'Rachel Alexandra': back to work in 2010

[Carol_Ames]

agreed! Go Rachel

Thanks for the great wrap up whether its’ from you or Steven Crist::lol:
arp all you want about her not having beaten her elders yet, or the caliber of the 3-year-old males she’s been beating, or that she hasn’t faced Zenyatta or Quality Road, but come on: In her last four starts she has won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 1/4 lengths, beaten the Kentucky Derby winner in the Preakness, won the Mother Goose by 19 1/4 and thrashed the Belmont Stakes winner while nearly setting a track record in the Haskell. It already has been a historic campaign by a truly great filly.

[Dispatcher]

How much less weight did she carry? Will she always carry less than the boys?

[Barnfairy]

@Dispatcher;4290207

How much less weight did she carry? Will she always carry less than the boys?

1. Rachel carried 117 lbs, Summer Bird 122, and the remainder of the entries, 118.

2. Not if she ever runs in a handicap.

[Glimmerglass]

For the Haskell - and in fairness I don’t have the weights assigned for the winning horse - from Jon White of HRTV:

Here are the Beyer Speed Figures for the Haskell going back to 1991:

2009 Rachel Alexandra (116)
2008 Big Brown (106)
2007 Any Given Saturday (113)
2006 Bluegrass Cat (106)
2005 Roman Ruler (106)
2004 Lion Heart (109)
2003 Peace Rules (109)
2002 War Emblem (112)
2001 Point Given (106)
2000 Dixie Union (111)
1999 Menifee (110)
1998 Coronado’s Quest (110)
1997 Touch Gold (114)
1996 Skip Away (113)
1995 Serena’s Song (110)
1994 Holy Bull (115)
1993 Kissin Kris (108)
1992 Technology (108)
1991 Lost Mountain (107)

[cloudyandcallie]

What’s next for the super filly?

I hope her interests continue doing what is best for the filly.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=cloudyandcallie;4290736]
What’s next for the super filly?[/QUOTE]

A few posts back have speculated - and thats what it all is - as to what is next. Her connections have said nothing will be announced for a couple of weeks. Jess Jackson cited (among possibles) the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga (end of meet) against older males but at 1 1/8 mile. If she did start and win then she’d be the first filly to do so and its the 55th running

Again Jon White at HRTV gives his odds for the next race …

Where will the filly make her next start? My line:

Aug. 22 Grade I Alabama at Saratoga (50-1)
Aug. 29 Grade I Travers at Saratoga (9-5)
Aug. 30 Grade I Personal Ensign at Saratoga (6-1)
Sept. 5 Grade I Woodward at Saratoga (7-5)
Sept. 6 Grade I Pacific Classic at Del Mar (500-1)

none of the above (2-1)

Who has won the Woodward? Some of the biggest names around …

Sixteen Hall of Fame horses have won almost half the runnings of the Woodward, led by four time winner Forego (1974-77) and three-time winner Kelso (1961-1963.) Other Hall of Fame Woodward winners include Sword Dancer (1959 & ‘60), Gun Bow (1964), Buckpasser (1966), Damascus (1967), Arts and Letters (1969) Seattle Slew (1978), Affirmed (1979), Slew o’ Gold (1983 &’84), Alysheba (1988), Easy Goer (1989), Holy Bull (1994), Cigar (1995 & ’96) and Skip Away (1998). Spectacular Bid so dominated the competition in 1980 that he ran unopposed in Woodward in the first walkover in a major America race in over 30 years.

Then again Secretariat lost in the Woodward to Prove Out. Recent winners - on their march to being HOTY - Mineshaft (2003), Ghostzapper (2004) and Saint Liam (2005).

[Glimmerglass]

Philadelphia Daily News Aug 7, 2009

Steve Asmussen said yesterday that superstar filly Rachel Alexandra will be nominated to five races to be run in late August or early September.

Rachel will be nominated to the Alabama Stakes on Aug. 22 at Saratoga, as well as to Saratoga’s Travers (Aug. 29), Personal Ensign (Aug. 30) and Woodward (Sept. 5). She will also be nominated to the Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park Sept. 7.

[texang73]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;4290915]
Philadelphia Daily News Aug 7, 2009[/QUOTE]

Methinks I need to head to Saratoga… If only I had the funds!

[Zevida]

It seems as though Rachel’s competition is a lot better than people have been saying. Take the Points, who she thrashed in the Preakness, just won the G1-T Secretariat and Flashing, who finished about 30 lengths behind her in the Mother Goose, just won the G1 Test.

