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45 nominated to Apple Blossom – and why not with $500,000 to finish third, $300,000 for fourth, $200,000 for fifth and $100,000 for 6th through 10th. Even 10th prize pays the shipping costs, entry fees etc. and earns a nice profit. Should draw the best F&M currently in training but it’s level weights at 123 lbs. so anyone that beats Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta will have to do it without a handicap. Still it’s worth it for a free shot at immortality, not to mention what even a close up third would do to the value of any foals. I am actually surprised the list isn’t even longer.
Will Weight Stop Zenyatta? Very unlikely IMO.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ … p-zenyatta
Morning Line for Santa Margarita
1 Dance to My Tune 111 50-1
2 Pretty Katherine 111 50-1
3 Made for Magic 111 50-1
4 Pretty Unusual 113 12-1
5 Striking Dancer 115 8-1
6 Powerofvoodoo 108 50-1
7 Gripsholm Castle 112 12-1
8 Zenyatta 127 1/9
9 Floating Heart 111 12-1http://www.santaanita.com/sites/default … -03-13.pdf
Not much of a betting race, unless you expect a miracle or think Zenyatta will be troubled by the weight spread. Depending on the payouts, I might put Zenyatta on top of All in an Exacta, maybe double up on the 2nd and 3rd favs so I won’t actually lose money and hope a longshot finishes second. Of course, Zenyatta provides a free spot in the Pick 3, Pick 4 and the Pick-6 so it is really a Pick-5, and should be a large jackpot with the big Saturday crowd to see Zenyatta. So I might try one or two of those as well but practically every ticket will have Zenyatta on it so that’s not much if any edge. Probably best just to watch Queen Z run and enjoy the show.
Put the following in the Apple Blossom thread and should probably put it here as well if you want to watch the race online.
11 Mar 2010, 23:35
Postby JHorse on 11 Mar 2010, 23:35
Watch this Saturday, Mar. 13, live for free, RA and Z’s prep races for Apple Blossom.Don’t know if this requires registration at NTRA site but that’s free too, at least for their free newsletter.
Watch this Saturday, Mar. 13, live for free, RA and Z’s prep races for Apple Blossom.
Don’t know if this requires registration at NTRA site but that’s free too, at least for their free newsletter.
Shirreffs says Zenyatta sharp for Santa Margarita.
Zenyatta worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Jan. 17, and has had six subsequent workouts to prepare for the start of the 2010 campaign.
None of those left Shirreffs as impressed as her six-furlong workout in 1:11.80 at Hollywood Park on March 5. Zenyatta has had faster six-furlong works in her career, but none that left Shirreffs as enthused about her condition.
Each time Zenyatta works fast over six furlongs, she runs one of her better races, notably her work in 1:11.20 two weeks before the BC Classic last fall, and in 1:10.20 last April, six weeks before her 2009 debut in the Grade 2 Milady Handicap at Hollywood Park.
"I like the correlation," Shirreffs said, grinning.
"The variables to the schedule are dictated by Zenyatta," he said. "It’s what the horse allows you to do," Shirreffs said. "You’ve got to listen. She can get a little on her toes."
Asked to grade Zenyatta’s workouts in recent weeks, Shirreffs described them as "very good."
"She’s done everything we’ve asked of her willingly," he said.
Excercise rider Steve Willard says;
"She feels better than she did, more straightforward," he said. "She’s as good if not a little better. She settled into her routine and was very professional."
Better? – or is that Bet Her?
Jess Jackson conspiracy theory about Zardana’s entry in Rachel Alexandra’s New Orleans prep race for Apple Blossom.
“I think they are trying to size us up,” he said. “It makes sense for them. They want to catch us short.”
http://www.swtimes.com/articles/2010/03 … 910_01.txt
JJ also still wants 3-race series vs. Zenyatta and is hedging about Apple Blossom.
Jackson has questions about Rachel Alexandra’s fitness, which he gauged at “about 85 percent” of where she should be now. He is also trying to manage expectations for her coming 4-year-old campaign.
One thing that he guaranteed was that if his filly was not dead-solid perfect in the days leading to the Apple Blossom, she would not run.
“We are targeting the Apple Blossom,” he said. “We are stretching to get there. But if we’re not in top shape, we’re not going.”
Jackson also continues to lobby for Rachel Alexandra to face Zenyatta three times before the year is out.
“If they beat us in one race, they might just disappear and retire her undefeated,” Jackson said. “If they commit to the best of three, it would be great for the sport and a better way to judge both these great horses.”
Of Course, Shirreffs refutes the conspiracy theory.
" In fact, Shirreffs said this week that he was sending Zardana, winner of the Grade II Bayakoa Handicap, to challenge Rachel Alexandra in her comeback race, the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes on March 13. He said it was Arnold Zetcher, Zardana’s owner, who suggested that Zardana travel to the Fair Grounds rather than try Zenyatta the same afternoon in the Grade I Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita.
“I think Mr. Zetcher is trying to get to the Apple Blossom as well,” Shirreffs said. "
And Jerry Moss adds this;
"“We take things a race at a time,” Moss said. “I like Grade I races, and if we find one that happens to accommodate Rachel Alexandra, too, then great. We’re certainly not looking to get away from her.”"
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/sports/04racing.html
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing … adies.aspx
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing … arita.aspx
Things are starting to heat up nicely in Hot Springs Arkansas
Apple Blossom Diary – by Steve Haskin. Daily account of events leading up to big race.
