I know things have been rather quiet here on the horse racing front lately.  I’ve obviously taken a bit of a sabbatical following the fever pitched excitement of the 2009 season, and admittedly have been somewhat devoted to other causes in recent weeks (Roll Tide).  Today though, it’s time to discuss a cause much more close to home and much more dear to my heart: Maryland thoroughbred racing.

On Saturday, racing enthusiasts in the “Old Line State” will have a chance to take in both an important race for the future of Maryland, as well as to attend an important rally for the same cause.  The irony of this being that an important date for a state that remembers itself as the “Old Line State” may well be our Alamo.

If you know any of the folklore surrounding that pivotal battle for Texan Independence in the 19th century that resulted in the deaths of mythical figures Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett, then you no doubt are familiar with the moment when Colonel William Barret Travis, himself just 27-years-old when the siege of the Alamo began in February 1836, purportedly drew the infamous “line in the sand” after declaring to the 180-or-so defenders of the Texas mission that no help was on its way, and that those that chose to stay would most likely perish for their cause.  Depending on which version of events is retold, either any man unwilling to sacrifice their life was asked to step forward, or any man willing to do so came forward.  No matter which version is told, all but one indicated their devotion to their duties, even in the face of certain death.  They resolved that they had been pushed as far as they would go, and that from here on out they would live by the salutation their young commander had offered the nation in his pledge for reinforcement, supply, and liberty:  “Victory or Death!”

Colonel William Barret Travis and the "Line in the Sand" at the Alamo. Depending on which version of the "Line in the Sand" story is told, either those willing to risk their lives move forward, or those unwilling to do so moved forward. Either way, apart from one man, the garrison resolved to stay where they were and slug it out with the feared Mexican Army that had already nearly surrounded the fort and begun siege style artillery bombardment for days on end.

While human life is obviously not directly at stake in Maryland racing at the moment, one could easily argue that the livelihood of many folks, and horses, is very much up in the air.  And at some point, wasn’t livelihood and the ability to prosper central to what many of those defending the Alamo perimeter were standing for those fateful “13 days of glory” at San Antonio, TX?  I like to think so.  Especially considering the number of “volunteers” who answered the call from neighboring states to fight for the rights of others in the name of liberty.  Think of  Crockett and his Tennessee troopers that defended the palisade near the chapel, thought to be the “weak point” in the outer defenses but perhaps being one of the final positions to fall into enemy hands – the Mexican army having blasted through the North Wall on the opposite side of the perimeter and precipitated a general retreat to the long barracks and chapel courtyard for the “final stand” of the defenders.

Were their other motivators?  Certainly – but for many men of that time, the romantic notion of fighting and giving all for ideals was celebrated and venerated to a level we may struggle to understand properly today.  And for us today, one cannot but help feeling that we are penned up inside some adobe walled fort, a besieging host of problems taking position just outside of our walls, pounding us day and night in a ceaseless bombardment of long-range, destructive forces.  We look outside our walls for the sign of diehards like ourselves rallying to cause of salvation, only to feel time and time again that no help is on its way.

For fans of Maryland racing, that help was supposed to come in the form of slot machines being installed at the local tracks.  After years of wrangling and political infighting, finally the legislature decided to approve “limited slots” – however the issue of where those slots would be located is still, as of yet, unresolved.  All that should be changing shortly though.  Very soon, definitive word will come.  Much like the defenders of the Alamo had been teased with the prospect of reinforcement from Sam Houston’s army or from Colonel Fannin’s troops at Goliad, only to see that hope squashed with news that they were definitively on their own just as the noose the Mexican Army was preparing around the fort tightened, so Maryland racing fans now face the prospect that the slots they “need” may well be going in – just not in any location that stands to benefit the local horse racing industry.

