37 Facts About Royal Delta

Royal Delta was a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse.

Royal Delta won the Grade I Alabama, Beldame, Delaware and Personal Ensign Stakes in addition to her Breeders' Cup triumphs.

Royal Delta was a dark bay mare with a white star and a white sock on her left hind leg.

Royal Delta was bred in Kentucky by Prince Saud bin Khaled's Palides Investments.

Royal Delta was sired by Empire Maker, who had won the 2003 Belmont Stakes winner.

Royal Delta was from Empire Maker's fourth crop and started racing shortly after her sire was exported to Japan.

Royal Delta is going to be incredible as a 4-year-old.

Royal Delta initially raced as a homebred for Palides Investments.

Prince Saud bin Khaled died in 2011, and Royal Delta was sold at a dispersal sale to Besilu Stables.

Royal Delta was trained throughout her career by Bill Mott, who described her as determined and willful.

Royal Delta had a large appetite and was known around the stable simply as "Royal".

Royal Delta made her debut in a one-mile maiden special weight race on October 30,2010 at Belmont Park, which she won by 12 lengths.

Royal Delta was under consideration for the Kentucky Oaks but did not draw into the field due to a lack of graded stakes earnings.

At the top of the stretch, Royal Delta passed morning line favorite Wyomia, then ran down leader Hot Summer, and moved to a three-length lead.

Royal Delta was next expected to run in the Grade I Mother Goose but missed the race due to a bruised hoof.

Royal Delta finished the mile and a quarter race in 2:03.13 for her first Grade I win.

Royal Delta was named the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, earning 243 out of 248 votes in the Eclipse Award balloting.

Royal Delta started her four-year-old campaign on February 25,2012, placing second to Awesome Maria in the $100,000 Grade III Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Royal Delta beat Afleeting Lady and Kentucky Oaks runner-up St John's River, who finished second and third respectively in the field of six.

Royal Delta avenged her loss earlier in the year to rival Awesome Maria, who finished six lengths back in third in the field of eight.

Royal Delta did a lot of work around the turn and early in the stretch.

Royal Delta made the lead a little early, but she got it done.

However, rounding into the stretch, Royal Delta swung very wide, dropped back to fourth in mid-stretch, and appeared to be languishing.

Royal Delta dueled with that rival until the head of the stretch, then passed her to win.

Royal Delta's connections credited a change in her pre-race routine.

Royal Delta made her 2013 debut on February 17 in the Grade III Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Royal Delta won by five lengths over four opponents, including Grade I winner Grace Hall.

Royal Delta broke well and within a few strides went to the lead, which she held the around the clubhouse turn and all the way down the backstretch.

Royal Delta was wanting to work a little fast but doing it the right way.

Royal Delta raced behind Authenticity for the early lead but faded when challenged around the final turn by eventual winner Beholder.

Royal Delta usually takes the race to somebody, but not today.

Royal Delta was retired to broodmare duty for the 2014 season and was sent to Ireland to be bred to leading sire Galileo.

On February 10,2017 it was announced that Royal Delta died due to foaling complications.

In 2015, Gulfstream Park renamed the Sabin Stakes, which Royal Delta won in 2013, in her honor.

Royal Delta was sired by Empire Maker, who avenged his loss in the Kentucky Derby to Funny Cide with a commanding win in the 2003 Belmont Stakes.

Royal Delta's dam was Delta Princess, who won six stakes races before retiring to broodmare duty at Prince Saud bin Khaled's Kentucky farm, where she produced three graded stakes horses.

Royal Delta was inbred 4 x 4 to Northern Dancer, meaning Northern Dancer appears twice in the fourth generation of her pedigree.