Assoc Press 9-5-09 “She does it again! Rachel wins the Woodward!”
The above article has photos of Calvin post race.
In the replay on youtube it looked like Da Tara was pulled up?
working on watching the replay now, thanks for the quick posting on it!
Woohoo! Happy this girl won!
Lotta Kim?
Anyone have any information on Rachel’s siblings?
[QUOTE=Catsdorule-sigh;4355273]
You can find one here:
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/
It was a great race. Calvin did get to slow it down a little for the half-mile split.
I thought there was a bump in the stretch, just a bit, between Bullsbay(sp?) and Macho Again. Wondering if that hadn’t interrupted Macho Again just t-h-a-t much, if he would have won.
Wonderful, gritty run by RA.[/QUOTE]
He just needed another few yards even if there was a bump, never mind 1 1/4. I think it’s pretty clear now she’s unbeatable at “her” distance, though. I’d like to see if she could go any farther–the end of the the Woodward and the Preakness suggest that’s unlikely. I doubt very much she could go 1 1/2 at all unless they completely revamp her racing style.
I find it HIGHLY unlikely Zenyatta could beat her unless the race is longer. Has Zenyatta raced males at all?
I wasn’t born for Ruffian 
so I can’t compare. Was Ruffian really dominant basically from day 1 as a two-year-old?
Yes, Ruffian was dominant from day 1. Not counting the match race with Foolish Pleasure, she was 10 for 10, with the following record:
at 2:
Fashion Stakes - Won (Equalled Track Record)
Astoria Stakes - Won (Equalled Track Record)
Sorority Stakes - Won (New Stakes Record)
Spinaway Stakes - Won (New Stakes Record)
Champion 2yo Filly
at 3:
Comely Stakes - Won (New Stakes Record)
Acorn Stakes - Won (New Stakes Record)
Mother Goose Stakes - Won (New Stakes Record)
Coaching Club American Oaks - Won (Equalled Stakes Record)
Champion 3yo Filly
Ruffian was in a class all by herself…She never lost and broke records or equalled them…I think a recent article pointed out that as a 2 year old she had what would today be a Beyer speed number of 120!
Unfortuantely, the only time she ran againt a boy she broke down, but was in lead when it happened…
She never lost and was never headed in a race either, I believe…
I do not think Frank Whitely liked to race boys and girls together…
I do not believe she was ever asked to give it her all ever…today was the first time I saw CB use the whip on Rachel like that…this is her comfort zone let’s see her stretch out to 1 1/4 miles or more…
Zenyatta too! If this race had been a little longer I do not know if the end result would have been the same…also she gave up 6 pounds to the boys…how about a handicap? would that make a difference?
Either way they are home hopefully all safe, Da Tara?, to race again…It is a shame that she will not be at the BC…
If Zenyatta races the BC Classic and wins HOTY could be very interesting!
Ya know after watching the rplay in slow motion it appeared that CB used his whip A LOT! Am I mistaken? I have never seen him do that to her …Was it over kill? I know she won the race but really…Is this normal?
[QUOTE=WhiteCamry;4346314]
The ad is on the jockey’s jodhpurs, not on the silks. Looks like JJ got smart and bought the ad space.[/QUOTE]
Mmmm I believe WE call them jock pants. We’re simple folk.
[QUOTE=Acertainsmile;4349241]
Actually (and technically) what the jocks wear are called pants. :)[/QUOTE]
LOL you beat me to it… 
Don’t worry, Glimmer, we’ve got your back!~ LOL
I think Zito said it best. It is really impossible to compare two fillies who ran decades apart.( His response made me think he ought to be a politician…) Ruffian was a freak who was awe inspiring. Rachel is a filly doing things that three year old filly’s just don’t do. Both filly’s are/were freakish.
IMO I think Rachel is flipping the “bird” to those who said filly’s ought not to step outside of their sex. I think she is putting that train of thought to rest.