[Glimmerglass]

In regards to her anticipated first recorded work since the Haskell - Tuesday Aug 11th - she’ll be a no-go if it is raining badly

If it rains on Tuesday and it’s bad, his star filly Rachel Alexandra won’t have her scheduled work on the Oklahoma Training Track. It would be her first since winning the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park a week ago.

“We would just skip it,” Asmussen said in the Saratoga paddock Sunday afternoon.

If rain does force Rachel to stay in her stall, Asmussen said he would just wait for her next work, would be a week from Monday.

[Carol_Ames]

dressage, paradigm shift?

This my second attempt; the first one disappeared into "cyberspace:lol:; Today after church. I talked about who else?Rachel, with a former eventer, who, , had also galloped 2 year olds at some point; She asked if Rachel has had any dressage training; She is thinking that, as well balanced as she :lol:is, dressage would help her to go still:yes: easier on her legs;’ you may recall an article in the COTH by PaulaTurner about starting Seattle Slew with dressage because of his size and crooked front leg;the paradigm shift came when she said she bet that there were a lot of stallions lining up to breed to Rachel;), and then, how about that, stallion owners/ breeders lining up to breed to Rachel; how’s’ that for a shift? Have the stallion owners pay to breed to the the mare? :lol:

[Carol_Ames]

Zenyetta does it again!

She, Zenyetta won her race :yes:today, still undefeated I think someone mentioned that her connections have said she would not:no: come East.

[Glimmerglass]

Not to mix the two horses together (Zen and RA) and further no disrepsect to Zenyatta, but I did find a remark by TVG host, Rich Perloff, today amusing regarding the 2nd and 3rd place horses from the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar.:

“Let’s face it Rachel Alexandra would beat Anabaa’s Creation and Lethal Heat on every given day and twice on Sunday.”

It’s hard not to agree that Rachel would dispatch of both horses with ease unless there was a true physical problem or the track was somehow compromised.

Cool Coal Man won very impressively the Albert the Great Stakes today (8-10-09) by 12 3/4 lengths over a solid field - including the 2008 Belmont Stakes winner Da’Tara - and will now be pointed to the Woodward Stakes. Firepower like that - against Rachel Alexandra - cannot be dismissed the way Anabaa’s Creation is.

[ivy62]

Do all champion horses have to be undefeated? I think not…Even the greatest racehorse of all times lost… Man O"War lost, Secretariat lost, Forego lost and so did Seattle Slew…Alydar is most known for NOT winning! Watching a horse with heart, guts and determination is the game…The trainers and owners making the right choices of races and so on…
Ruffian never completed a race against the boys BUT she was never headed in a race and either equaled the track record or broke the track record every time she stepped on to the track… That is what made her so wonderful. She never had a stick used on her, was never urged on and she won everything that she finished…
So Is RA great? yes, Zenyatta great yes just in different venues and for different reasons…May they race safely and come home whenever they do…
I still would love to see Zenyatta in person…chances are I never will…She is in Cal and I am in NY…too bad…
JMHO

[rebeginner]

Match race in Houston between Rachel and Zenyatta?

In today’s Houston Chronicle:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/race/6567868.html

In case the link doesn’t work: "Jim McIngvale has answered the dangling question of whether horse racing’s two finest females can meet in a match race. It’s a powerful yes.

McIngvale, the Gallery Furniture owner and philanthropist, on Monday told the Chronicle he will put up a $2 million purse if Zenyatta and 2009 Preakness Stakes winner Rachel Alexandra come to Sam Houston Race Park for a duel tentatively set for Oct. 3.

His date isn’t firm. His commitment is.

“Gallery Furniture would sponsor the race,” said McIngvale, better known as Mattress Mack. “The winner would receive $1.2 million. The other would get $800,00.”

[cloudyandcallie]

I hope she goes in the Travers or Woodward. Her interests need to choose what is best for her and not just where the money is. A trip to Texas for a match race? I think if Zenyatta wants to race against RA, she needs to come east and take her on. Both are great race horses, and both have interests who have taken care of them.

Mine That Bird’s trainer needs to emulate them.

(I’m still thinking of Ruffian’s match race.)

