Path of least resistance no more, This is called a Vendetta.

Go back to July of 2011, Havre De Grace was giving two pounds to Blind Luck in the Delaware Handicap. She lost that race. Now in an attempt to complete a personal vendetta against the Racing Secretary of both tracks, Pat Pope, Rick Porter has "cowardly" decided to duck Plum Pretty due to giving 6 lbs to a filly that has not made a start in 2012.

This is what is ruining horse racing, Zenyatta's people did similar by only facing the best available in 3 of 20 races, Rachel Alexandra's owner did the same in 2010 when she was struggling to find form, and now the reigning Horse of the Year Havre De Grace will take a pass on a Grade 1 Apple Blossom to run in a less impressionable Grade 2 La Troienne at Churchill and then will likely follow that up with a run in the O'beah at Del Park to get ready to run in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap.

True fans of horse racing know that greatness as defined in this game is winning Grade 1 races and winning at 10 furlongs and carrying weight, which is something that Havre De Grace has yet to do in 2012. For her career she is 0-3 at 10 furlongs and has only 3 Grade 1 wins to her credit, where as at the same time Blind Luck had 6 Grade 1 wins mid season her 4 year old season.

I glanced at the rockport harbor.com site and I noticed one poster stated that "Thanx to Pat Pope Havre De Grace will not be running in the Apple Blossom.", I also saw where Rick Porter stated at Blood Horse that he wants a letter of explanation giving reason why she got the 6 lbs from HDG, to my memory this is not how horse racing works, people don't make statements like this and racing secretaries don't send letters explaining why they weighted horses a certain way.

From what I understand Bobby Frankel was one that certainly gave indication that weights would be reason to scratch a horse out of a race, and did so to always get the biggest advantage possible in that regard.  It would seem to me though that Frankel most likely did this in a very classy way, giving indication in a subtle way that if the weights were right he would not run.  I don't believe I recall Frankel feeling the need to send sound bytes to Bloodhorse.com and DRF about the weights, and then the owner feeling the need to do the same.  This my friends is in my opinion "Classless" with a capital "C", its an embarrassment to great horses of the past who were asked like Curlin to tote 128 and Zenyatta 129 numerous times.

But make no mistake, Charles Cella was not about to be held hostage with the same Bush League tactics that Rick Porter used in asking Fair Grounds to increase the purse of their meaningless New Orleans Ladies race a month ago. Mr. Cella had no issue calling out Jess Jackson when he ducked Zenyatta back in 2010, whatever the reason, and he will likely tell everyone that the same holds true for the weights that Pat Pope released for the Apple Blossom.  Pat Pope has a job to do and that's the bring the horses down the stretch and get them as close together at the finish line as he can, in a Handicap Race.  He did that back in 2011 with BL and HDG at Delaware, and likely did Bob Baffert an injustice by only giving the filly who has yet to make a start in 2012 6 lbs.  I am sure that Mr. Pope who gained a great deal of respect by not bending and changing the way things are done to appease one man.

In my estimation the weights for the Apple Blossom should have looked like this:
HDG 126
Awesome Maria 124
Plum Pretty 118
Its Tricky 119

The fact that Porter stated he advised Baffert at a sale that he would not give PP 10 lbs was well, a hint that he didnt want to give her 10 lbs, never mention of 6 lbs, so what was Pat Pope to do, was he to call Charles Cella and ask his thoughts on making them co-high-weights. This a filly with all of 1 Grade 1 win, and coming off a 5 month layoff.  The naive nature of this situation is something that can and most likely will turn a number of people against the Fox Hill Farm connections.  Larry Jones and Rick Porter both have been uncharacteristically vocal about weights since the loss in the Del Cap.  At the time if the 2 lbs were unfair it would have been a good business decision to scratch out of the Grade 2, because a number of people agreed the weights were slightly unfair due to their records.  There is no need to attempt 9 months later to complete your vendetta against Pat Pope and another track, and lose your fan-base and your charge the chance of adding a black type Grade 1 victory to her resume.

Going forward, let me say Kudos to Oaklawn Park and Charles Cella and Pat Pope, they stayed consistent to the meaning of championship racing, and stayed loyal to the sanctity of the game, no one horse, and no one egotistical owner or trainer is bigger than the game and or bigger than the track and a very significant race like the Apple Blossom.  Oaklawn Park was not going to be taken hostage by the connections of Fox Hill Farm, and so they can now take their ball and their filly and go play else where.  What will need to be recalled though, is that Pat Pope is the Racing Secretary still at Delaware Park, its my hope that for this 10 furlong affair, that Havre De Grace is weighted 8-10 lbs more than her foes, and then allow Rick Porter to make decisions.  Run your filly or Run and Hide, there are plenty more New Orleans Ladies and O'beah stakes out there for you to run HDG in..

It is my hope that Royal Delta is fit and ready to run against HDG in the middle distance races the rest of the summer, and I look forward to Awesome Maria showing up at the same tracks that HDG does also, to give Porter an indication as to what it will be like to carry weight against the likes of other multiple Grade 1 winners, not the Absentminded's and Tiz Miss Sue's of the world, and see what its like to have to earn these Grade 1 wins, or there is the Zenyatta route, ship her out west and take down the weakest races he can find out there.

Either way, let me end by saying, either race your horse or allow the filly to retire.  HOY is all but out of the window for Havre De Grace this year, too much negative media and the wrong type of publicity.  It would seem that thoughts and perception of the connections of this filly have changed for the worst at this time, due to the way that she is being campaigned and the constant media blitz by her connections. And none of this has been or is positive.

This is a travesty and I hope that we will not have to hear about weights all year long. I personally feel embarrassed to have been a fan of FHF, with this amazing about face in the way in which they handle themselves.

GO Royal Delta

Simply Put -Opportunity Missed

By: Wesley D. White

Will this continue to be the statement made regarding horse racing? Will the leaders that govern the game of horse racing continue to drop the ball? The spectacle that is The Triple Crown, The Breeders Cup, in America at least seem to be so far removed from the reality of the way that this great sport should be treated. Curlin Vs Big Brown, Rachel Alexandra Vs Zenyatta, and now Havre De Grace vs. Blind Luck. Rivalries that either never materialized on the track or while being contested on the track have gone virtually unheard and ignored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

The decree from the NTRA and its governing body and many others in the industry is that people are not there in the stands to support the sport. People don’t put their money into the product, but what product are we supplying them. What mainstream publicity & marketing is there to hold on to as fans, and non fans of the sport?

Thinking back to 2008 when Big Brown was making his splash on the national scene, the publicity was horrible for his group of owners, they were viewed as crooks. Then to be trained by a conditioner with a laundry list of violations as long as most convicts rap sheets didn’t help the situation. But a budding rivalry was there for the taking. Curlin the defending HOY and top rated horse in the world was going about his business, as consistent as ever, Big Brown going into the Derby and Preakness undefeated stubbed his toe a bit in the Belmont, but lost nothing in defeat, he was a champion race horse. And what did the NTRA and their governing bodies do to put these two competitors on the national stage & on the track. Absolutely nothing, we know there was plenty of banter as Rick Dutrow talked the talk, remember his statement after the Haskell win, "Curlin couldn't win the Derby, we could, Curlin couldn't win [the Haskell], we could. Curlin got beat [by] a filly. We haven't. Our horse is undefeated on the grass. Curlin isn't. I don't know why people think Curlin is such a good horse. We're way better than Curlin."

Jess Jackson principle owner of Curlin came back in a statement and showed his hand when saying: "I don't know that there is any horse his equal right now and I loved to match Big Brown," said Jess Jackson, owner of Curlin. "I never thought he (Big Brown) was as good but I've always wanted to find out? At the wire you find out. That's when you know what you have."

So the setting was there, the table was set everything was in place for the NTRA to communicate with both sets of connections, set up the race, there were plenty of options and ample time before the Breeders Cup for the two warriors to square off a couple of times before the Cup. The Woodward run at Saratoga and the JCGC run at Belmont were both the most logical spots, and that is where champion horses run. But there was no movement by the NTRA or anyone else for that matter; they both went their separate ways. We all know what happened, as BB suffered an injury and Curlin finished out his career at Santa Anita in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

What are we to make of these developments, or the lack there of? Well the industry is suffering, and it seems as if someone is waiting for some miracle to occur that fixes the problem. Instead of being proactive and jumping at the opportunity to put our stars on the front page of the media and engage the general public, those that govern horse racing figure that it should stand on it’s on. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way, and what better way to invigorate the industry than to start with the body that governs horse racing. The game previously was for the older, upper class citizens who would spend their time and money at racetracks across the country. It seems as if this is the demographic of those on the committees making decisions for the ntra. I would see the need for some younger blood or move innovative thinking members to take the reins. Forward thinking, now that’s a concept that we’ve not seen in a very long time, anticipating what might work out much better in the future. Therefore putting a vice grip on the younger audience and those women that have always thought that horse racing was a man’s pastime.

