Houghton: 'I knew (Princess of Sylmar) was going to be something special'

Houghton: 'I knew (Princess of Sylmar) was going to be

something special'

"We woke up this morning and said it was a great time, and

even though the thrill will eventually wear off, we know we own a filly that

might be one of the best in the world."

Princess of Sylmar's story began in 2008 when Stanco

retired his stakes-placed Catienus mare Storm Dixie and sent her to Sylmar Farm

near Christiana, Pennsylvania, approximately 30 miles from Stanco's hometown of Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Originally scheduled to be bred in 2009 to Grand Slam at

Ashford Stud near Versailles, Kentucky, a last-minute audible had to be called and she

was instead bred to Majestic Warrior, a Grade 1-winning son of A.P.

Indy who also stands at Ashford.

After the breeding, Storm Dixie was sent back to Sylmar

Farm, which is owned and operated by Betsy and Ronald Houghton and their

children Bernie, Robin, Wendy, and Michael.

Bernie Houghton, a Penn National-based trainer with close to 300

lifetime wins, is the one who actually foaled Princess of Sylmar.

"We liked her a lot and I knew she was going to be

something special," he said. "She did everything right."

She debuted at Penn National in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for Pennsylvania-breds on October 12, 2012, finishing

fourth.

"We knew she was good, but we wanted to take it one step at

a time, and starting in PA-bred company at Penn National seemed like a good

place for her debut," Stanco said. "Todd (Pletcher) told us she would be fine

when she stretched out to a mile. So I said let's ship her back to Penn National

and stretch her out, and we all know how that worked out."

Going off at even money odds that day, Princess of Sylmar

delighted the crowd at Penn National with a 19-length victory, and then went on

to win three straight races, including two stakes, over the inner track meet at

Aqueduct Racetrack. In her final prep for the Oaks, she ran second in the Grade

2, Gazelle on Aqueduct's main track.

With her victory in the 139th running of the Oaks, she

became the second Pennsylvania-bred to win the Oaks in the last three years,

with Plum Pretty winning in 2011. Overall, four Oaks winners have hailed from

Pennsylvania.

"I'm really, really happy for Pennsylvania racing and also

for Penn National," Betsy Houghton said. "It's a huge feather in the cap of Penn

National."

Princess of Sylmar's name comes from the farm where she

born and raised, and the name Sylmar comes from the road that the Houghton's

used to live on -- Sylmar Road. It was partially in Maryland and partially in

Pennsylvania, thus Sylmar.

Princess of Sylmar's dam, Storm Dixie, has a

yearling filly by E Dubai and is currently in foal to Petionville.

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