[Glimmerglass]

“Mattress Mac” has been a big supporter of horse racing at times and I wouldn’t doubt his interest in making the race happen is the real deal. Of course it would be seen as good for the fans, Sma Houston Park and Mac himself

He can be very “Texan” at times - recall he pulled sponsporship of the Texas Stakes in 2000 because they wouldn’t let him dictate that only female jockey’s be used. (The purse would’ve been $550k and he wanted just female riders on the fillies in part because his customer base is made up of a high percentage of women.)

Further least people forget: McIngvale also displayed some of his horses – including Keeneland and Fair Grounds stakes winner Some Actor – in the showroom of his Gallery Furniture store in Houston.

Reportedly Mattress Mac was the basis for the character Nathan Arizona (“Unpainted Arizona” stores) in the 1987 Cohen brother’s brilliant movie Raising Arizona.

[cloudyandcallie]

@Glimmerglass;4298859

“Mattress Mac” has been a big supporter of horse racing at times and I wouldn’t doubt his interest in making the race happen is the real deal. Of course it would be seen as good for the fans, Sma Houston Park and Mac himself

He can be very “Texan” at times - recall he pulled sponsporship of the Texas Stakes in 2000 because they wouldn’t let him dictate that only female jockey’s be used. (The purse would’ve been $550k and he wanted just female riders on the fillies in part because his customer base is made up of a high percentage of women.)

Further least people forget: McIngvale also displayed some of his horses – including Keeneland and Fair Grounds stakes winner Some Actor – in the showroom of his Gallery Furniture store in Houston.

Reportedly Mattress Mac was the basis for the character Nathan Arizona (“Unpainted Arizona” stores) in the 1987 Cohen brother’s brilliant movie Raising Arizona.

Oh no! What if he makes RA an offer to pose on one of his mattresses in his funiture store?:eek: Will Playboy be next?
I bought the Vogue and sent it to a friend’s horse from “Rachel.”

Well someone tell DickHertz that Gilley’s closed down years ago, and we no longer can go ride the bull there.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=rebeginner;4298794]
“Gallery Furniture would sponsor the race,” said McIngvale, better known as Mattress Mack. “The winner would receive $1.2 million. The other would get $800,00.”[/QUOTE]

For the record, and comparison sakes, the match race between Ruffian & Foolish Pleasure [July 6, 1975 at Belmont Park, Race 8] was for $225,000 to the winner and $125,000 for second. Using an inflational calculator that means roughly that $225,000 from 1975 would be equal to in 2008 approx. $890,880.

So this proposal is relatively on par with the previous big match race for the purse.

Rachel Alexandra did breeze this morning (Tue Aug 11th) at 6am across the Oklahoma track.

Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in 50.72 seconds Tuesday over the Oklahoma training track. Under regular exercise rider Dominic Terry, Rachel Alexandra went her first quarter in 26.22 seconds and her last quarter in 24.50 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:04.47 and pulling up seven eighths in 1:20.18.

Among the on-lookers was Jess Jackson’s wife Barbara Banke (who races under her own stable name of Grace Stables) owner of Hot Dixie Chick who took the Schuylerville Stakes (Grade 3) on the opening day at Saratoga.

To re-state the obvious and what has been suggested before …

Asmussen did indicate that part of the decision on where Rachel Alexandra runs will be predicated on where he and Jackson opt to run Kensei, the Jim Dandy winner, who will also be nominated to the Travers, Woodward, and Pennsylvania Derby.

Both Rachel Alexandra and Kensei are scheduled to work next Monday and a decision could be made soon after those moves are evaluated.

Asmussen said that in discussions he has had with Jackson, he is led to believe that Rachel Alexandra and Kensi will not run in the same race.

[Glimmerglass]

Spooking off more horses …from potential races

Bullsbay’s status depends on Rachel. If Rachel Alexandra runs in the Grade 1 Woodward against older males Sept. 5, trainer Graham Motion said he would be inclined not to run his upset Grade 1 Whitney Handicap winner back in that race.

“If Rachel Alexandra shows up, I’d probably stay away,” Motion said. “I don’t want to run against her.”

Meanwhile, Macho Again, the Whitney runner-up, may pass the Whitney and aim for the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on Oct. 3, trainer Dallas Stewart said.

As an aside: Unless Rachel Alexandra enters the Travers fray, Calvin Borel is slated to ride Warrior’s Reward per Ian Wilkes.

Gozzip Girl, shipping in from California, is very likely going to start in the Alabama - provided Rachel doesn’t.

Though Rachel Alexandra - who worked four furlongs in 50.72 seconds Tuesday over the Oklahoma training track - is nominated to the Alabama, she is not expected to run in that race.