Innovative thinking is what propels great companies to do even greater things in the future. Innovative thinking means making it more attractive to place your horse in a certain race to run against another that would be considered a rival. The NTRA could step in and state that if both Big Brown and Curlin entered the starting gate of the Woodward that: all nomination fees, all shipping fees, all vetting fees and a 50,000 incentive check would go to each set of connections, advertise the race and purchase an hour on a national television station. The buildup would have been amazing. The race would have been something for the ages. More than anything though horse racing would have been center stage on a Saturday night with the two top horses in the world or at least the Unites States running at Saratoga. Is this Missed Opportunity instead of Forward or Innovative thinking?

We won’t rehash the Rachel Alexandra vs. Zenyatta situation. I believe there was some form of ducking and rightfully so coming from each side. The consensus nationwide though especially after Rachel garnered the attention she did by winning the Oaks by 20 and then wheeling back two weeks and defeating males, was that these two super stars needed to meet a couple of times at the very least. Missed opportunity, absolutely, the only races that would have been appropriate for these two would have been the Personal Ensign and the Beldame. Both of these races could have easily been on the schedule of both superstars. There didn’t need to be much forward thinking with this one, it just needed to be common sense and the will power to make it happen. Instead of doing that the powers that be sat on their hands and allowed both fillies to go their way and missed most likely the greatest opportunity and spectacle in the history of the sport. Incredible Kudos to Charles Cella to try to make the super race happen at Oaklawn, unfortunately both stars were not at full steam by Mid April. Is this missed opportunity instead of forward or innovative thinking?

Moving forward to 2011, and coming out of 2010 two fillies, one on the East coast and another on the West coast had met a few times on the track. This rivalry actually took place on the track in 2010 with Blind Luck having a 3-1 edge over all and a 2-1 edge in races which one of the fillies triumphed. It really wouldn’t have taken a great deal in 2011 to get this rivalry budding and on the thoughts and minds of people. The First matchup at Oaklawn Park went by with very little if any fanfare, as Havre De Grace triumphed by almost 4 lengths in the Azeri Stakes. Opportunity Missed, to the fullest, but there was plenty of time left in the year of racing. Going forward the two fillies went their separate way for the next race, prep for the Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park. One would assume with such a colossal clash of the titans ranked #1 and #2 in the NTRA poll that the industry would show by means of publicity and marketing that they wanted to get behind these two great horses prior to this race. Unfortunately not, nowhere in the main stream media was this race made mention of, and what an opportunity lost here as these two dueled with each other double digit lengths in front of the nearest competitor to the finish line with Blind Luck winning by the length of a nose over her rival. Stuff of legends, easily, unfortunately only, and I repeat only die hard race fans were able to witness such a stirring renewal of the rivalry. What makes it worse is the fact that the race was not guaranteed to go off until the weights had been released by the racing secretary and one set of connections received the two pound allowance that was afforded their filly. The Trainer stating in an interview afterwards: “I thought she should get some weight from Havre de Grace,’’ Hollendorfer said. “I wasn’t going to run if they put me at equal weights or gave me a pound. They gave us two pounds. We’re coming into her backyard.’’ This did not deter either side as they both showed up and gave a performance that will go down in history as one of the great female 1 ¼ races in history. Where was the national media, where was ntra with the marketing and promotions and publicity. They were nowhere to be found.

This article is being written on August 9th of 2011, and as of approximately less than a month ago the NTRA released a website promoting the rivalry. I again give a great deal of credit to Bob Ehalt a writer at NTRA who has kept the rivalry on the front page of that website as much as possible, but in viewing the website created for the rivalry, I wonder if there wasn’t a more professional way to put this together, this showcase of the top two runners in America. Is this missed opportunity instead of forward or innovative thinking?

As a lover of the sport of Kings, myself like many others only want what’s best for the game and for the industry as a whole. The problem we are faced with right now is not an insurmountable one; it’s one that needs fixing by means of some shake up at the core or foundation of the entities that govern the sport. As of right now they are doing so in a very passive manner, the sport should have new blood willing to take chances, yes mistakes might be made, but that is going to be considered better than not doing anything at all. Promote big days of racing, and I am referring to more than just the “Summers’ at Saratoga” campaign, although a wonderful program, there are times when racing dates like this just don’t fit the regular mold of what one would consider a marketing bonanza. These two fillies Havre De Grace and Blind Luck, they are your marketing bonanza, there for the older and more experienced race fans, they are there for the young fans or newbies if you will and they are there for the ladies to latch onto, and be diehard fans of both. I would hope that we see change in the future so that the game can progress by means of innovative, forward planning and thinking, why, so that main stream America can know exactly who these superstars on the race track are and therefore giving the game the chance to not only be known as the “sport of kings” but the “Sport of the people”.

Statement on the passing of Jess Jackson

Reading the words "Jess Jackson dead at 81" stopped me in my tracks this morning. As a huge fan of his race horses, his attitude towards the game and the ambitiousness he showed in campaigning his horses to be the best horses on the planet, it hurt to consider the fact that he is no longer with us.  My thoughts, very selfish indeed, at first then were diverted to his family, Barbara Banke, his children, friends and acquaintances who knew this man all are in pain due to his passing. Jess Jackson campaigned 2-time Horse of the Year Curlin, and the 2009, 3-year old filly champion and Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra.  Many questioned his decisions, but Jackson always put the welfare of his horses and the fans first. Allowing fans at numerous venues to see his horses up front, taking on challenges that included running his horses on turf, and synthetics that they were not accustomed to and even taking Curlin to Dubai, this showed him to be a true sportsman.  Taking chances, and enjoying watching his horses develop into champions.  This attitude towards competition will be missed.

Rest In Peace Mr. Jess Jackson:

                My sincerest condolences go out to Barbara Banke, the rest of the Jackson StoneStreet family, friends and employees of this great man.  From the very beginning Mr. Jackson was a throwback to the old school owners that said: “My horse is faster than yours”.  The confidence he showed in campaigning his charges to be a champion race horse no matter the gender is something that will never be forgotten and will go down in Horse Racing lore.  Imagine a filly taking on males 3 times during the sophomore season. Imagine an owner allowing the fans to vote on the next start for his horse, imagine the owner of a Horse Of the Year bringing the horse back for another year.  These things are unfounded, but the norm for such an ambitious, courageous man, who by means of his stature brought fans back to the game like we’ve never seen before.  As a horse racing fan, and as a human being, I am very saddened to hear of Mr. Jackson’s passing.  And more importantly as a family man, prayers go out to his family due to grieving his passing.  You’re sportsmanship and ambitiousness will be sorely missed Mr. Jackson. Rest  In Peace.

John Sheriffs points fingers - but who are "THEY"

John Sheriffs finally sat down and took questions from a group of reporters at a media room at Keeneland race course, I wanted to take a moment to focus on a couple of questions and answers that he gave regarding his horse and decisions that were made with regards to her career and campaign.

On Zenyatta’s 2010 campaign, which was different than the one the Mosses talked about when they decided to keep her in training: “I think (the Mosses’ comments) were a little bit misinterpreted because we race in California, which is on the other side of the Rockies. So it’s a little different shipping around California than it is on the East Coast. We wanted to have the opportunity to let other people see her; which was obviously one of the reasons we went to Oaklawn Park with her. But when you have to decide where to go again, it’s tough to turn down a grade I race and take her somewhere else when California supports her and stables her and takes care of her.”

On whether he had second thoughts at scratching her from the Louisville Distaff (gr. II) last year at Churchill because of rain: “No, I didn’t have any second thoughts. It was a tough decision to make. I didn’t feel I should make the decision on my own. So at 10 o’clock that morning I went out there myself and I said if they open the track just a little bit I’d run her. But they went out and left it sealed and I didn’t know if they were exactly concerned about the horses because they just wanted to make sure the track is fast. All they had to do was just run the harrows over it a little bit to let a little air in it and I would have run her.”
It is amazing to see this man take a shot at Churchill downs like that, I believe this is classless and bush league in the best sense of the word. There are a number of trainers out there that if they had made this observation would have been berated, but i've seen people on blogs and message boards look at this comment and make statements like they respect him even more. To imply that the track is not looking out for the best interest of the horse, and those connections that ran their horses on the sealed track were not looking out for the best interest of their horse is a real slap in the face, but what seemingly is an immature person.

Let me say this, Mr. Sheriffs mentions they, and unfortunately there is a "They" that people should be pointing fingers at and the they would be the connections of this mare, viewed as overrated by many, and the second coming of Secretariat by others, the problem though is that not many people know of her, and even less care about her or horse racing or anything going on with or affiliated with the sport. Her connections are Cowards, and with the cowardice campaigning of the mare, put themselves and the industry as you say in this position. She had a chance to be main stream by racing against Rachel but they ran from Rachel in 2009 like the plague. In June on the day of the Mother Goose Moss was quoted as saying they were shipping Zenyatta east, unfortunately after seeing Rachel demolish that field in record fashion twice over, Moss ducked tail and decided the very next day to announce that they would stay in Cali. Her fans, her detractors, the media, everyone begged and pleaded with Mr. Moss to ship her to run in venues that would allow others to see her, they passed on races at Saratoga, Belmont, Monmouth, & Churchill and also turned down an invitation to go run on her favorite synthetic surface in Dubai. So the "They" would be Jerry Moss and John Sheriffs that caused this "Missed Opportunity". Listen carefully, "It was more important to the connections of this great mare to chase Pepper's Pride's win streak record" that is and was the one and only motivation when she hit 12 or 13 wins. HOY was secondary, they in 08 and 09 begged for the award but didn't deserve it by means of the campaign, and in 2010 have done the same thing, run an allowance quality campaign, and then stand in front of the media and say no matter what she should get HOY for her career accomplishments. Sad, and lacking of class in the worst way, taking shots at Churchill downs management and track staff because they wouldn't follow Sheriffs directions about how to deal with their track. Classless. And let me also chime in "Kudos" to the management or whomever it was that Sheriffs called at NYRA and asked about the stall application process, from what I hear he was advised that the application was online, to download and print it and mail it in. Wonderful to hear, the West Coast Hype horse and her connections want preferential treatment at all times, and have done nothing for the industry, or east coast racing. Moss has turned his nose and flipped the one finger salute to everything going on east of the Mississippi, therefore let the same thing occur when you want to be treated like you are better than everyone else. You can't ship your horse why, well one day you make a statement that Zenyatta ships perfectly, but when a race comes up that she can run in the excuse is that she gets dehydrated when she ships. WOW really now.

