[QUOTE=vineyridge;4093890]
I just hope that she isn’t too big for the bones in her legs; if another Eight Belles happened, racing would be in deeper trouble than it is now.[/QUOTE]
Viney, that’s my concern too. I’ve only seen a couple of pics but she looks VERY light in the bone to me as well.
It’s not the circumference of bone that matters, it’s the density.
I love her sire, Medaglia d’Oro, and I’ve known some El Prados that have been iron horses.
Closed minded Suffolk Downs groupie
Headup - NBC
Friday’s (5-15) edition of “NBC Evening News with Brian Williams” (although with Chicagoan Lester Holt sitting in) will have a segment on Rachel Alexandra and the Preakness.
Video: NBC News “Fast filly is Preakness betting favorite” Anne Thompson reporting
This brought a random thought to mind. We do bone density studies on humans all the time.
Why not on young race horses? If there were a minimum number required before a horse raced, that might reduce tragic breakdowns.
[QUOTE=Lori T;4093900]
I think Calvin said 17 or 17.1 hands.[/QUOTE]
Gary Stevens sticked her at 16.2.
While I’m a huge Rachael Alexandra fan, I hope she doesn’t run in the Belmont. I didn’t think she ran her typical race yesterday. I don’t want anything to happen to her.
[QUOTE=VirginiaBred;4099417]
While I’m a huge Rachael Alexandra fan, I hope she doesn’t run in the Belmont. I didn’t think she ran her typical race yesterday.[/QUOTE]
I concur that running in the Belmont doesn’t seem in her best interest. If she wins it what does it get her? The upside of two of the legs of the American Classics isn’t that significant.
Steve and Calvin were on the Today Show (Sun) and they said she is looking fine, eating fine, her typical self since the race. The plan is to possibly do a workout again on the 24th.
As for her not running in her typical style it would appear to be more an issue with the track surface vs. her physical ability, mental outlook, or any question if she’s the same powerhouse.
She will run against the boys again - but its not clear what race. NYT May 17 "Filly Is a Champ, and May Not Be Finished "
“My filly was kind of struggling in the last quarter-mile,” said Borel, whose mount was the favorite despite not running in the Derby. “She went to reach out, and the ground was breaking out from underneath her.”
“Would we love to run her in the Belmont? Yes,” Jackson said. “Could she win? We think so. She’ll run against the boys again somewhere. It’s good for champions to race against champions.”
I agree with those who hope NOT to see her in the Belmont. She’s a heck of a horse, but can she do a mile and a half?
Mine that Bird. Sure! That pony was coming on, and still had a lot of bottom.
I don’t care whether she runs in the Belmont, or if Mine That Bird “could have” anything! She is fantastic. So is the gelding. As for the Belmont Stakes- the list of great champions that have lost that race is as long as the list of those that have won it.
To further amplify what Calvin said post race about RA and her Preakness effort, something which appears to be misunderstood by some - see this AP article from 5-17
Borel admitted Rachel Alexandra was bothered by the sandy dirt at Pimlico, making it difficult for her to truly get loose.
“I could never get her to level off,” he said. “I even went a little faster than I had to just to try to get her to level off.”
She never really did, not that it stopped her. Borel had no doubt he was on the best horse - male or female - as Rachel Alexandra took command at the top of the stretch and he never panicked even as Mine That Bird closed in the final metres.
The scary part for Borel? He’s still pretty sure he hasn’t seen the best of Rachel Alexandra yet.
“She won, but she’s a lot better filly than she showed,” he said.
I think Calvin’s declaration before the start on national tv to Bob Costas that she was going to win (the Preakness) without a doubt is a modern day version of Babe Ruth’s 1932 “called shot”!
That bit of legend is where by the Great Bambino up to bat pointed to centerfield, indicating that he would hit a home run to this part of the park. On the next pitch, Babe hit a home run to center field.
I know I was impressed as heck that Calvin stated that (the obvious to him).
I’ll be looking for updates on her since the race.