The challenge facing the Maryland racing industry today has been dubbed by some as a “life or death” struggle.  The central issue at hand is the impending vote from the Anne Arundel County Council on the location of slot machines.  The proverbial wisdom being that if the slots are placed at tracks like Laurel Park, that the racing industry might see a boost in purse money that would attract (or at least maintain) horsemen and members of the industry and perhaps stem the tide of talent exiting the area in recent years for the greener pastures of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware – all fueled with slots inflated purse money waiting to be had.  In short, if the slots are placed in another location, such as the current proposal to install the machines at the Arundel Mills shopping mall, that the nail is in the coffin and it may be a foregone conclusion that the state will lose lucrative and celebrated moments such as the annual running of the Preakness Stakes (one of the largest money-making single days in the entire year for Maryland) to locations that have more support from their local legislatures, if not more support from slots money.

Let me be frank about this:  I don’t think slots are the “salvation” of the horse racing industry in Maryland or across the nation.  At best, I see them as a sort of temporary field dressing or tourniquet that is applied to stop the bleeding until a true remedy can be procured and administered.  I also don’t hold any misguided notions that the ultimate “cure” for racing would likely not come at the price of certain “amputations” to cut off dead limbs in order to preserve the body.  In other words, I understand that we might need to shrink the size of the sport before it’s able to grow healthily again in the future.  I get that, I really do.

That being said, much like Colonel Travis and his predecessor (and early co-commander of the fort, before becoming bed ridden with illness), the famed knife fighter Jim Bowie, were originally ordered to demolish the Alamo and retire from San Antonio and yet wound up falling in love with the mission and calling it the “key to Texas”, so can I not let go of the mystic beauty of Maryland tracks like Laurel Park and Pimlico and feel that I must defend their walls to my last gasp of air.  I know most folks have trouble seeing their beauty, but if residents of the state would only remember their proud history – a history which gave them the Baltimore “Colts” and bore witness to such classic moments as Seabiscuit against War Admiral in the greatest match race in history – then perhaps they too would rally to the cause and draw their own lines in the sand.

Baltimoreans in particular should be sensitive to such occasions.  Recall that it was they who watched an army of Mayflower trucks cart off their precious football franchise, named in honor of the state’s proud thoroughbred racing and breeding tradition, to greener stadiums in Indianapolis during the winter of 1984.  The fans stood helpless, heart-broken, and mystified.  How could it have come to this?   And yet here we stand again in almost the same position.  The Preakness is OUR race.  It’s OUR tradition.  We SHARE it with the rest of the world, but it is OURS….unless of course we turn our back on the entire sport here in the state and allow it to die a slow, cruel death.

For Travis and many of the Alamo defenders, at least death came rather quickly.  With the help of the fort’s defensive artillery batteries, the first rush of the Mexican Army was actually repulsed.  Despite that early success, however, as the Mexican soldiers attempted to shy away from the blasts of deadly cannister and grape-shot that ripped through their lines, they wound up rushing for the safety they found near the base of the North Wall.  A veritable mass of humanity grouping together as columns originally intended to strike 3 separate locations of the fort’s defenses instead converged under fire and found common protection under the guns of the North Wall.  The defenders, you see, could not suppress the barrels of their cannons to shoot the attackers below them at such close range, and instead had to expose themselves by leaning over the wall to fire downward.

Indeed, leaning over the wall to administer a point-blank shotgun blast early in the fight, Colonel Travis was shot in the head and tumbled backwards, landing near the base of the artillery ramp for the North Wall battery.  He died within minutes.  With him went any hope for a unified and well coordinated defensive effort.  From here on out it would be every man for himself.

Colonel William. B. Travis, shown here atop the North Wall in the center of the painting with his sword over his head, reached over the wall to administer a shotgun blast to the mass of Mexican soldiers clamoring underneath. Travis was shot in the head, tumbled backward, and died at the foot of the ramp used to position the artillery pieces of the North Wall battery.

Soon after the death of Travis, the Mexican Army skillfully climbed the North Wall, overwhelmed the defenders there, and then burst through the breach in the wall, allowing entire attacking columns to spill into the interior plaza, effectively outflanking the western and eastern defenses of the perimeter.

