Railbird 2004–2019 - Rachel Alexandra

Rachel Alexandra

Monday Notes

– Naughty New Yorker, unraced since finishing seventh in the 2008 Suburban Handicap (thanks to TrackMaster for that info), is on the comeback trail, says trainer Pat Kelly, and a start at Belmont before the end of the meet is possible. The 7-year-old NY-bred, who returned to the worktab on May 12, breezed four furlongs in :47.85 (2/25) over the Belmont training track on Sunday.

– Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in :50.20 over a sloppy track at Churchill this morning; Mine That Bird went the same distance in :51 with Calvin Borel in the saddle. The uncertainty over whether the Preakness winner will run in the Belmont and who Borel will ride continues with owner Jess Jackson telling reporters today a decision regarding Rachel Alexandra isn’t likely until next week and trainer Chip Woolley backing down from his Monday deadline, saying that he would wait a few more days to name a jockey for Mine That Bird. Will she or won’t she — there’s no shortage of speculation. My guess — she won’t, but that Jackson will take his time, drawing out the story, before making a definite announcement, which seems a cruel thing to do to the Mine That Bird camp … unless they’re fairly certain they’ll get their rider eventually. [Addendum: Claire Novak has the right take on today’s post-work non-story. “We were, essentially, there to report … nothing.”]

– At Monmouth on Saturday, at Belmont today for the Met Mile. Live blogging this afternoon a possibility, occasional on-scene Twitter updates more likely.

Posted in Racing on May 25, 2009 / Tagged Belmont Park, Met Mile, Naughty New Yorker, Rachel Alexandra

Inspired

The Onion sends up the anthropomorphism that suffused so much of the reaction to Rachel Alexandra winning the Preakness:

“Rachel Alexandra has shattered the perception of the role of female athletes in horse racing,” Pearce said. “When she crossed the line, no one cared about her looks or how much she weighedâ€”they only cared that she won. Do you know what that means for a female in today’s society? This victory was for any woman who has been dreaming since she was a little girl of rounding that final turn, racing neck and neck with a colt, and then sticking out her muzzle to win in a photo finish.”

And:

Women’s pride has had its good days, and this was certainly one of them

Oh, wait … that was Bill Dwyre in the LA Times and he was being serious.

——

I’ll be at Monmouth all day Saturday. Any tips from the local railbirds?

Posted in Racing on May 22, 2009 / Tagged Humor, Media, Monmouth Park, Preakness Stakes, Rachel Alexandra

Borel Sums Up the Preakness

“Boo might not be too smart,” he cackled into the phone, “but he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to horses.”

Meanwhile, trainers and riders await Monday, when it may be announced whether Rachel Alexandra is likely for the Belmont and who will get the call on Mine That Bird. “If Calvin is available, we want to give him the opportunity.”

Posted in Racing on May 21, 2009 / Tagged Belmont Stakes, Calvin Borel, Preakness, Rachel Alexandra

Odds and Ends

– This is taking fear too far:

Rachel Alexandra became a household name last Saturday when she took on the best colts in the country, including the top four finishers of the Kentucky Derby, and when she crossed the finish line first, the point was well proven.

She is the simply the best, so please, do what is best for her and thoroughbred racing, not what’s best for the Belmont Stakes or TV ratings.

Let her final racing picture be in the Preakness winner’s circle.

– But if Rachel Alexandra retires now, we’ll never see her meet this challenge:

In order for fillies to be regarded as the greatest of their generation, they must prove their worth on two counts: knocking off colts, then disposing older females later in the season. Rachel Alexandra accomplished the former with her Preakness victory; however, the second part of the equation will be the tougher of the two tasks, as she’ll have to knock off undefeated champion Zenyatta, most likely on that one’s favorite surface at Santa Anita.

– Jess Jackson is looking forward to the two meeting at the Breeders’ Cup.

– I’m with Sally Jenkins:

Let’s be clear about one thing: If Rachel Alexandra isn’t at her absolute peak, she shouldn’t run in the Belmont. If she struggles at all to recover from the Preakness, if she shows any lingering fatigue, if she is in the smallest way unfit, she should race another day. But if the argument against it amounts to “she’s a filly, and the Belmont is too hard,” well, that’s nonsense. The reason her owners bought her and entered her in the Preakness in the first place was to prove that she is “a champion horse, not a champion filly.”

– Taking bets on whether she’ll go, or not. Mike Smith says no:

“I bet you they won’t run her against him again,” Smith said. “I bet you she doesn’t run in the Belmont. I can almost predict it.”

– What’s certain is that Mike Smith won’t be riding in the Belmont. He’s jumping off Mine That Bird to honor a commitment elsewhere.

– Undeniably true (see: Superfecta re: the first point, Beyer for the second):

Still, it’s been hard not to detect a slightly patronizing tone in some of the coverage of the jockey, as if he’s some magical bayou Zelig, a la Forrest Gump. What’s gotten overlooked is what a ruthless, Jordanesque competitor he is.

– What might have been … Larry Jones has it right: “That might have been our Triple Crown winner if they had run her in the Derby.”

Posted in Racing on May 19, 2009 / Tagged Belmont Stakes, Champions, Rachel Alexandra, Retirement, Triple Crown, Zenyatta