The only "They" that needs to be blamed is Moss and Sheriffs, they ducked and dodged races that would have put her on the map nationally. If they had run in races worthy of national attention maybe the viewing of the BC in 09 wouldn't have been an all time low of a .68 share, now compare that to the 17 share for the Preakness Rachel won. Pathetic, but they brought it upon themselves, remember the quotes earlier this year "we cant fly over the rockies, we can't climb the highest mountain, we have to play at home once in a while, and the best of all, she has nothing left to prove." I guess racing at home 17/19 times was once in a while and they went overboard with it, that's why again people in other parts of the country don't know her and really don't care. Mr. Moss and Mr. Sheriffs You, and you alone are the "Theys", maybe you should have shown faith and confidence in your great horse, enough to allow her the opportunity to prove herself from January - October, or maybe you shouldnt have ducked races at her preferred distance run on the same day as a race you entered her in that was very much shorter than her best trip, or maybe you'll learn from all your mistakes with your next big horse, and maybe one day actually be deserving of Horse of the Year and not have to beg for it. :)

Rachel, The Breeders Cup, Zenyatta and East & West Coast Peace

We only have a month left in this racing season that means something, yes the clark is later in the year but who really cares about that. Some people are objective and real lovers of the game of horse racing and the athletes that provide us the thrills that we see all year long and certainly what we'll see in November.
I for one will be there in my Rachel gear, but rooting on all of my Favs, Looking at Lucky, Quality Road, Blame, and yes although she's not my absolute fav horse, Zenyatta, because they will be doing what they love most and thats running. If Zenyatta wins there will be debate, if she loses there will be debate. I have been sucked into the constant bickering and going back and forth about the two great horses, both with different owners, both campaigned quite differently, but the major problem is that they never met, which honestly bodes well or better for both sides, no one has the upper hand in an one on one meeting.
Some say Raitch would have won, Some say Zen would have won, no one knows that.
We do know for a fact Raitch is the 2009 HOY, we know that Zen is undefeated, we know they both have beaten the best males of their generation that were running at some point.
What we need to do now is take a step back, be objective about one thing, thats the next few weeks and hoping that everyone is able to come out of their works and their travels to Kentucky Safely. All the rest of it doesnt matter at this point. When they turn for home I will root for my favs, but I'll also root for Zen to do something historic, because I like to be present during history making events. Thats why i was there for the Woodward, because that was history, I will be there on BC day both days to witness the coronation of a worthy BC Classic winner, not on a false questioned surface that has been down for 5 years or less, but on a legit surface that plays to all of the horses strengths, QR's Speed and pure brilliance, Looking at Lucky's pure grit determination and brilliance, Blames strong closing kick and brilliance, and Zen's even stronger closing kick and Brilliance from probably even further back.
Nothing that happens now or happened this year could change the love and admiration that I feel towards Rachel Alexandra, Nothing that can or does happen can change the respect that I have and we should all have towards the undefeated record of Zenyatta, who has defeated every horse that her connections has entered her to run against. Could that route have been different, yes certainly, thats not for debate because no one but Jerry Moss wrote that 60,000 check to pay for a mare that has skin issues that no one else seemed to want.
Loving horse racing is about the horse, not who is right and wrong, or better at handicapping, no one cares about that because no one affects the amount of money going in the others bank accts, but what we can agree on is that the BC is going to be an exciting event, one that will be remembered for a very long time for a strong field of competitors from the first gate break to the hitting of the wire in the Classic. There will be some history made, some horses going for history and some horses looking to make a name. Instead of bickering and arguing and making up stories and scenerios, lets now focus on the positives, Zen still running, Blame still running, QR and L@L still running, Goldikova coming, and possibly Work Force, lets embrace these things as a horse racing world and forget the East Coast West Coast battles and wars for a while and enjoy our favs, root for them and be respectful of horse, connections and ever horse racing lover, and try to find a way to enjoy and relish every moment that we have left in 2010, right around the corner we'll have a major lull with No grade 1 races or anything of mention going on.
I hope we can find a way to turn the page and go forward.
Just some things to ponder.

Zenyatta Overrated, Watch this Video

http://www.youtube.com/v/qGlrdnD_A0A?fs=1&hl=en_US

I happen to agree, I hate to say it but it is what it is. Listen to this guy and let me know what you think.

If you'll recall i posted an article back in Nov 08. Please re read the article

Does the level of competition have an effect on Horse of the Year voting?

There has been a great deal of debate about the level of competition that both Horse of the Year candidates faced. The body of work is very important when trying to understand the criteria that a voter should use to place a vote for Horse of the Year. Lets Break down the level of competition for each of the candidates: Zenyatta raced 7 times this year. 3 times in Grade 2 races, and 4 times in Grade 1 level races. In the El Elcino Stakes, a Grade 2 race, she faced 1 Grade 1 horse, Tough Tiz’s Sis. The rest of the field was made up of Romance is Diane, Dawn after Dawn, Indescribable, and Fleet Caroline. In the Apple Blossom she faced 1 Grade 1 horse, Ginger Punch. The rest of the field was made up of Brownie Points, Lemon Drop Mom, Clever Strike, and Kettleoneup. In the Milady H, Zenyatta raced against Santa Teresita, Kris’ Sis, Romance is Diane & Double Trouble. In this Grade 2 race there were no grade 1 stakes winners. In the Vanity H, she faced 1 Grade 1 horse again in Tough Tiz’s Sis. The rest of the field was made up of Silver Swallow Silver Z, Sealy Hill, Fleetheart and andmoreagain. In the Clement L. Hirsch Zenyatta faced 1 Grade 1 winner again in Tough Tiz’s Sis. The rest of the field was made up of Model, Romance is Diane West Coast Swing, Silver Swallow, Silver Z, and Dawn after Dawn. In the Lady’s Secret, Zenyatta faced 1 Grade 1 winner in Hystericalady. The rest of the field included Santa Teresita and Super Freaky. And in the Ladies Classic, Zenyatta faced 5 Grade 1 winners, Cocoa Beach, Music Note, Carriage Trail, Hystericalady and Ginger Punch. The rest of the field included Santa Teresita and Bear now. So in 7 races Zenyatta faced 37 other mares of which 6 were grade 1 winners. Curlin raced 7 times this year. 6 Times in Grade 1 level races. In the Jaguar Trophy he faced no grade 1 winners. In the Dubai World Cup Curlin faced 5 Grade 1 winners in Great Hunter, Happy Boy, Premium Tap, Vermillion and Well Armed. The rest of the field included Gloria De Campeao, Sway Yed, Lucky Find, Jalil and Kocab. In the Stephen Foster Curlin faced 2 Grade 1 winners in Einstein and Brass Hat. The rest of the field included Barcola, Grasshopper, Jonesboro, Delightful Kiss, Sam P High Blues and Red Rock Creek. In the Man O’ War Curlin faced 3 Grade 1 winners in Red Rocks, Better Talk Now and Grand Couturier. The other starters were Mission Approved, True Cause, and Sudan. In the Woodward Curlin faced 1 Grade 1 winner in Divine Park, the rest of the field included Past the Point, Wandering Boy, A.P.Arrow, Loose Leaf, and Out of Control. In the JCGC he faced no Grade 1 winners in a field that included 7 others. And in the B.C. Classic Curlin faced 7 Grade 1 winners. The other starters were Smooth Air, Fairbanks and Casino Drive. Curlin faced 55 horses this year of which 18 of these horses were Grade 1 quality. So to keep it quite short, if the body of work does have anything to do with Horse of the year voting and I believe it does this category goes directly to Curlin, hands down, he faced far better competition. Just a point to keep in mind.

Goldikova Loses, Yet more impressive than "ANY" Zenyatta Win

In all seriousness, as a true fan of horse racing, and a fan of watching a true champion give effort in a race, having to watch Goldikova lose her race today at Deauville was very conflicting. You never want to see a champion lose a race, but when that champion faces the best there is to offer after running in a supremely impressive and competitive campaign thus far, you have to smile and think to yourself, “This is what defines a Champion race horse”, not a race mare, but a race horse.

