JC / Railbird

A Well-Deserved Rest

Owner Jess Jackson said on Sunday that it is unlikely Rachel Alexandra will race again this year following her Woodward Stakes win:

“She had a campaign since winter, this is the fall. She’s raced more races in two years than most fillies ever run. She’s done things that no fillies have ever done. She deserves a rest.”

After Saturday, who could argue? This campaign needs no embellishing:

I haven’t watched the Woodward replay yet. Like Maryjean Wall, I’m still in “a dreamy state” brought on by being at Saratoga to witness such an amazing display of heart, talent, and speed. I’ll surely watch the replay soon (the better to comment on the race and what it means), but for now, I want my memories of Saturday only to be of her in the lead and the crowd rising and roaring as the field streaked down the stretch, as I saw and felt those intense seconds.

Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward stretch

9/7/09 Addendum: More from Jackson on the likelihood that Rachel Alexandra will not race again this year: “She needs, I think four or five months off.”


3 Comments

Pretty mean to list the 2nd and 3rd placed horses as Also-Rans.

Otherwise I agree, except that as someone who didn’t witness the magic live and on site, I really wasn’t that impressed with her run. I think she can use the rest (hopefully not for 8 months, though).

Posted by malcer on September 7, 2009 @ 2:01 am

Edit note: “Also-ran” corrected to “Placed.”

Posted by Jessica on September 7, 2009 @ 7:50 am

Forgot to add a smiley to the first sentence in my first post, but thanks anyway. Interesting stuff in that new link you added:

“‘Not at that purse level,’ [Jackson] said [about facing Zenyatta in the Belmont]. ‘I don’t think even Zenyatta or Rachel should race. That wouldn’t be enough. (…) in a real world it would be a major league and these purses would be $5 million not $500,000.'”

In a real world, Curlin didn’t beat a million-dollar field in last year’s JC Gold Cup. I don’t recall Jackson leaving half the purse either.

In a real world, there just so happens to be a $5 million race for such major-league match-ups in early November. Funny.

In a real world, big time owners and breeders are the main obstacle preventing the shift to a more real-world purse structure and stakes schedule.

Posted by malcer on September 7, 2009 @ 10:52 am