In other words, the game was up.  Every position inside the walls had been immediately rendered untenable.  While it was a fight to the finish, the rules were clear.  No quarter was given, even, as we are told, if it was asked.

Diagram of the Alamo defenses. Colonel Travis fell near the artillery position along the North Wall depicted on the left of this map. Crockett's men held the position on the right that connected the South Wall to the Alamo chapel itself. The "last stands" occurred in the long barracks and around the courtyard of the chapel.

The lesson to be learned from this?  The Maryland Legislature and local county level governments (and others…there’s no shortage of guilt to go around) do not seem to appreciate that once our version of the North Wall falls, our entire position, like the Alamo, becomes untenable.  In other words, despite it not being a fix-all for the ills of racing, if Laurel doesn’t get slot machines, then it really may well be our last stand.  If so, god help all of those whose livelihood is made on the backstretch or behind the scenes supporting the sport.  Especially in these economic times.

And don’t, for the love of god, tell me that the politicians of Maryland, whether local or state level,  are “concerned” about the morality of gambling and it’s potential impact on the inner city. Disgraced mayor of Baltimore Sheila Dixon was just recently convicted of using gift cards intended for poor inner city families to purchase lavish gifts for herself and friends.  Yes, this is the face of the corrupt political machine that gets to decide the fate or racing in the state.

The irony here being that both the U.S. Government and the recently declared Independent Govt. of Texas were unable or unwilling to assist the Alamo defenders.  Their memory was not invoked in glorified fashion until weeks later when Sam Houston would annihilate Santa Anna’s army at the battle of San Jacinto.

That’s all well and good.  But Maryland racing does not want to become another state’s rallying cry.  We have no interest in seeing racing in the state become a martyr for racing elsewhere.

So what can you, the reader, do about this?

First, get off your you-know-whats and tell the local councilmen voting on this issue that the slots machines need to be at Laurel Park, where the racing is, rather than at Arundel Mills Mall.  Here’s a few email addresses of council members who will voting on the issue that you can contact to express your opinion:

• District 1 – Daryl Jones: daryl.jones@aacounty.org
• District 3 – Ronald C. Dillon: rdillon@aacounty.org
• District 4 – G. James Benoit: james.benoit@aacounty.org
• District 5 – Cathleen M. Vitale: cvitale@aacounty.org
• District 7 – Tricia L. Johnson: tricia.johnson@aacounty.org

Second, and most importantly, get down to the Laurel Park paddock for a rally tomorrow morning (Saturday 12/19/09) at 11 AM.

This may be it folks.  This may well be our “line in the sand.”

Who will stand up with us now?

And while your there, don’t forget to take in a day of beautiful racing action at Laurel Park.  Old man winter just might have a little something to say with the snow expected to fall, but the feature race of the day, the Juvenile Fillies Championship, ought to be a good one.  For the record, here’s my picks that I gave out over on CaseTheRace.com.

I went with #6 Popeye’s Lady (3/1) for the win, although I respect the morning line favorite, #5 Jim’s Prospect (5/2*) that I’ll include her on top in my Exacta play.  Underneath I tend to prefer #2 Molly Molly Molly (10/1) , and #11 Smart Tori (4/1).

• W- #6 Popeye’s Lady (3/1)
• P – #5 Jim’s Prospect (5/1*)
• S – #2 Molly Molly Molly (10/1)
• Exacta:  5,6 with 2,5,6, 11
• Trifecta:  6 with 2,5,11 with 2,3,4,5,9, 11

Best of luck to all, and special thanks to those who take the time to contact the Anne Arundel County (MD) Council members listed above and/or attend the rally at the Laurel Park paddock on Saturday morning (12/19) at 11 o’clock AM.

