under the watch ful eyes of Eshel- guy who wants to do everything the “Afterwards, I told Todd that I have man and the Hough tons. right way. I usually communicate via absolutely no regrets,” he said. “Run- Storm Dixie produced a filly by Pet- text messaging with him, he is so busy ning her was the right thing to do. If ionville in May 2013, and was not re- that I never want to bother him, but people are only in the business for the bred due to the late foaling. this time, I wanted to have a meeting action, and only for the ‘highs’ of the Queen to Be, a filly by Flatter out in his office. I shut the door and said sport, they need to rethink wanting to of Raise the Kitty unraced last year at 2 ‘This is a really big deal to me, is it to get involved in racehorse ownership. (through mid-December), is the second you, too?’ I wanted him to be as excited You have to love the Thoroughbreds for of the King of Prussia Stable runners, as I was about the prospect of running what they are, and if you don’t have the and will likely will follow the same path in California.” passion for the animal, you shouldn’t be as Princess of Sylmar. The decision was made to supple- in it.” “She went to Todd’s barn at Saratoga ment for $100,000. The Houghtons watched from their last August,” said Houghton. “And as a “The way we approached it,” said farm, and were, as would be expected, 3-year-old, she’ll make her first start at Pletcher, who has saddled 103 Breed- disappointed.