The daughter of Empire Maker was best known for winning back-to-back editions of the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (later renamed the Breeders' Cup Distaff) and three consecutive Eclipse Awards (as American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 2011 and American Champion Older Female Horse of both 2012 and 2013).
She won the Grade I Alabama, Beldame, Delaware and Personal Ensign Stakes in addition to her Breeders' Cup triumphs.
Prior to Royal Delta, Empire Maker's most successful offspring was Pioneerof the Nile, who placed second in the Kentucky Derby and became the sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
Royal Delta was from Empire Maker's fourth crop and started racing shortly after her sire was exported to Japan.
Prince Saud bin Khaled died in 2011, and Royal Delta was sold at a dispersal sale to Besilu Stables.
[5] 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.
[6] After a lengthy layoff, Royal Delta returned to racing in the Suncoast Stakes on March 12, 2011, at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing ninth.
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.
Approaching the wire, Buster's Ready made a rush at her, but Royal Delta held on to win by 2+1⁄2 lengths.
[8] Royal Delta was next expected to run in the Grade I Mother Goose but missed the race due to a bruised hoof.
On August 20, Royal Delta scored a five and a half length victory in the $500,000 Alabama Stakes, avenging her loss to Plum Pretty and It's Tricky from a month earlier.
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 nine lengths.
[11] On November 4, Royal Delta entered the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Churchill Downs as the slight favorite over nine opponents.
Royal Delta closed ground from the middle of the track and pulled away near the finish line to win by 2+1⁄2 lengths over It's Tricky.
Leon outdueled Adena Springs owner Frank Stronach and said afterwards that he would return Royal Delta to the races in 2012 at age four.
[14] 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.
In the 2012 World Cup on March 31, Royal Delta was impeded and bumped near the start and then was hampered coming around the final turn and finished ninth in the field of 14, 7+3⁄4 lengths behind the winner.
[16] On June 16, Royal Delta was the highweight in the $150,000 Grade II Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs and won by eight lengths.
Early in the race, she stalked the pace set by Brushed by A Star and Love and Pride, then moved into contention to challenge for the lead entering the far turn.
However, rounding into the stretch, Royal Delta swung very wide, dropped back to fourth in mid-stretch, and appeared to be languishing.
In deep stretch, she regained momentum and commenced another rally, but she fell short, losing by a half-length to upset 10-1 winner Love and Pride.
"[20] On Friday, November 2, 2012, she traveled to Santa Anita Park to defend her Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic title.
[22] Royal Delta made her 2013 debut on February 17 in the Grade III Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
"[27] In the Beldame Stakes on September 28, Royal Delta finished second to Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar.
Seeking her third straight win in that event, she was made the favorite in a field that included graded stakes winners Beholder, Princess of Sylmar, Close Hatches, and Authenticity.
Royal Delta raced behind Authenticity for the early lead but faded when challenged around the final turn by eventual winner Beholder.
[33] 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.
With his excellent race record, impressive appearance and impeccable breeding, expectations for Empire Maker at stud were extremely high.
Although he proved fairly successful with his first few crops, Empire Maker was exported to Japan in 2010, shortly after his son Pioneerof the Nile finished second in the Kentucky Derby.
[6] Empire Maker later became known as a sire a classic distance winners on the dirt and was repatriated to the United States in 2015, not long after his grandson American Pharoah won the Triple Crown.