I am thrilled that RA is going to run in the woodward. This is going to make for a great race, and a great pair of weekends, between the travers and the woodward, a week later.
As for baby names, rachel alexandria is lovely, but nothing beats the name this one girl gave her daughter: ruffian alydar. Great horses, bad baby name!
Now, if they will just pull Quality Road from the Travers, give him more time to get up in distance, and run him in the Woodward instead.
Then two of the horses generating a lot of interest could meet up.
Wonder what that might do to attendance?
Suzanne, Calvin’s mom-in-law watched RA run today and said she looked absolutely wonderful and incredible!
Jess Jackson mentioned at the New York Turf Writers Awards dinner tonight that he intends to race Rachel at 4 next year. I was so happy that I just started applauding in the middle of his speech.:uhoh: Luckily I wasn’t the only one who agreed, and a roar went up.
[QUOTE=Linny;4329526]
Jess Jackson mentioned at the New York Turf Writers Awards dinner tonight that he intends to race Rachel at 4 next year. I was so happy that I just started applauding in the middle of his speech.:uhoh: Luckily I wasn’t the only one who agreed, and a roar went up.[/QUOTE]
I would have been right there with you, Linny! That’s great news!
Wish there were more owners that would race the horses longer, it would be so great for racing. This year because we have had so many horses to watch it has been so exciting!
I know this is a stupid question, but how long is the Woodward? I would like to see RA stretch out to longer distances…too bad she won’t be at the Breeders cup…what a shame…
It’s nice to see JJ reiterate his wishes to have her run at 4 as he has expressed a desire to do so before as well. In fact that is his counterpoint to the Breeders’ Cup - he said he’ll be happy to race her at Churchill Downs at the BC 2010 … just not Santa Anita’s BC 2009.
One comment he did make - and it may have only been to discourage any hopes to point her towards a BC Turf race - is that she won’t be run on grass. I’d like to think if she does return in 2010 that they at least try her in a turf race. Curlin wasn’t spectacular on the turf but at least they tried it and it didn’t diminish his reputation. Rachel has already won on a synthetic surface, plus muddy ones, so she is adept at changing ground.
Anyhow – regarding the “girls vs. older boys”:
The last 3-year-old filly to defeat older males in a major stakes race on the dirt was Twilight Tear in the 1944 Pimlico Special. Last year, the 3-year-old filly Goldikova won the Breeders’ Cup Mile on the grass, defeating older horses.
Further - NYRA circuit based trainer Billy Turner of Seattle Slew fame said this while watching her and that huge stride.
“There aren’t too many out there with a stride like that,” Turner said.
I spoke last night with Larry Jones and his wife Cindy about RA. They have the very nice filly named Just Jenda who raced against RA early this season. Larry was already familiar with RA and tried her once. After that, he asked Hal Wiggins where RA would go next. He decided immediately that anyplace Rachel showed up, Just Jenda would be on a trailer going the other way. Just Jenda is a nice filly and won the Monmouth Oaks about 10 days ago.
Obviously Larry and Cindy are very impressed with Rachel but have no need to take her on again!
oaks, fair grounds? When were they ?
When was that race? The race video on you tube says March 14, 09:confused:
Larry Jones’ own website even remarks about avoiding Rachel 
Larry Jones Stable - Just Jenda
Just Jenda shipped out of New Orleans in time to avoid the super filly Rachel Alexandra in the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) a day earlier.
It will be interesting to see which colts go into the race.
I hope she wins. I’ve always said that if fillies are trained and conditioned to race against the colts, they can win. Ruffian and Winning Colors and Landaluce and Eight Belles and Genuine Risk and RA were/aren’t freaks of nature, they are fillies who were bred and fed and conditioned to run races, not just to run races against the fillies.
Zenyatta could be one of them, but her people haven’t chosen to take on the colts.
I have been trying to find out info on Landaluce, does anyone know whereIi can get info?
[QUOTE=ivy62;4330711]
I have been trying to find out info on Landaluce, does anyone know whereIi can get info?[/QUOTE]
Here are some links to give you a basic bio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landaluce
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125763/index.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/10/sports/intestinal-ailment-struck-landaluce.html
Thanks, what a shame…he was just like her Daddy…
cloudyandcallie- Ruffian never ran against the boys successfully so I think Zenyatta has earned her spot too…Gotta love these girls with heart and owners and trainers who have the guts to take them there…
Still want to see RA go a mile and a quarter or more…
Yeah can you tell I love the mares?:lol: I’ve owned 3 ottbs, all mares, the last being Callie, aka “Kick and Howl” 1983-2007.