I too proudly run like a chick
I agree with you and while I think that Rachel and Jess Jackson are the two big winners today, the big losers today are the BC and the Mosses. Ironically the former lost by being too cutting edge and the latter by being too conservative. You can’t or shouldn’t be able to coast to HOY or get it by playing safe. OTOH when you maintain the pretense that you are establishing national championships maybe you shouldn’t schedule them on controversial and unproven surfaces two years in a row.
wow… just wow :eek:
I agreee, Pronzini. The surface issue is in issue…(???)
If SA was dirt, we wouldn’t even be having the Z needs to run against RA discussion, it would be a Chapionship Day, period. No if’s, and’s, or butts.
Yet another reason to love Shapiro and the CHRB.
I got back from a horse show with just enough time to run in the house and catch Rachel bouncing about, sans Calvin, away from her pony. That was a Depends moment for all involved: connections, pony rider, and fans alike.
She sure is something special. How lucky we all are to witness history.
So how 'bout that Macho Again? :winkgrin:
At this time, Rachel is the only surviving offspring of her dam, Lotta Kim.
There was an '07 half brother by Empire Maker named Empire Ruler, however, he was euthanized after developing wobbler’s syndrome.
Congrats Calvin and RA!!
We are in New England for the weekend and was at a family function so I couldn’t watch until now…Calvin’s mom-in-law left me a voice mail, so I knew the results…I couldn’t stand not being able to watch the race or know the results!
I think she’d make a hell of an event horse, myself. 
Final number who can claim ‘they were there live to see it’: 31,171
If Rachel Alexandra becomes the Horse of the Year she will be the first 3-year old filly to do since since the great Twilight Tear to do so. Twilight Tear (a Calumette Farm bred and owned runner) won HOTY in 1944 and 40-years prior Belldame also earned such a distinction. No other 3-year old filly has earned Horse of the Year.
Someone suggested that ‘Macho Again’ could’ve “maybe” caught her - well here are the comments from Robby Albarado, jockey aboard runner up Macho Again:
“She’s a champion. Champions do that. Champions find ways to win.
“I never thought I had her. You never think you have champions. She’s a great filly. The only thing I was hoping was that at some point she would tire or do something. She’s great. What can I say. Nothing much I can say. She’s great.
“The pace was great. I can’t keep Macho any closer than he is because it would compromise his chances. I was far back. I didn’t realize they were rocking and rolling up front but I knew there were going fast. I was hoping someone would soften her up but obviously they didn’t. I wasn’t surprised she was on the lead. She’s naturally quick.
“Champions show different dimension. She is in a league of her own. She has beaten every top division we have in racing. Older horses, her age, it doesn’t matter. No matter what they throw at her, she’ll beat them.”
Despite it being close at the finish there is no ‘shoulda, coulda, woulda’ b.s. from the 2nd place horse’s jockey. Further as noted by TVG after they crossed the wire she quickly dashed ahead in a second wind to jump about five lengths ahead of him in the gallop out. She wasn’t milked dry.
From Jeremy Rose, jockey aboard third-place finisher Bullsbay:
“My horse left everything on the track. He did everything he could to get by that [filly]. She just isn’t giving up. She’s awesome; there’s no two ways about it.
“The fractions were fast and I thought I was in a perfect spot to catch her. At the quarter-pole, I split Edgar Prado (on Past the Point) and her and I got within a neck of her and she just rebroke. She’s just too good of a horse."
I was there and as one of many that were not “paid” admission, I wonder how many actual people were there. I know of many horsemen and owners who were here that wouldn’t have been had RA not raced. They are not counted in that total.
The filly looked amazing and ran beautifully. The fractions were deadly but she held on to win. I’m not sure why they went so fast, other than to avois being “ganged up on.”
I ran into a friend who is a business manager for West Point as I was leaving and although Macho fell short, they were overjoyed! He ran huge and proved himself against a superstar.
I’ll get pics up on Facebook and Photobucket soon.