This was a really good column written in the Courier Journal about her today:
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090517/COLUMNISTS01/905170385
A piece:
Funk said it had been 10 exhausting and emotional days for Borel from the moment he learned that Rachel Alexandra had been sold to Jess Jackson and his business partner.On the next morning after the sale, May 7, the filly was moved from trainer Hal Wiggins’ barn to her new trainer, Steve Asmussen. That was also the morning Borel was given his $144,000 check for his remarkable last-to-first Derby ride aboard Mine That Bird. Funk said Borel held the check – and cried.
“Calvin would have torn that check up to keep riding the filly,” Funk said. "Money doesn’t mean anything to him. He loves that filly.
Caitlin
Slight sidetrack, but since this is the general RA thread–we know why Jackson bought her. But…is Curlin the best stallion available for RA? That foal is going to have a lot of Mr. Prospector, RAN, Native Dancer, Northern Dancer, etc. Not that half the horses out there aren’t overloaded with those lines, but…
If you owned her, to whom would you send her?
I would send her to either Candy Ride or Leroidesanimaux…even though Candy Ride has Mr. Prospector, I think it may be far enough back…MAy be even Invasor…
JMHO
Are you sure? I only saw him comment on 2 pictures. One was of him standing next to Mine That Bird, the other was of him standing next to Rachel. He said he could see over Mine That Bird, but not Rachel. He then said Bird was 15.2 and Rachel was 16.2. But I didn’t take that to be official. Of course, I could have missed something!
Here are a few of my pics of her.
[QUOTE=Dispatcher;4101315]
Are you sure? I only saw him comment on 2 pictures. One was of him standing next to Mine That Bird, the other was of him standing next to Rachel. He said he could see over Mine That Bird, but not Rachel. He then said Bird was 15.2 and Rachel was 16.2. But I didn’t take that to be official. Of course, I could have missed something![/QUOTE]
What would make you think a horse would have to be larger than 16.2 for a jock not to be able to see over it? I eyeballed her at 16.1-16.2, no way she is 17 hands.
Nothing would make me think that.
That’s what Gary Stevens said of himself when he stood next to both of the horses. He said HE couldn’t see over Rachel. He then said she was 16.2 and MTB was 15.2. But I didn’t see any measuring stick.
Laurierace - cool pixs, thanks for sharing!
As for speculative next races (skipping the Belmont) The Bostone Globe (owned by the New York Times) tries to stick in this for a campaign:
… if [Jackson] lets Rachel Alexandra graze and train in Kentucky for the early part of the summer before shipping her East, where she can run in the Haskell at Monmouth Aug. 2 or the Travers at Saratoga Aug. 29. Maybe he could run her in both.
After that he could pick one more race in the early fall - the MassCap at Suffolk Downs perhaps - before priming her for the Breeders’ Cup Nov. 6-7.
All or some of those would seem better choices.
Sadly I doubt the MassCap, despite being now graded and less then 1 1/4 mi distance, will be of that much interest. Last year we’ll recall Suffolk put out a mega carrot with no biting. While Big Brown didn’t win the TC (a contingent point to the $3M payout to the winner) I’m certain Fields still would’ve had a handsome payout if they both came to Boston.
I’ve said it several times before, but I’d simply love to see her in the Travers Stakes. If NYRA was smart they’d offer up a $500k bonus on top of the $1M total purse for the race. That bonus being only paid out to the winner of the Travers who also won a leg of the Triple Crown. Wagering would, I’m confident, make up for the upfront purse.
[QUOTE=ivy62;4101148]
I would send her to either Candy Ride or Leroidesanimaux…even though Candy Ride has Mr. Prospector, I think it may be far enough back…MAy be even Invasor…
JMHO[/QUOTE]
I would love to see her crossed with either of these boys! We have a Leroi yearling filly here, and she is a lovely, big girl, who we have very high hopes for. . I think we could see a very strong classic horse with either horses. whether the resulting foal is a colt or a filly. HAVING SAID THAT…I have no problem with the Curlin cross either. I really think he will make his mark on the breed.
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