Zenyatta gets 127 lbs. for the G1 Santa Margarita. Zenyatta was assigned 127 lbs. for her first start of 2010, giving 8 lbs. to multiple graded stakes winner Tuscan Evening (Ire) and 11 lbs. to Mushka, the BC Ladies Classic runner up to Life is Sweet.
Zenyatta blazes 6f in 1:11.80 in last work before 2010 debut. Likely to run in G1 Santa Margarita on Mar. 13. By contrast, Zenyatta’s last work before the Breeders Cup Classic was 1:12.40. Could Zenyatta actually have gotten faster as a 6yo?
Zenyatta blazes 6f in 1:11.80 in last work before 2010 debut. Likely to run in G1 Santa Margarita on Mar. 13. By contrast, Zenyatta’s last work before the Breeders Cup Classic was 1:12.40.
Rachel Alexandra workout video. RA is full of run and is tossing her head and hopping about as soon as the stable pony turns her loose, quite a handful for her rider. She works in company and is hard held while her workmate is given a free rein. Even at the top of the stretch RA isn’t turned loose until the final furlong or so and then she blows away the other horse. Looks like Steve Asmussen is trying to get RA to rate and have something left in the stretch to hold off Zenyatta’s late charge.
In a bit of a usability bug, you may have to re-size the small window that appears after you click the "click here" link at the top of the article, then you will have to click again in the window that appears to start or replay the video.
Life is Sweet going to World Cup.
In an interesting move John Shirreffs has entered one of his horses, Zardana, in Rachel Alexandra’s Apple Blossom prep race.
http://www.nola.com/horseracing/index.s … _send.html
It may be just what it seems, Zardana’s owner, Arnold Zetcher, who has no ownership interest in Zenyatta, just wants his horse to run in New Orleans, where Zardana has run well before. Zardana is a G2,graded stakes winner but not really in the same league as RA or Zenyatta. Zardana is also a close up stalker, usually making her run from third or fourth and getting the lead early in the stretch in her winning efforts. If John Shirreffs wanted to wear RA out before the Apple Blossom I would think he would send a rabbit like a 6 furlong speedball to make RA work on the front end. Zardana may give JS a read on RA’s condition by running against her with a known trial horse but I don’t see that as a huge advantage going into the Apple Blossom. RA will be a different horse on April 9th after a prep race and more works than she is in her March 13th prep race in New Orleans.
"Zenyatta breezed six furlongs in 1:13.20 on Friday at Hollywood Park" (Feb. 26th)
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing … -Park.aspx
Now if the opening of this Feb. 26 training video shows Zenyatta’s same "workout", she is well out from the rail and looks to be going very easily, doesn’t really look like a 1:13.20 pace but this is Zenyatta. The scenes immediately after Zenyatta are from Santa Anita but Zenyatta is stabled and trains across town at Hollywood Park. Then it seems the video goes back to the Hollywood Park barn area. You can hear the jets flying into LAX (Los Angeles Int’l. Airport) which is near Hollywood Park.
A good alternative to dutching, if exacta or trifecta wagering is offered, is boxing an exacta or trifecta. For example, if you can separate 3 clear contenders but don’t know who will win and your contenders are the 2,3 and 8 horses. bet an exacta with 2 on top and 3 and 8 second, 3 on top 2 and 8 second etc. a three horse exacta box is 6 combinations, 6 one pound bets. Interestingly a trifecta is also 6 one pound bets, but all three of your horses have to finish 1,2,3 – the payoff is a bit more but often some longshot finishes third and spoils the play. An exacta can pay off well if the 3rd horse based on odds comes in first and the 2nd comes in second. This is an especially good play if you can throw out the favorite as a false favorite who is likely to finish out of the money and bet the 2nd,3rd, and 4th favorites in a large field with all the horses beyond the 4th favorite hopeless runners who are there just to fill out the race.
Zenyatta training for her first 2010 start. Shirreffs reveals secret potion, Guiness and Aloe Vera cocktail.
Oddly enough, there has been very little discussion in Hot Springs Arkansas of either Cheltenham or the Grand National.
I think interest will pick up a great deal once RA and Z come out of their Mar. 13 prep races sound and clearly headed for Oaklawn. It will also be interesting to see who else shows up. Nine furlongs is a good meeting place for Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra and the outcome will clearly depend on the pace of the race. Any sort of reasonably quick pace and I believe Zenyatta will win. Unless RA gets an easy lead and a 10 length start coming into the stretch, Zenyatta should run her down. Even the pace of the BC Classic wasn’t that fast, particularly the first quarter and half; 24.16, 47.88, 1:11.88 for the first 6f, of course that was a 10f race. The two races where RA was almost run down by closers; Mine that Bird in the 9.5f Preakness and Macho Again in the 9f Woodward, RA went 23.130 46.710 1:11.010 and 22.85, 45.41, and 1:10.54, respectively. If RA gets pressed to a 1:11 or less first 6f, even a bigger stronger 4yo RA will be quite vulnerable to Zenyatta’s closing kick in the stretch, especially if she goes about 46 in the first half-mile.
There is now a website for this event.
http://www.appleblossominvitational.com/
From the website, the race seems to be drawing a bit of attention to Hot Springs Arkansas;
