Jockey Mike Smith Guides Royal Delta to Ladies Classic Win ARCADIA, Calif. - She made it look easy. Again. Royal Delta hit the stretch, and there wasn't a soul in the grandstands of Santa Anita Park who doubted that she was on her way to a second consecutive victory in the Breeders" Cup Ladies" Classic. In fact, no one could doubt that this daughter of Empire Maker was the best female horse in America. The Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith certainly thought so. "I felt so confident all the way around there," Smith said. She's a true champion. So is Smith. Royal Delta's victory gave him 16 Breeders" Cup victories and moved him past Jerry Bailey as the winningest jockey in the 29-year history of the event. Smith nudged Royal Delta into the lead entering the backstretch and let her run her way into the Horse of the Year conversation for 2012. It was her ninth victory in 15 career starts and plumped her career earnings to more than $3.8 million. Royal Delta paid $5.40 for a $2 bet to win. She ran the mile and an eighth in 1 minute 48.80 seconds. It was the fifth Ladies" Classic victory for her trainer, Bill Mott. It put him in position to sweep the Ladies" Classic and the Classic in consecutive years. Last year, Mott's Drosselmeyer followed Royal Delta into the winner's circle in the event's marquee race.