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Won’t be there as i’m flying home on Saturday but the Woodward and the Forego should be great races. She has drawn bigger and bigger crowds to see her working on the Oklahoma and Main track here on Mondays but it’s a blow that she won’t be going to run on Santa Anita’s "Industrial Surface" (as her owner calls it)
On a side note. Peter Buchanan has done well here this Summer.
I am really curious and looking forward to seeing Rachel run in the Woodward on Saturday. I have a friend who is going up to Saratoga to see the race. Since I am going to the Breeder’s Cup this year at Santa Anita I am truly bummed that her connections won’t send her as well. She has won her only start over a synthetic track but serious considering that there is a big division between supporters and opposers of synthetic surfaces and Jess Jackson is an opposer and if of the belief that Curlin got disgraced last year (which he didn’t) because he ran on "plastics" I doubt he will send Rachel. I would be shocked if he did. Too bad too because this filly is a monster and I think her mentality is so professional and she is so classy that she could totally handle it. The surface does seem to favor closing speed as opposed to route speed which is more Rachel’s style so perhaps they are afraid she won’t be able to hold her speed and will get caught up by big closers with a running style much like Zenyatta’s. I dunno. I wish they would bring Rachel to the BC but feel that as of now it is juct chasing a pipe dream. I am no pro when it come sto analyzing synthetic surfaces vs. dirt ones. Is there a similar debate over in Europe about the safety of synthetic tracks as opposed to traditional dirt and if so are there more injuries to horses on any particular surface more than the other? Just wondering.
Also, just read this article tonight:
(Courtesy of Thoroughbred Times)
Woodward may be Rachel Alexandra’s 2009 finale
by Jeff Lowe
With the Breeders’ Cup World Championships out of the equation and a showdown with Zenyatta still an uncertainty, owner Jess Jackson said Rachel Alexandra may get a break after the Woodward Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
Jackson left the door open for an opportunity to get Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra together on the track this fall, but he stressed that her physical condition will come first and that she has earned a four- or five-month rest in the near future.
“She has had a long campaign; she’s had 13 races as a two- and three-year-old, seven of them this year, and four of them in Grade 1s and the rest of them in Grade 2s with one exception, so she’s a tired horse in a way,” Jackson said. “That’s why we’re giving her long rests in between [starts]. She’s entitled to rest up for the campaign in 2010. We intend to try to race her again if her health and conditions are appropriate.”
Jackson said the Betfair/TVG Beldame Stakes (G1) on October 3 at Belmont Park would be an attractive option if Zenyatta would show up there, and he also mentioned the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on the same card as a possibility. He said the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (G2) on November 27 at Churchill Downs would probably fall too late on the calendar.
“I want to give her four or five months rest,” Jackson said. “She’s certainly entitled to it.”
Jackson touched on a lack of depth in the older male division, which will be stretched thin between the Woodward on Saturday and the $1-million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) on Sunday at Del Mar.
Among the older males who will concede eight pounds to Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward are Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) winner Macho Again and runner-up Asiatic Boy (Arg), ’08 Woodward runner-up Past the Point, Whitney Handicap (G1) winner Bullsbay, OBS Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes winner It’s a Bird, and Grade 2 winner Cool Coal Man.
“What you’re witnessing is the failure of people with great horses to race them in their four- and five-year-old years,” Jackson said. “It’s an issue that racing needs to face. I’m not in any way discounting Macho Again or any of the horses in this race, they are the best of what’s in that age group. We felt it would be a further definition of Rachel if she could take on older horses.”
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
She is being schooled in the paddock after the 5th race today. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Midshipman worked 5F this morning and Larry Jones had Kodiak Kowboy out getting ready for the Forego
Jess Jackson is afraid of getting a kicking again hence why he wont take Rachel too run against Zenyatta.
Frankly if he had run a pacemaker I suspect Curlin would have been seen in a better light.
Will she win on Saturday, probably, this years older horses she is facing are not a stellar bunch but are not cattle by any stretch on their best day, plus win Einstien and Colnel John running on the west coast on the same it rather muddies the water abit. She is a good horse, but the horses she faces are not mugs and will not be as easy too beat up. Ti’Dara will give her some company on the front end for starters, he was the last horse too beat Big Brown…..
Curlin ran poorly because that’s as good as he was. He never did anything or beat anything of any worth on the dirt in sensible conditions. All he did was win a BC Classic in the mud and scare off the opposition in the World Cup. The only performance resembling class was in the Handicap, I forget the name. Stephen Foster Handicap? I think he beat Einstein by about 8L or something. That was the only time in my eyes he was impressive and absolutely no surprise that he was destroyed at Santa Anita. Was embarrassing to see the racing journalist world drooling over him after Dubai. Fat Al’s piece might as well have been a photoshopped picture of him sticking his tongue up Sheikh Mo’s arse while giving him a card saying ‘Thanks for the bail out’.