Goldikova came into this race on August 15th, with a pretty quick turnaround from her last race which she ran on August 1st. Fact is Goldikova was up against it today, and I am sure this caused her connections to think twice about running, but when you are confident in your charge, in the fact that she is a champion proven over and over again there was no doubt that she would represent herself well. In this race she was up against it on a number of different accounts, the going was softer than she prefers, one of her competitors was very fresh, and she was coming back off less than 2 weeks rest. All of these things makes her performance so spectacular, hitting the top of the stretch Goldikova’s normal acceleration didn’t show up in all its regular routine glory, she quickened but it just wasn’t the Goldi we were or are used to, Makfi & Paco Boy both went by the mare, who decided at that time to really show her championship resolve, beaten and with every right to slow down, what did Goldi do, she quickened again, made up ground on Paco Boy and ran a fabulous final furlong to nab 2nd place.Yes Makfi was the best horse on the day, the connections made no excuses, as classy connections don’t, but although disappointed, Goldikova fans have even more reason to love this mare ever more.

Watching her get passed in the stretch is not something that many of us are accustomed to seeing, a normal horse, even a very good horse would usually take that last 1/8th of a mile easy, but Goldikova dug deep and put forth the effort needed to get her second place finish. This is what makes and defines a champion, facing a number of Group 1 or Grade 1 winners, and giving her “ALL” in a race defines what a champion race horse is. Her connections don’t duck competition and place her in filly and mare events. They don’t take on horses that previously ran in the optional claimer ranks, grade III allowance races, to be assured of an easy win “with her ears pricked” this is not what her connections want to see as they are true sports man, they help to define what championship horse racing is.Sadly on our west coast we have a horse that is undefeated with plenty of *** by the name of that horse, plenty of debate about even how “good” the horse really is considering the path of the absolute least resistance that her connections are consistently pointing her to. This mare has not in her career faced the adversity that Goldi faced in just this one race. Never ran on a off surface that she didn’t prefer due to weather conditions, never faced a competitor at the Grade 1 level that had an obvious advantage of being a fresher horse, and NEVER EVER would this mare be run back in less than a 30 day span.What are we to take away from this. There is a vast difference in the two mares and how they are campaigned? One horse is a “Proven” consistently beating grade or group 1 horses in grade or group 1 company or competition. Never ducking and never scratching due to rain, a horse that doesn’t run to the filly and mare division to hide from competition in the majority of her races. These traits can be attributed to the connections yes. But there is a huge difference in what the fans of these two mares can say.

For Goldi, there should be no doubters or people questioning her campaign, for the other mare, the questions will persist basically forever. How good could she have been if tested during the season of racing alas just 1 race? That does not a champion prove, imagine Goldi taking on fillies and mares all year long and coming over and winning the BC, people would say it’s unfair due to the fact that she was so much better than her division and should have stepped up. Does this sound familiar, no hatred towards either horse or any horse for that matter, but the connections are who cripple the horse, I am sure if they could speak they would say, let me run against the best, the *** are not what they would want to see by their race names, they are thoroughbreds and competitive. It’s very sad that an undefeated record could ruin the state of competition during the season of horse racing and try to elevate the BC to status that is undeserving.Let me end by saying that I applaud the connections of Rail Trip, Looking At Lucky, Blind Luck and others that have come East to run in races that are nationally significant. Kudos to the connections of Quality Road and Blame, Devil May Care and Blind Luck Again. But also double kudos to the connections of Blind Luck, shipping her for the 4th time this year for the Alabama to have a face off of the monsters in the 3yr old filly and mare division. Coming to Arkansas, Kentucky, Delaware and now New York, shows you that any excuses that other connections make are futile. Excuses like the horse doesn’t ship well, the Rocky Mountains are too high, the horse lost weight last time he or she shipped, all of these are embarrassing.
All horses’ ship and all horses are affected in one way or another, some more than others, therefore you allow the horse to acclimate to these issues. First and foremost though it helps to not be so conservative with the horse in the first place to never ship the horse out of its home state for the first two years of its career. Again it is sad that the horse will always be questioned no matter the results of the BCClassic. Another year of soft cream puff competition to come into 1 race the freshest is something that we call “Cowardice”. I implore the connections in the industry going forward to keep the BC in perspective, yes it’s wonderful to win the big race but there are other big races that take place at the Grade 1 level each year nationally.

It is official, Rachel to try 10 Panels in the Aug 29th, Personal Ensign

Jess Jackson co owner of the four year old Rachel Alexandra has confirmed that the 2009 Horse of the Year and winner of the prestegious Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course will contest the 1 1/4 mile Personal Ensign.

Jackson said in a press release that: "Rachel feels very much at home amoung the great Saratoga fans, its a historic race, named after a great champion. The timing is right for Rachel. She's been coming back into her stride and this will help her prepare for the rest of her campaign and the Breeders' Cup later this year."

Rachel will be making her first start at 1 1/4 miles in the Personal Ensign. The longest race Rachel Alexandra most recently competed in was the 1 3/16 mile BlackBerry Preakness Stakes, which she won by 1 length. She will be returning to the scene of her season ending triumph over older males in the Woodward Stakes last September.

*As reported by Thoroughbredtimes*

Rachel has Rolled into Monmouth Park

Following an early morning departure from Saratoga, Rachel Alexandra arrived by van at around 9 a.m. Tuesday at Monmouth Park, where she is to run in Saturday's $400,000 Lady's Secret Stakes.
Trainer Steve Asmussen, who was at Saratoga Tuesday, said he is following the "same routine" he used last summer when Rachel Alexandra won the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth. She had her final workout at Saratoga before shipping to Monmouth. On Monday, Rachel Alexandra breezed four furlongs in 49.60 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.
"She left on Tuesday after her work on Monday, it worked out for her really well," said Asmussen, who plans to leave for Monmouth following Friday's opening-day card at the Spa.
Rachel Alexandra was accompanied by assistant trainer Scott Blasi, who said the reigning Horse of the Year shipped in fine.
Asmussen said Rachel Alexandra would school in the Monmouth Park paddock sometime during Friday's races.
Post positions for the Lady's Secret will be drawn on Wednesday. A field of five or six is expected.

2010 Apple Blossom Invitational

Its is somewhat official that Oaklawn Park has been able to put together a match up pitting the 2009 Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra and the 2009 Champion Older Mare and undefeated Zenyatta in the 2010 edition of the Apple Blossom Invitational.

Charles Cella the President of Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, AR has verified that the connections of both mares have confirmed that they will meet for the first time on April 9th. The purse for the race has been increased from $500,000 to $5,000,000, and the length of the race has been increased from 1 1/16th mile to 1 1/8th mile.

The race was previously set up to be run on its original date of April 3rd, but the connections of Rachel Alexandra did not feel comfortable bringing her back with 3 weeks rest after her first races of the year. We have now received confirmation that Rachel Alexandra will make her 4 year old debut in the March 13th New Orleans Ladies at the Fairgrounds Race course in New Orleans Louisiana. The New Orleans Ladies is for fillies and mares at 1 1/16th on the main track.

The major question I have is why is Jackson allowing her to prep in a race that is non-graded and Zenyatta will race in a Grade 1 as her prep. Not the best decision in my opinion, as the Azeri at Oaklawn would be the perfect prep for her at Oaklawn and a Grade III event.

But as long as they make it to the starting gate together on April 9th, none of that makes any matter. Stay tuned for more updates in the future.

2010 Could we see a Rachel vs Zenyatta matchup after all?

2010 could be a year that we wont soon forget. As reported by the Daily Racing Form, Zenyatta has had three recorded workouts since her win in the Breeders Cup Classic, her owner Jerry Moss was asked about her status and would not go on record as saying that she was officially retired at this moment.

Where could the two Horse of the Year candidates possibly meet, in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This could be exciting folks. Stay tuned.

Saying farewell to an historic 2009, and Hello to what could be in 2010

Saying farewell to an historic 2009, and Hello to what could be in 2010

By: Wesley D. White

What could you say about the year in horse racing that we have seen in 2009, from top to bottom, from the beginning to the end, we have seen some performances and some yearlong achievements that are second to none in this truly magnificent sport. First let me start by saying that in this post I will not weigh in on the HOY debate, as I do not have a vote and even if I did have a vote it would be a vote that I made privately due to the incredibly intense nature of the HOY voting between the horses that are in contention for this honor. Next let me say to the connections of the winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic, congratulations are in order, the owners stepped up on this championship day venue and placed their horses in ambitious spots and were rewarded with the types of races that will not soon be forgotten. Special kudos goes out to Zenyatta and Life is Sweet for putting on an absolute show, and putting their names down in the history books. Never to be forgotten are the trainer, John Sheriffs, and the Jockeys, Mike Smith & Garrett Gomez for great rides on both of these mares. The classic victory by Zenyatta is one for the ages, to beat the boys the way she did it was a remarkable feat and it really showed how classy a lady she really is.