I think RA needs some more conditioning before she goes a mile and a quarter or more. If she runs next year, maybe then. Right now I hope she stays healthy and keeps winning. It’s good for the sport, and good for those of us who think that even though the mares cannot match the stud fees that the stallions get, they can run as well.
I’ve followed racing for many years, and a friend of mine had a filly in training at the same time as D. Wayne Lucas had Landaluce, so I was following her short but brilliant career, 21 length wins and all.
And yes, Ruffian, sigh, I was watching that match race on TV, and she was doing well till she broke down.
My life changed after I watched Ruffian breakdown…I live not far from Belmont and it was a day I will never forget. When I went to bed she was alive and had a chance when I woke up the next day she was gone…I do not like match races let them meet in a race and may the best horse win and be safe!
I am not a mare person but I do own a filly now but I love my gelding, he is my OTTB! I love him…I think after all these years we figured out why he never raced but he has some nice relatives that made it exciting for me…Some people actually told me they think he was bred to be a filly but came out a colt!
And what about Personal Ensign?
Larry Jones faced Rachel with Friesan Fire in the Preakness. From that point on he knew he was done with her. FF tried briefly to run with Rachel and then in Larry’s words “parts started flying off of Friesan Fire.”
Graham Motion now saying Bullsbay is in, but Asiatic Boy is ducking!
OK, so I don’t have access, nor know how to even use the free sites on TB workouts and what not. But from what I can find, not many of previous year’s “big names” have accomplished much in 2009 and some will just not race against RA. I could be wrong on this list… but it’s just my early view of some of the contenders should then enter against the great girl!
Non-Contenders (IMO):
Alaazo - 2nd in Greenwood best finish since early 08’
Alcomo - won Ungraded Greenwood Cup Stakes in Philly
Colonel John - only win (and race) in 09’ was Wickerr Stakes on turf
Da’ Tara - No wins since 08’ Belmont, placed in couple of allowances
Coal Play - ran 4th 8/23 at Monmouth (home turf) after winning Salvatore Mile in July
Cowboy Cal - has already committed to Benard Baruch Handicap 8/28 on turf
Formidable - Nice ALOW horse at 6/7 furlongs, but ran 8/13 and 8/22 (3rd & 2nd) best graded finish 3rd at Gulfstream Hdcp in April
Kensei - committed to Travers
Le Grand Cru - another decent ALOW horse, 4th to Cool Coal Man 8/10
Past the Point - not raced since 2/21 with 3rd in San Carlos
Quality Road - most likely in Travers unless something changes (??)
Ready’s Echo - best finish this year 1st in a Allow back in April
Researcher - last start in Steven Foster (6th) with C. Borel
Timber Reserve - unraced in 09’
Egh…
Dr. D.F.C - ran 3rd to Cool Coal Man in AtG Stakes
Asiatic Boy - 2nd in Suburban Handicap and Stephan Foster -PROBABLE for Woodward
Hold Me Back - not on the board since Blue Grass Stakes (2nd), but previous 2 races have been 1 1/4 mi - might be a distance issue
Jonesboro - last start 6/27 with win Cornhusker G2
Nite Light - 5th to Alcomo and Alaazo in Greenwood
Smooth Air - seems to be more of a miler, but has run in good company in the money
Tizway - 4th in Whitney
Horses to look as actual competition… maybe…
Cool Coal Man - Won at Spa in Albert the Great Stakes (Da’ Tara finished last)
Bullsbay - won Whitney Handicap, previously beat many of nominated horses (Cool Coal Man and Co.)
Macho Again - won Stephen Foster Handicap and 2nd in the Whitney
Munnings - Won Tom Fool in July, but did beat older males
It’s A Bird - 1st in Lone Star and Oaklawn (but DQ’d) earlier in the season (beating Jonesboro both times); his 7th in the Suburban may have been a distance
Take the Points - won Gr 1 Secretariat
Bribon - miler, but has one 4 of 6 starts in 2009
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