She is being schooled in the paddock after the 5th race today. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Midshipman worked 5F this morning and Larry Jones had Kodiak Kowboy out getting ready for the Forego
Pergamon – I hope LJ goes ok with Kodiak Cowboy since we both know who his assistant trainer is and IMO he’ll need all the luck he can get with both him and FF
Curlin ran poorly because that’s as good as he was. He never did anything or beat anything of any worth on the dirt in sensible conditions. All he did was win a BC Classic in the mud and scare off the opposition in the World Cup. The only performance resembling class was in the Handicap, I forget the name. Stephen Foster Handicap? I think he beat Einstein by about 8L or something. That was the only time in my eyes he was impressive and absolutely no surprise that he was destroyed at Santa Anita. Was embarrassing to see the racing journalist world drooling over him after Dubai. Fat Al’s piece might as well have been a photoshopped picture of him sticking his tongue up Sheikh Mo’s [expletive] while giving him a card saying ‘Thanks for the bail out’.
Zarkava,
With all due respect you talk as if Curlin was a nothing…He beat Street Sense in the Preakness…Battled hard with Rags to Riches to get second in the Belmont…Battled HARD with Lawyer Ron(RIP) in the Woodward and JCGC…He did NOT disgrace himself at Santa Anita AT ALL on BC day last year…I was there…He rane a very respectable race considering he had never raced over a synthetic track…He DID beat up on the World Cup field and the Jaguar Trophy before that…He beat MANY Gr.1 winners from all over and never dogged opposition. Curlin WAS a good horse and in no way a shrinking violet that’s for sure. Unfortunately synthetic didn’t play well for his running style since it typically doesn’t compliment route speed which Curlin had. Believe me he was a monster too…VERY impressive to see in person. The winner’s circle celebration was subdued compared to the standing ovation Curlin got walking back. Raven’s Pass and Henry ran GREAT races and were just better equipped for the win that day. COngrats to them as they were both awesome to see battling each other but it was also nice to See Curlin still manage to hold 4th after a grueling race and a hard campaign leading up to it. He deserves respect as he ran his heart out on many occasions and was a true class act.
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Gritty, rather than sensational.
I have to admit that I’m clueless when it comes to US form – are Macho Again and Bullsbay notable scalps, even in receipt of 8lb?
Commentator seemed to be siggested that the first 2f she ran in was pretty fast and that she probably did well to hold on. Can someone with a better grasp of sections and US racing explain whether that was indeed the case?
Yup, 22.8 and 46.4 are incredibly quick fractions. That’s the sort of race they go at very often in the KY Derby.
She beat three grade one winners in a terrific stretch drive having fought off Bullsbay Macho Again failed too close her down in the final strides.
Good performance, she showed her true heart and courage yesterday at the spa.
If her connections try that crap with Sea The Stars or Zenyatta on the alweather she is dead meat as they will cut her down inside the final furlong.
The strategy employeed yesterday gives Jess Jackson leverage for this to be RA Swann Song. Which is too Bad-
How would I love to see Sea The Stars- The Big Z- RA-Goldikova-
All meet up-5 million Purse-Never happen
WHat an incredible race by a superstar filly!! I was shaking watching the stretch run and thought for sure Macho Again was going to collar her in the final strides but Calvi Borel reminded her that she was getting company and she locked down for the drive, digging in with all her might. It is an incredible thing to see a 3yo filly whoop some good older males for the first time in Woodward history. She is a filly for the ages for sure! Sooooooo classy! In the paddock with thousands of fans screaming her name and waving banners and signs, she doesn’t even turn a hair. She did get a little feisty in the warm up and starting bucking around and Calvin slid off and calmed her down before galloping to the backside. Once she got to the gate she was fine, I thinkt he crowd just really stirred her up. Macho Again has one heck of a stretch run and he closes very strong. He has shown up in nearly all theraces he has run and recently hasn’t finsihed out of the money very much. Bullsbay is a just monster! He is HUGE and so barrel chested you would think he was a draft horse cross! He came to tackle her and she fended him off and stayed out front but she was gawking a bit so Calvin got after her a bit to put her head back into he game. They showed a replay just after the race where they slowed down the final furlong and it shows when Calvin asked her and you can see it in her demaeanor and body l;anguage that she knew she would have to dig down more and that is exactly what she did to hold off the charge by Macho Again. As for her facing Zenyatta (who’s running style is almost exactly like Macho Again), Sea the Stars, Goldikova, etc., in the Classic…It will never happen. Jess Jackson has stated multiple times that he won’t race her over synthetics. He sid allude to this possibly being her last race of the year but also said he likes facing challenges and that there could be another challenge around the bend for her but he wouldn’t elaborate on what that could be. The possibilities for her for the rest of the year are facing Zenyatta in the Beldame (which is highly unlikely as Zen’s connections have pointed her to the Lady’s Secret at Santa Anita and I doubt they’ll ship her for the Beldame) or possibly the Jockey Club Gold CUp (againsty older males again going 1 1/4 miles). I doubt a Dubai trip or a Breeder’s CUp trip will ever be in her plans. Either way she is a deserving champion and a superstar filly that we are lucky to have the privilege of seeing this year. If they shelf her until next year and she comes back as a 4yo (that is the plan) she will be a monster when she is 4!!
WAY TO GO RACHEL! WHAT A CHAMPION YOU ARE!
(this latest victory in the Woodward undoubtedly sews her up for Horse of the Year)Here’s a link to the raplay of the race in case anyone missed it.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/ … id=4449257
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