I have to be honest, I completely missed this story when it first broke on Bloodhorse on Tuesday.  In fact, I’ll further confess that until now, I wasn’t very familiar with the career of Ira Babe Hanford, or the story of the 1936 Triple Crown season, apart from having seen the horse Bold Venture on the listings of previous Derby winners, and on the backs of commemorative Preakness and Derby glasses.

My awareness of Babe’s passing, and subsequent research into the story of the 1936 Derby, were sparked by a telephone conversation with, of all people, my parents on Thanksgiving morning.  My father having read that a jockey of historical significance had passed became somewhat astounded that I was not aware of either the story or the man in question.

Thirsting for more knowledge, and being somewhat embarrassed at the level of my own ignorance, I decided to do what anyone should do when they find a serious deficiency in their knowledge of a given subject; do a little digging and see what I could learn.

The story of Babe Hanford and the 1936 Derby is really rather interesting.  Babe rode Bold Venture, a 20/1 longshot, to victory that Saturday, but was then suspended and not aboard for the Preakness.

The ‘36 Derby itself was viewed as something of a debacle, since the favorite, Brevity, was knocked down coming out of the gate.  Another strong contender, Granville, who would play a major role in horse racing throughout ‘36, tossed his rider at the start of the race.   Bold Venture was also knocked around at the start, but managed to right the ship and come home on top.  As if all of that weren’t enough, yet another contender, Santa Anita Derby winner He Did, purportedly had the whip taken from the hands of jockey Charles Kurtsinger by a fan along the rail and finished out of the money (7th).

Here’s a clip of that 1936 Kentucky Derby.  You’ll forgive the audio/video quality as it is from a different era.  In this clip, it’s tough to see any of the aforementioned trouble clearly, but you can make out Bold Venture making his move about midway through the backstretch (roughly 1:15 on the video below).  He holds that lead into the turn and then holds on through a relentless stretch drive.

Following that Derby victory, Babe Hanford was suspended and not allowed to pilot Bold Venture in the ‘36 Preakness.  Instead, the mount went to none other than George Woolf.  Yes, that George Woolf, the same one that would ride Seabiscuit following jockey Red Pollard’s career threatening injuries, and who would be immortalized on the silver screen by Gary Stevens in the film Seabiscuit.

Woolf would guide Bold Venture through a markedly different trip than his Kentucky Derby had been, coming from well off the pace, swinging wide on the turn and then locking horns in the stretch with Granville.  The two hit the wire in a photo finish that ultimately went to Bold Venture.

I can’t find a youtube clip available, but the replay for the ‘36 Preakness can be viewed here, if interested.

Following the Preakness, Bold Venture was discovered to have had a tendon problem, and was promptly retired.  His foe in the Preakness, Granville, would wind up winning the 1936 Belmont by a nose over Mr. Bones, a race that still ranks among the top 3 closest finishes in Belmont Stakes history (along with Jaipur over Admiral’s Voyage in ‘62 and Victory Gallop over Real Quiet in ‘98).  Despite having lost both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness to Bold Venture, Granville would ultimately go on to become the 1936 Horse of the Year.

The next year, 1937, a well bred 3-year-old colt named War Admiral would win the Triple Crown, setting the stage for what would ultimately become the greatest match race in horse racing history in 1938 at Pimlico between War Admiral and Seabiscuit.  We all know how that one ended.

Getting back to Babe Hanford for a moment, it’s interesting to note that his older brother Buddy was actually killed while racing at Pimlico in 1935.  His younger brother, Carl, who also became a jockey, would go on to train the great Kelso.  Kelso ranks 4th in the Blood-Horse magazine top 100 list of U.S. thoroughbred champions, behind only Secretariat, Man O’ War, and Citation for the entire 20th century.

In an ironic twist of fate, Babe’s replacement aboard Bold Venture, the famed George Woolf, would (like Babe’s brother Buddy) die following racing related injuries in a 1946 race at Santa Anita.

Babe was the first apprentice rider in the history of the Kentucky Derby to have prevailed.  He was 91 years old when he passed on Saturday.