Next let me say to the connections of Rachel Alexandra her owner, trainer and jockey. Thank You, Thank you for again for the 3^rd year in a row allowing your horse to prove its mettle on the track and not just once, but over and over again. In this age of paper races and imaginary fictitious races, I have to say that I am utterly impressed with the way that Mr. Jess Jackson handles his horses. He doesn’t allow his horses to be handled with the proverbial kid gloves, Mr. Jackson could have plotted out a course similar to that of other fillies and mares that run, and placed Rachel strategically in races like the Mother Goose, Alabama, Coaching Club American, Personal Ensign and then the Beldame, but that would have been boring, it would have been nice to see that she could beat the same fillies over and over and over again, but unless one of the fillies were to jump up and beat her and the type of rivalry developed that we had between Proud Spell and Music Note, Jackson would have been criticized for continuing to run in the same boring races throughout the year. Instead he took chances, he took chances that have never been taken before, and had the sense to realize that due to the fact that the filly had been running since February it was important to stop on her. Looking back at the last 12 months for Rachel running 10 times during that time took its toll and would have taken its toll on any horse male or female. I understand that some feel that he should have just continued to run her into the ground by going to the Breeders Cup. But the truth is extending her season another 2 months would have most likely been detrimental to her health. I enjoy that Jess Jackson challenges his horses I can only compare his sporting actions to those of the Europeans who run their fillies and mares against top tier male competition all year long. This is not seen in the U.S. as the many grade 1 races out there allow for the connections to pick and choose the easiest spots or the path of least resistance. Sad but true, and then at the end of the year there is a big push and marketing scheme by the connections and race tracks to lobby for these Eclipse votes. That does not impress and unfortunately leads to an award becoming political. So to the connections out there with competitive horses, please follow the lead of people like Rick Porter the Owner of Fox Hill Farm, Jess Jackson of Stone Street Stables, these men realize that a champion is made on the track, all year long, not by means of a piece of paper or an award.

Let’s not forget the other spectacular performances that we saw that day from Goldikova, Conduit, and Informed decision. First when you think about Goldikova and how this mare is being compared to Miesque, it really gives you an indication that she is something truly special, the way that she wins her races is something that leaves you astonished, because her closing kick is something we’ve not seen in quite a while, now I say that keeping in mind that I am not taking Zarkava into consideration. The reason well because we didn’t see Zarkava up front and personal; in my humble opinion, and I’ll only weigh in on this because for some reason in the horse racing circles, every horse that comes along and is undefeated or very impressive has to be compared to horses of the past. The problem I have with that is with regards to the fact that the respect that Zarkava was given was short lived. The very next year across the pond a colt by the name of Sea of Stars comes along and wins a number of Group 1 events and all of a sudden he is compared to the best, not the best in the last couple of years but the best ever. Now I watched both of these horses win the event, both Zarkava and Sea of Stars, but there is one difference, Zarkava brought such electricity to the race that I was up early watching the running of the race, bright eyed and bushy tailed, this year not so much, I watched the race hours later on YouTube. A filly running by colts from the back of the pack, a filly who faltered in the gate and broke extremely slow, a filly who because of the break was shuffled back to last at the start of the race and was pinned down on the rail the whole time and had to make an amazing run within the last 2 furlongs to win the race comfortably. There is not any amount of words that you can use to describe Zarkava, I for one wish that the Aga Khan would send her to Santa Anita last year. The problem again though is that the way that the Breeders Cup is view by the Europeans, they view the B.C. as second rate or lower tier. They feel that American horses do not deserve to be on the same turf as their horses. And they prove that every year by skipping the Breeders Cup.

Going back and considering the number of stellar performances by the fillies and mares that raced this year, what can you say? Rachel Alexandra, Ventura, Zenyatta, Goldikova, and now to hear that Vodka beat the boys in the Japan Cup. It really shows that there are some outstanding females out there showing they are champion caliber on the track. The connections again are to be applauded for allowing these ladies to do what they love to do most. Whenever these connections have stepped up and thought outside the box they did so with fillies and mares that were able to handle the stresses of facing males but doing so without putting them in races that might take too much out of them. No one wants to see a repeat of the Rags to Riches saga. Her performance against Curlin on Belmont day in 07 was magnificent, but if Pletcher could go back and see what that 12 furlongs took out of Rags to Riches and the rest of her career, maybe, just maybe he makes a different decision about that race. You do not want to put a horse’s career on the line to win or run in one race.

Let’s not forget the performances of the Birds, both Mine that Bird and Summer Bird did some things that will not be soon forgotten. Mine that Bird skimming the rail with Calvin Borel up is one of the most exciting memories to take from 2009. Going into the race no one even knew of the horse, but afterwards he would always be known as a champion, a champion of the Kentucky Derby, a gutsy little colt that reminds me so much of Afleet Alex by stature the way that he accelerates in the final 3/16^th of the race is truly amazing. There were some questionable decisions made by the connections but we all know that Chip Woolley and the owners were doing so in the best interest of the horse. Here’s hoping for a wonderful 2010 season for this little guy. As for Summer Bird he is a big, robust son of Birdstone who has all the talent in the world, when you think about how this guy was ridden early in his career coming from way off the pace because that’s what his father did, and then later in the year being so much closer to the pace, that is extraordinary. You don’t see changes made like that often and certainly not mid season, after a 3^rd place finish in the Arkansas Derby, Summer Bird went on the Win the Belmont, Travers & Jockey Club Gold Cup. This is a stellar resume and I would be quick to say that in many other years Summer Bird and his connections could be looking at HOY honors. Incredibly this year he has been trumped the Ladies. I was saddened to hear that Summer Bird injured himself while training for the Japan Dirt Cup, there are a lot of ways to view this injury, it is possible that he may have injured himself during the running of the Breeders Cup and the injury didn’t show up until now, he may be injured due to a long campaign and it is just now taking its toll. Most important though is that he is able to have successful surgery and enjoy a normal life, I know the owners are stating that he might run again, but that is not going to be the focus going forward. The focus going forward should be on him being able to be comfortable and rehabbing for whatever lies in front of him.

We are led into 2010 with so much anticipation and so much eagerness to get things started. We would be wise to temper our keenness due to the fact that it is possible we may never see another year like 2009 again. The Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown hype has already begun, with horses like Buddy’s Saint, and Super Saver winning big races, Vale of York and Looking at Lucky and of course one of my favorites Dublin. This is one intriguing horse going forward to 2010, while at Saratoga for the Woodward I caught up with D.Wayne Lukas, we talked for a few moments about Dublin and where he intended to winter the horse, and it looks as if he will be coming through Arkansas to achieve his major goals. I would anticipate a run in the Southwest, the Rebel and the Arkansas Derby is all goes well with him. He seems to be a big horse that has not quite grown into his body, I believe the next time we see this big fella he will be more filled out, and much bigger.

The Oaklawn meet is coming upon us pretty quickly and with the quality of horses that are wintering at Fairgrounds those of us close to Oaklawn feel that there could be some incredibly important graded stakes races run during the 56 day meet. The Apple Blossom could potentially include a horse that we all want to know where she will run next, Rachel Alexandra. With Jess Jackson doing the smart thing an allowing her plenty of time off to rest, she is being pointed towards a return in March or April of ’10 and that could possibly mean a run at the Grade 1 Apple Blossom. With the hopeful return of Summer Bird who could run in the Oaklawn Handicap, that leaves the imagination running wild about what we could potentially see that day at Oaklawn, maybe a record crowd of upwards of 80,000. I am excited about the prospect, and to hear that the Arkansas Derby has been upgraded like it rightfully should have been years ago to Grade 1 status.

2009 will go down as one of the most exciting and thrilling years in the history of horse racing, but we need to move forward and look optimistically to 2010 to solidify the game of horse racing, it needs new fans and a new following to be able to get back to the status it had in its glory years. We are now in the age of what have you done for me lately, and what we have lately is an impressive product, one that the ntra and other bodies needs to make sure stays in a positive light. The safety of the equine athletes is most important, the measures being taken to verify that the tracks are in the best shape possible are important in this regard. I will say this Horse Racing is here to stay, the product that is being put out on the track right now is impressive and people are coming back to the sport, we need to keep it that way and continue to enjoy the beauty of these magnificent creatures and the joy they bring to us as they do what they love to do most and that’s “Run like the wind”.