As for Bold Venture?  He went on to sire Assault, who in 1946 became just the 7th horse in history to win the Triple Crown.  He also sired Middleground, who in 1950 would win both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont.   That’s five Triple Crown jewels between two offspring, not too shabby.

Not a bad story, eh?  Someone should write the Hollywood script for this tale of man and beast.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, don’t we?

Rest in peace, “Babe.”

No sooner had the synthetic dust settled in the wake of Zenyatta’s dominating performance in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita then the flame igniting the “Horse of the Year” debate was rekindled anew.  At question is how to properly award the top honor in U.S. racing when considering the miraculous campaigns of both Zenyatta and the 3-year-old filly sensation Rachel Alexandra. 

At this point in time, It’s become a question I’d really rather not address at all if it were not on the lips of nearly all I’ve spoken with these past few days.  My personal feeling being that this is still Zenyatta’s moment and that at least one full week should pass before we begin doing what horseplayers do – arguing incessantly with one another over our respective levels of insanity.  One can barely get so much as a word in about the Classic right now though without the issue coming up rather directly.  Emotions seem to be running high on both sides of the isle as the immediacy of a supreme moment still actively courses through the furiously beating hearts of racing fans the world over. 

In many ways, the pendulum seems to have swung almost completely.  Where once Rachel was considered (including by yours truly) a mortal lock to have already captured the honor as Horse of the Year by virtue of (most notably) her Preakness, Haskell, and Woodward victories, a new wind has begun to blow.  The much whispered “backlash” against team Rachel for having not attended the Breeders’ Cup had been one element of this change.  The true spark, however, is a bit more noble in nature and seems to stem from a desire to ensure that Zenyatta is properly awarded for the undefeated career she has blessed us with. 

As early as Saturday night, the battle lines were already being drawn.  Attending a post-Classic dinner with folks from the TVG Community (the organizers for which I owe a great deal of thanks to for a wonderful weekend, along with those at both the NTRA and the Breeders’ Cup), I was asked for my opinion, and admittedly I balked a bit – attempting to play the classical Switzerland “neutrality defense.”  Like many a smaller European nation state in the opening half the 20th century, I ultimately found myself being drawn, however unwittingly, into the great conflagration.

Not to be confused with the famous "French defense" in chess, the "Switzerland neutrality posture" in the great 2009 Horse of the Year debate is ultimately indefensible.

At the end of the day, I suppose someone does have to win the award, right?  

So whom do we chose?

As much as I’ve tried to play the Switzerland defense, it’s probably rightly noted that I’m an ever-so-slightly bigger fan of Rachel Alexandra than I am of Zenyatta.  I think that’s a fair assessment of my own emotional makeup.  That’s not to say I don’t love Zenyatta with all my heart – always have and always will – but my record of pro-Rachel Alexandra coverage is something I cannot deny being consciously aware of.  

That being said, I’ve loved Zenyatta since I spotted her profile prior to her maiden debut, noting “hey, that’s the same connections as Giacomo – I might take a shot with this girl!”  In time she became my “slow cheetah” – a name and a song that will forever have a special meaning to me.

I care about these two fillies so deeply that I consider it the honor of a lifetime to have been there for the finer moments of each one’s 2009 campaign;  Rachel in the Preakness and the Haskell, and Zenyatta in the Classic. 

Much like I had been calling for a dead heat had the two ever locked horns on the track, I find myself utterly divided over who I would select as Horse of the Year.  I suppose to extract a full answer from me, one might have to subject me to brutal interrogation, straight out of the famed Russian Roulette scene in The Deer Hunter.  Tying me to a chair, constantly slapping my face whilst shouting “Mao!” and demanding that I make a selection.  I believe what follows is what my ultimate decision would be under such duress (apart from arising from said chair and declaring “3 bullets!!! We play with 3 bullets!” in classical De Niro fashion):

• Rachel Alexandra for 3-year-old filly champion
• Zenyatta for Horse of the Year

Mao! Robert De Niro in the famous Russian Roulette scene from The Deer Hunter

Truth be told, I actually do believe that Rachel Alexandra had the superior overall year (with “overall” being the operative term), however Zenyatta clearly won the superior race. 