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WoodWard Weekend Part II

WoodWard Weekend Part II
As I made my way to my seat, I began to realize where I really was again; I had just walked into the historic Saratoga Racecourse, the “Graveyard of Champions”. Thinking back on some of the most memorable performances that I can recall made me very aware of why this track is so historic. Thinking back to the 2008 Travers Stakes, and the incredible stretch drive when Colonel John and Mambo In Seattle hooked up. The 2008 Woodward as Curlin ran down Past the Point, and the most thrilling race to date that I’ve seen was the Alabama as Proud Spell and Music Note hooked up in this 1 ¼ mile classic distance event. The race set up perfectly for both fillies as Proud Spell sat stalking and Music Note was allowed to sit back in a closing position, as they turned for home they locked horns and ran together the length of the stretch, with Proud Spell winning by a head over Music Notes. These are the things I remember and passing through the gates of Saratoga the historic impact hit me like a ton of bricks.
Florence Griffith Joyner, Veronica Campbell, Dannica Patrick, these women are considered the speedsters of the world. Only one though has put herself in a position where she would face her male counter parts on a regular basis, the feat that Jess Jackson is going to ask his filly to accomplish today is something not unprecedented but it has not been accomplished in the history of horse racing. Seeing the horses come out for the first race was an incredible thing to see. The horses prancing around in the paddock, and the thought in the back of my head that Rachel Alexandra was back in her stall, most likely about to be awakened to get ready for her run with destiny. The first race was won by a horse with a fitting name, Starforaday, it was a nice ride by Rajiv Maragh that got Starforaday up for the win in the Starter Handicap.
The 4th race was one to focus on due to a horse that I was told would run well named Mother Russia, looking at my program and having my buddy pick out some horses was fun, he missed the superfecta by 1 horse in the first race. Beginner’s luck is something that is so amazing in horse racing. It was great to talk to the guys from trackchampion.com, they were very much handicappers and serious handicappers. We talked about every subject under the sun, Ruffian, Barclay Tagg and his comments about Rachel A, Todd Pletcher and his running of horses into the ground. We even spoke of Quality Roads run in the sloppy Travers and how Zenyatta would fare if she were running at Saratoga. The next few races are a blur due to the time spent walking around the grounds and taking in the scenery and also waiting to see the running of the 7th race. Mr. Rick Porter the owner of Fox Hill Farm has a horse running in this race. His name is Gun Rock and you can believe that this horse will be ready to go; the Fox Hill Farm horses don’t just go out on the track for a workout. Fox Hill Farm horses are quality horses and win a large number of races. Gun Rock does his job for Mr. Porter today and wins the 7th race, I picked the superfecta in the 7th race, not the largest payout but it was a nice confidence builder.
The 8th race came and went, and I was looking forward to the running of the Forego Stakes, another of Fox Hill Farm horses is running in this race, Kodiak Kowboy is a nice sprinter, a horse that doesn’t need to go to the front like the majority of the sprinters that you find out there today, Kodiak allows them to go out and fight each other through testing fractions and then pick up the pieces. Gabriel Saez is the jockey up, the first call for Larry Jones, and speaking of Jones, he is in the process of moving his horses to other barns. This is a very difficult time for all involved to see Mr. Jones step away from the game. Kodiak Kowboy starts slowly today, a bit slower than normal, he’s covered up through the first ½ mile and then he is presented by Saez, he makes a nice run but is beaten today by Pyro. Pyro, wow does anyone remember Pyro, the horse with the extremely quick turn of foot that we saw down at the Fairgrounds in Louisiana. Yes that same Pyro, came charging off the turn, and when he turned it on he was able to out quick Kodiak Kowboy to the wire, he wins by a ½ length. Nice run by the son of Pulpit as he has come back from being given time off to impress.
Rachel the RockStar – Believe me when I say that I’ve seen my fair share of impressive horses, I have seen the likes of Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, Lawyer Ron, Borrego, Curlin, Eight Belles, Proud Spell, Flower Alley, Invasor, Bernardini, and others. I have seen how the crowds react and respond to horses of this nature, Grade 1 winner, impressive horses that prove themselves over and over again. Some of these horses could be considered rock stars on a small level, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw as the 9th race ended and the 10th race was preparing to begin. The crowd begins to swell and I am thankful that I am able to be on a rail or gate which leads the horses down the path and to the paddock and walking ring. One by One, they are led down the path, Da’ Tara, Cool Coal Man, Bullsbay, Asiatic Boy, It’s a Bird, Past the Point, Macho Again, and then someone yells, “There she is, Here she comes” and then there is the first moment we’ve all been waiting for. In her usual casual yet very professional style, Rachel Alexandra led by Scott Blasi is led down the path past thousands, and I literally mean thousands of her adoring fans. She’s used to this and its nothing new to her. But it was new to all of us to see a horse that has taken the heart of horse racing and to allow her connections to place that heart directly on her back and say no matter what I am going to impress and I am going to be a champion of champions no matter what Is thrown in front of me.
The Post parade – What a site to see the horses led out to the track and the look of confidence on Calvin Borel’s face, the thought raced through my mind as I made my way back to my seat that we could see a number of different things but the way I approached the race was the same as every race that Curlin ran in. I wanted to see my favorite break well, be allowed to stretch her legs a bit early and get a clear run down the stretch. There was worry in the crowd about race riding and these big boys boxing her in, but my thought was you can’t box what you can’t find. The question is how fast would the early fractions be and how much would that take out of her closing punch, or would Borel want to take a chance and allow her to rate. Its been playing over in my head for days after the post positions were announced. We will see how it plays out and then I hear a gasp from the crowd and Tom Durkin says: “Oh Rachel Alexandra has thrown Calvin Borel off, many thoughts ran through my mind, was she loose how far did she run off or was she the Rachel that I know and did she just stand there and wait for Calvin to climb back into the irons. It’s a great thing that she is as professional as she is because she just stood there and waited for Calvin.
One disaster averted – Calvin Borel is back aboard his filly, she looks like she’s calmed down and is collected again, such a beautiful athlete she is lean but powerful and she is on her toes and she’s ready to go, I am very calm and focused and anticipating the break and now they are finally loaded in the gate.

The race call: Say’s Tom Durkin: “Andddddddddddddddd they’re Off”, good, good I think to myself she didn’t bobble out of the gates like Rags to Riches, she didn’t stand there like I want Revenge, and she got a nice even start, Past the Point wants to do it on the lead again huh, oh wait there is Da’ Tara also, Darn that Nick Zito, his rabbits are in there to do a job, I wonder where Cool Coal Man is, I am sure I’ll hear about him on the lead at some point right. Around the first turn, did Durkin say “Duel” that’s not what I want I want to see her sit second and get that outside 3 wide spot but, yep there he is Cool Coal Man, who would have guessed that. It’s a bird, Bullsbay and Macho Again back there waiting, bidding their time to make a run at the filly, what is that first quarter up in.
The First Quarter went up in, OMG, are you serious, 22 4/5, I put my hands on my head and I think to myself this is what her detractors wanted to see, Rachel on the front being pressed against older horses and folding late, there were smiles im sure by some, but the majority of us in attendance there were some frustrated people. People watching a filly be asked to run the first quarter mile faster than most horses will ever run a ¼ mile in their careers. Now here are my thoughts as they are going down the back stretch, she just put up a 22.85 with pressure the whole way, I see Calvin keep his wits about him, I also see her ears are pricked and she’s going along without effort, not stressing at all, fast enough naturally to put up a first quarter in 22 and change but this tactic is going to play into the boys hands if we don’t slow the pace down some. Now a breather to most horses is a: 24 4/5 or: 25 2/5 quarter mile, but to a horse with the talent of Rachel, I knew that she would get the breather she needed with a flat :24 and that’s what Calvin needed to do, take a slight hold, not cut off her air, but try to nurse out a couple of :24 second quarter mile splits. Da’ Tara still there with her and Past The Point looks like he’s gotten a second quarter breather he’s 1 ½ lengths off her and Cool Coal Man is still there. The next quarter mile split is up, “Yes Calvin, that’s what im talking about” I yell out loud, he milked a :23.56 quarter there to the half mile pole, lets slow it down just a bit more for the 3rd quarter. With just a half mile to go she has a length lead and im comfortable. The third quarter is up, “Yes, Hell yes” I yell :24.13, and she’s relaxed and not fighting and at this point I realize that these boys better have their tap dancing shoes on because with the last two quarter miles that she was able to get a slight and I do mean ever so slight breather, she’s going to be hard to catch in the stretch.
The Dramatic Stretch Drive – Yes, Yes, Yes they are turning for home and I look around and notice that the crowd, everyone in the crowd is on their feet and they realize that we are about to witness something incredible. The closers are coming, the closers are coming, no this is not a war fought with weapons, it’s a war fought with heart and talent and determination, and we will get to see what these older horses are made of, but more importantly what this Super Filly is all about. I see Asiatic Boy and Macho Again, but Bullsbay is coming first, I feel good looking at Calvin he hasn’t asked her yet, oh yeah that’s a good sign. Now they are straightening out, and Calvin asks finally, and wow did Rachel respond, she repelled Bullsbay, he’s hung abit now, maybe due to be told no by the filly. Macho Again, who, oh yeah the son of Macho Uno, yeah I knew he’d be coming, he was 8 lengths off her all the way around, well guess what he’s the fresh horse, and Rachel has had to make every step of the way. My response to Macho Again was bring it on big boy. Rachel must have felt the same way, she could see someone coming, I am not sure who she thought it was, maybe they had a bit of conversation in the paddock or in the starting gate but she was not dismayed. Calvin is asking Rachel and she is responding, she’s put Bullsbay away with ease, but this Macho horse he’s decided he’s going to make her earn it today. Macho Again took a shot, no dice she’s stepping away from him, oh wait he’s coming again, this time he’s not hanging he’s actually making up ground on the filly. Its going to be very very close, I can see she’s tired but she’s laying it down and her stride is lengthening. “Here’s the wire” says Tom Durkin.
Rachel Alexandra wins – Rachel Alexandra the Great, that’s what she will be called now, the final time 1:48:29, that’s and incredible time for a horse that made every call. Dealt with basically a shot from every horse, and won with something left, as she rebroke after the wire and Macho Again never went by her. OMG this place is electric, I can’t feel my hands, and I can’t feel any sensation, people are crying, people are yelling and everyone is celebrating as if they won the race themselves, high fives all around hugs and kisses. This is monumental, the results have been made official, and Calvin Borel has turned the filly around and is bringing her back to the Winner’s Circle. I have to take a moment to collect my thoughts people are grabbing me and jumping up and down and I just have to sit for a moment. Emotion overcomes me, I think back to standing in Oaklawn Park arguing with a guy who wanted to tell me that Stardom Bound was a better horse than Rachel. I think back to posting that winning the Martha Washington and Fair Ground Oaks, and Fantasy without effort means that there is something more to her engine than we’ve ever seen before. I think back to the Oaks where she wins by 20 lengths just in an open gallop. Beating the boys in the Preakness and Romping in the Mother Goose and the Haskell, Are you serious, did this filly actually just beat older horses in this race. I just witnessed history, I put my head in my hands and think to myself, she is amazing, and I’m glad to just be a part of this historic event.
The Appreciation of the crown as Rachel is brought back to the winners circle is something out of a Hollywood story. No one has even thought about leaving the grand stand area or the standing room only area. Please Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdNdk4AYwSQ. These people are still 10 or 15 deep trying to show their respect for Rachel and what she has just accomplished. The applause and cheers is amazing, she is truly a RockStar. She has shown the heart of a true champion, she has shown she belongs in the conversation of all time great horses, not fillies. She has stepped up to the plate and she swung for the fences and the ball never had a chance. She is Rachel Alexandra, no she is Rachel Alexandra the Great!!!

The 2009 WoodWard Trip - Part I

WoodWard Weekend Thoughts - Part I

What will this weekend be like I thought to myself as I boarded the plane, heading from Little Rock to O'hare in Chicago, looking at all of the travelers who were making their way from terminal to terminal boarding flights to destinations. All of these people were probably heading to holiday destinations and have had their trips planned out for months. The flight from Chicago to Albany didn't take that long, but a nice interesting conversation began with a woman who was from Saratoga Springs and had seen a number of the running’s of the Travers and the WoodWard Stakes. "Why are you heading to New York", I was asked over and over again by a number of passengers, "To see history made in the Woodward Stakes at historic Saratoga Race Course", wow was the response from about 5 or 6 patrons on the plane, they all looked as if they knew I wasn’t just coming to see a horse race or two. “Isn’t that girl horse running against the boys?” “Yes”, I replied, as one of the ladies told me that she was from the Saratoga area and that I needed to take in all of the sights and sounds of Saratoga Springs. She stated that her father had taken her to see the running of the Travers and Woodward ever since she was 12. She knew exactly where I was going and why, I knew that this was going to be a special weekend.

The Morning Of. – The morning of the Woodward came very quickly, into the shower and then dressing for the day, there was this excitement that was pulsing through my veins. It has been a very long time since I felt like that. Walking out the door and down the corridor to the elevator people were talking about “Rachel”. “Rachel Who” I asked jokingly, they looked at me and said: “The filly running today, it’s going to be special,” riding through the country side in New York and seeing the sign that said Saratoga Springs led me to think back to the very first time I stepped into a race track. My hometown Oaklawn Park, known for developing Champion 3 year olds that go on to become darlings of the horse racing world.

At Old Saratoga – The sign said Saratoga Springs, and I could feel how close I was to such a historic venue, I thought back to my great grandfather who introduced me to the sport, I thought about all of the people who had a hand in giving us the opportunity to watch these majestic creatures strut their stuff. I thought about the legendary race track known as the “Graveyard of Champions”. Could that possibly have an effect on Rachel’s career, would she leave today known as a Champion Race Horse, or as another horse that couldn’t quite get it done due to a number of different factors. What I thought about most was one thing “Rachel being able to walk back to her barn after the race, and enjoy the accolades of a wonderful historic win, or a very well respected effort on the track.” Either way the only thing that stood out to me at that time was the fact that we were pulling into the parking area of Saratoga Race Course.

Union Avenue- As we exited the vehicle, we could see down a path, a path of barns, and it felt so surreal to be so close to the living quarters of these champion race horses. We walked the path down a dirt road and came to a security guard, and asked how close we were to Steve Asmussen’s barn. The guard advised that we were not far from Asmussen’s barn but that we would need credentials to be able to visit the area. Then it hit me that I was on Union Avenue as we came to a clearing, at that point I looked to my left and there was the most handsome horse heading to training at the main track. He walked slowly past us and all traffic stopped as they allowed for the horses to have the right of way. He pranced slowly across the street and was led into the track area, we stopped for a moment to take in the sounds of the horses that were already mid flight and in full gallop around the main track. What a sound that was to hear the power of these animals as they went about their business doing something they love so very much.

The Saratoga Entrance & Rachel Pins – Looking up at the entrance to the track, I realized and it set in that I was here, a place that I had watched plenty of times in the past on television, I recalled in my memory the sound of Tom Durkin’s race calls and thought to myself, in not but a few hours I will hear this legendary announcer call a live race. I walked up to the gate and paid my general admission fee and I received my pin. My friend walked through and paid and received his also, I turned around and thought about all of my message board friends and thought some of them might want to partake or have a little piece of something, a day that is going to go down in history as a legendary day for the world of horse racing. Politely I walked back to the admissions window and stooped down low and asked the man, “How much for me to get, let’s say 15 of the Rachel pins”, he looked at me and said “what, what do you have going on”, I said “message board friends”, he said “how many do you want”, I said “15”, he pulled a hand full out of the bag and gave them to me. I felt so good that I would be able to share this special day with my friends. Both from http://www.rockportharbor.com/ and also http://www.horseracingmania.com/in-loving-memory-of-eight-belles-t172.html. I walked into the gate and it was time to get focused.

Training Ends – The last horses that were out during training hours were wrapping up their workouts and gallops. The jockeys brought the horses close to the rail and the gate to allow onlookers to be able to see the horses up close and be able to see what it’s like to deal with these large individuals. Families are there early, its only 11 a.m. and children are running around enjoying the vast expanse of the standing room only area. People were walking in with their breakfast food and finding their seats. The sun was out in full glory and it was a beautiful day, we found our seats and watched the videos of some of the greats that have run at Saratoga.
Famous fillies on display in the video were: Davona Dale, Lady’s Secret, Shuvee, Personal Ensign, Go For Wand, Azeri, and at the end of the video every race of Rachel’s current Win Streak was shown on the big screen. It was great to see all of the all-time great fillies and mares that had run at Saratoga that they were featuring. To see the mystique of such incredible champions all of the female version, and to realize that the filly “Rachel Alexandra The Great” was the reason we were all there.

Rachel Alexandra - Do people really still doubt her?

Horse Racing Pundits – Are there any out there that still doubt the extreme talents of the Super Filly, Rachel Alexandra. After going 7 for 7 in 2009 and winning those races by over 60 combined lengths, beating the colts twice quite convincingly, and setting track records, I have to be of the opinion of the trainer of Summer Bird, Tim Ice gave his opinion about those few detractors that she still has when he said: "I ask you, what do you want her to beat?" Ice said. "What does she have to prove? She's beaten everybody that they've put in the race with her, so to say that she hasn't beaten anything would be a knock against thoroughbred racing because she's beaten the Kentucky Derby winner (and) she's beaten the Belmont winner.
"People don't understand. If they're going to say she hasn't beaten anything, these are all horses that are Grade 1 winners. And to say she hasn't beaten anything, to me, it makes no sense.
"Rachel Alexandra is what she is - she does it so easy, that maybe it just seems like she hasn't beaten anything, but the horses that she's beaten are top-notch horses. I think it's a shame that people have that idea that she hasn't beaten anything."
In some ways you can look at many of the detractors that are left and realize that they have a bad taste in their mouths about how Jess Jackson handles his horses. When I hear the criticism that Mr. Jackson gets, like how he should announce where Rachel will run sooner, or she should run in certain races, I think that he might have opened that can of worms upon himself due to his www.gocurlin.com website, as you remember when he was trying to choose Curlin’s next race after his loss in the Man O’ War he asked the public where they thought Curlin should go. Sadly in this world of ignorance, you can’t leave decisions of this nature to a public who collectively struggles to understand the fundamentals of horse racing.
Then you have those that are or seem very jealous of her accomplishments due to the comparisons she draws to Ruffian and Personal Ensign, and the other greats, some people seem to get their feelings hurt due to comparisons to such historic fillies and mares. It’s sad though that she gets run down by these ones, they say she hasn’t beaten the same company that Ruffian and others beat, but really who did they beat, races were run differently back then and there is no way to compare the competition.
On the other hand though when dealing with the comparisons that are drawn between Rachel and Zenyatta there is ample evidence that one horses’ connections is looking for the most difficult spots that will allow for greatness to be defined and the others is looking for the easiest spot to make sure that the horse stays undefeated. But what does undefeated really mean when there is lower quality or competition in the gates. I wonder out loud sometimes what Zenyatta’s record would be if she ran prominently in the East Coast. It seems very feasible to think that if she ran in Grade 1 races predominantly she would most likely have a record of 12 start 9 wins 2 place and 1 show finish. That would be more respectable in consistent Grade 1 competition in comparison with an undefeated record in a few grade 1 and a number of grade 2 races that is not considered running at the top level of horse racing. I feel remorseful for those that feel that due to one person being a fan of Rachel they have to tear her down. Here is one of the most immature quotes I believe I have ever come across. This was posted on a message board: “some get so frakkin know-it-all arrogant, that I actually hope RA loses just so they will shut up. I don't like rooting against horses (esp. when they are obviously talented) but NO horse is perfect. ALL of them have limits, and they need to realize that. Pundits of all type will say what is on their minds. For ever article they post saying that RA is unbeatable, I could find one that said she's vulnerable facing older males. Just wake up and realize that she is a living creature in the hands of humans and that she has limitations, whether they want to admit it or not. “

Seems like a bitter very sad person who has no ability to love horse racing for what it is.
Here are some comments from other bloggers regarding the schedule that Zenyatta has run in: “And not to pick on Zenyatta, who I dearly love and greatly admire, but she has made three starts this year and all of them have been in California. C'mon!! Is she that fragile? Talk about picking spots carefully to keep a perfect record intact...yet that is not up for public debate because it's good management.”
“Anyone would question Zenyatta's greatness just because she never raced "outside of the box."
You must not follow this particular blog, because to date about 7,146,887 posters have done just that, and repeatedly! They say they regret that we will never know just how great Zenyatta might have been, because she just kept beating up on the same bunch of overmatched females again and again. Personally, I agree with them (though I love Zenyatta).
Judging from the postings of the knowledgeable racing fans on this blog, I'm concluding that many others also will question Zenyatta's greatness because of how her campaigns were handled, especially in 2009. In fact, I think it is likely to come up whenever her name is mentioned in the future.”
“Zenyatta is great, I won't deny her that. But she isn't better than Rachel is. NYRA has eliminated the detention barn for the Beldame. They are increasing the purse if Rachel & Zenyatta both show up. The Mosses have stated that the reason they won't go to Belmont is because of the detention barn. What reason will they come up with now that the detention barn is gone for why they won't come to the Beldame? Because really & truly, they are doing nothing more with Zenyatta than ducking Rachel. She has her 12 win streak because they have so carefully mapped her races into ones where there is NO competition for her and she is all but guaranteed a win. She barely pulled it off in her last race. Her jockey is so over confident that he will cause her to be beaten. Her final kick is good, but she is aging fast (she's 5 now) and that kick isn't going to be enough to come from 12 lengths from the leader in the Breeders’ Cup races. Her race performances are declining, while Rachel's are improving each time out. Rachel is better at 3 than Zenyatta was at 4 (which is why Zenyatta never faced the boys). At this point, in my opinion, there is no comparison between the two horses.”
This upcoming weekend is going to be very exciting as we’ll get to see the highly touted Quality Road go up against a number of quality colts. He has a lot that needs to be proven, others want to prove they belong, I believe that Warrior’s Reward and Summer Bird may take a step forward, the question is what type of race will Summer Bird run, I believe his run was compromised due to being so close to the lead last time out. I guess the race will unfold however it does.

Rachel Alexandra – Her next start, the 2009 Woodward

Rachel to the WoodWard - History in the making!!!!

As the 2009 racing season began, there were many expectations for a number of top horses. Out west the Pamplemousse and Pioneer of the Nile were highly talked about. On the East coast Quality Road and Captain Candyman Can, Dunkirk was all the talk, and in the mid west, Old Fashioned and Friesan Fire were high on everyone’s buzz list. There was a filly though that made quite an impression in the running of the Martha Washington Stakes, her name is Rachel Alexandra and if you haven’t heard of her by now, you would need to wake up from the trance or coma you are in because her name is synonymous with Horse Racing on a level not seen since the likes of Barbaro or Smarty Jones.
Many were very disappointed due to the announcement that she would bypass the Travers and head to the Woodward, some of her detractor’s state this is an easier spot. I for one using sound reasoning do not feel that way at all. Comparing horses like Quality Road with 2 starts in 4 months to horses like Macho Again, BullsBay and the other possible showing up on Woodward day means that this won’t likely be an easy route. I don’t feel that she will be headed but I think that it will come down to her high cruising speed and the ability to turn it on in the final turn after straightening out. Rachel is a pleasure to watch in everything she does from her races, to her workouts, to her prancing around in the paddock down to her taking baths in the morning after going to the track. I love the fact that she prepped in Arkansas at Oaklawn Park. And I will enjoy even more so making my first trip to Saratoga Race course to watch the running of the Woodward. Stating the obvious is unneeded but this will be a great experience and one I won’t soon forget.
Will Rachel Win, most likely but she may have to work next Saturday to get into the winners circle. Who will provide her the most difficulty, sadly whomever sends their horse will be compromised, looking at the list of nominations, I see that Jonesboro is a possible, so is It’s a bird, Da’Tara, Bullsbay and possibly Bribon. The front is where they would want to be watching because if the fractions are too slow she will go straight to the lead and most likely prance away with the victory. But this is a field of competitors that Rachel has not seen before and we will get a chance to see what she is really made of. I hope everyone enjoys the day of racing on Travers Day and also the Woodward weekend, it should be exciting.

The pursuit of Perfection or the pursuit of Greatness

Perfection or Greatness?

By “AfleetAlexForever”
8/14/2009

Perfection is defined as the state or quality of being or becoming perfect, the highest degree of proficiency, skill or excellence, a quality, trait, or feature of the highest degree of excellence.
Greatness is defined as being notable, remarkable, exceptionally outstanding, important, highly significant or consequential, distinguished, of noble or lofty character.
Both of these attributes are impressive and there are times when one prevailing quality outshines the other, which one would be foremost, I have no idea they both have their positives and there would seem to be no negatives. Well then we get to the topic of horse racing, there are a number of qualities that could be used to quantify what we are seeing on the race track this year. We are all lucky enough to be able to experience the incredible talents of two equine stars that are as impressive as any 2 stars running at one time in the history of the sport.
One of these stars resides on the West Coast and another resides on the East Coast. They are owned by connections who take extreme care to make sure that they put the health of their stable star first but there are some differences in the way that the connections have campaigned these two stars. Zenyatta is a 5 year old mare; she races in California and has a perfect race record of 12 starts and 12 wins. She Is trained by John Shirreffs who is based in California, and owned by Mr. Jerry and Ann Moss. The Moss’s have campaigned 2005 Kentucky Derby Champion Giacomo and B.C. third place finisher Tiago. Thus far Zenyatta has bankrolled 2.5 million dollars in her career; she has won races like the Apple Blossom Handicap, the Clement L. Hirsch and the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic. The 12 for 12 undefeated records pretty much sums up what her career has been about. The Moss’s have come under fire due to the path that they have taken to allow Zenyatta to keep her perfect race record. This has caused there to be question about her place in history even if she finishes out her career with a perfect record. Her connections realize that they have a very special mare, but in the process of trying to keep a perfect record some question the quality of competition that she has met in her career, It appears that her connections are doing what they can to protect her perfect record, get her to the Breeder's Cup and win and therefore keep that record intact, and retire her. Some might argue that this Is taking the path of least resistance, but others would tend to say different. During Zenyatta’s 12 race career to this point she has faced 8 grade 1 winners. This on the outside looking in would give indication of greatness due to the quality of the competition. When you look closer though it would appear quite a bit different. In the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic alone Zenyatta faced 5 of her Grade 1 foes. That would leave 11 races where she faced a total of 3 other grade 1 horses, some of these races included the same horse over and over again. In comparison, Ginger Punch the 2007 Breeders Cup Ladies Classic Champion faced close to 20 Grade 1 winners in her career. So the big question is does the quality of competition make a difference. Quality over Quantity, some might make an argument for both sides. Remember though no matter what that undefeated is still undefeated and Zenyatta is a true Champion.
Does the pursuit of perfection leave the door open for another to slide in and achieve the standard of greatness? On the East coast stands the embodiment of Greatness in the eyes of many. It has been a long time since a 3 year old filly caused the connections of so many horses to wait to make decisions about every race that is being run until they know where her connection are pointing. In Rachel Alexandra there is so much potential, potential seen and still unseen. Rachel Alexandra is a 3 year old filly out of sire Medaglia d’Oro she is owned by Stonestreet Stables & Harold T. McCormick, with Jess Jackson of Kendall-Jackson Winery holding controlling interest. They purchased the filly after her Kentucky Oaks victory from her original owners: breeder Dolphus Morrison and partner Michael Lauffer. Initially she was trained by Hal Wiggins, after new ownership she has been turned over to Steve Asmussen. Rachel has raced 13 times with 10 wins out of those races, she is currently on an 8 race winning streak and has won those 8 races by a combined 69 ¼ lengths. She has lost races therefore she is not being pampered to continue on an undefeated path. She at this point has no competition on the 3 year old level, and is most likely going forward to either open competition or will run against older females for the first time. She has emphatically beat both 3 year old fillies and colts and now has caused the connections of older male horses to await decisions before making a decision about the next race. One likely race for her is the Woodward Stakes, and the connections of the Whitney Winner, Bullsbay has stated that they do not want to run against Rachel Alexandra and will await the announcement from her owner. Her owner Jess Jackson is a wine mogul from California, he is a sporting man who wants his horse to achieve the most possible. This can be seen by the ambitious schedule that Rachel has taken on since being purchased in May. So while perfection is not in the scheme of things, her greatness and incredible legacy will be without question.
So again the question you have to ask yourself is Perfection or Greatness, if you had to choose one which would it be.

AfleetAlexForever