Rachel’s year had more than one signature moment.  She was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness.  She was the 2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell.  She nearly broke the track record in the Mother Goose, coming close to the exploits of Secretariat at the same distance.  Then, of course, she became the first 3-year-old filly to defeat older males in a stakes race of more than a mile on dirt since the inception of graded stakes in the U.S.

Zenyatta’s overall campaign for 2009 was a bit less heralded – until her triumph in the Classic that is.  I doubt strongly that anyone will think back to her earlier races in the year and point to them as having been signature – but she did remain undefeated, even when carrying  ridiculous amounts of weight and when it seemed to all observing that her undefeated record was in it’s greatest peril at the hands of Anaaba’s Creation.  Somehow, someway, she ALWAYS found a way to win.

So if Rachel’s campaign is the one I believe to be more accomplished, why make Zenyatta Horse of the Year?

Because at some level, even if it has not historically been the case, the Breeders’ Cup Classic should be the deciding moment.  The quintessential test of an overall champion.  Moreover, the career that Zenyatta rewarded us with is one that is deserving of top honors.  And it’s not like she didn’t race in 2009.  She just didn’t race a whole heckuva a lot of times, nor did she put herself in tremendously challenging positions where victory was assumed to be anything other than a foregone conclusion until her date with destiny in the Classic.

I know that technically it isn’t right to attach emotional sentiment to that which she accomplished in 2008 and then factor that into the equation, but how can one not help but do so?  In all likelihood she left us with her career defining performance on the sports biggest stage (at least the biggest stage for true fans of racing, as opposed to the Warhol-esque 2 minutes of national attention associated with the annual running of the Kentucky Derby) – a perfect story book ending to a career that will from henceforth be the measuring stick for all older fillies and mares that attempt to follow in her hoofsteps.

Likewise, Rachel Alexandra will go down as the new barometer by which all subsequent 3-year-old fillies will be compared.  Make no mistake about it, we’ll still invoke memories of Ruffian as well, who will continue to be the greatest of the great fillies, but my sense of things is that Rachel’s ability to both win a 3-year-old Classic (the Preakness) and then follow that up with repeat performances over 3-year-old males in the Haskell and then older males in the Woodward will cement her legacy for years (if not decades) to come.

The mere fact that Rachel is sometimes mentioned in the same breath as Ruffian speaks volumes for how lofty her star has risen.  Just a year ago you probably would’ve been diagnosed as certifiably mad if you dared to publicly compare any filly to Ruffian.  Now people do so without batting an eye.   I’ve refrained from making any direct comparisons myself, as I think it wise to the let the historical greats stand alone, and if nothing else become larger than the legends they were in their own time rather than replaced by newcomers and diminished in legend, but certainly folks reading this have at least heard those comparisons elsewhere and know what I’m referring to.  The point being not whether they are warranted or not, but merely an acknowledgement that such comparisons do exist.

For Rachel, there will be a 2010, and a chance to show she is capable of winning a Breeders’ Cup Classic of her own.  For Zenyatta, the Classic was in all likelihood her swan song. 

What better way to send off a legend than to allow their final chapter to be an ultimate achievement?  It just feels like the right thing to do.

As much as I love them both and am torn asunder in attempting to make a definitive statement one way or the other – I think the right thing to do is to send Zenyatta off to retirement as the 2009 Horse of the Year.  After all, she started the year as the top older female in racing, and nobody was able to defeat her.  Looking at things that way, and reducing the equation to it’s most simplistic component, it’s a bit hard to justify knocking her from her lofty perch – doubly so in the immediate aftermath of her finest hour. 

And you know what?  At the end of the day it’s really just a silly award.  What these two ladies accomplished on the track will be remembered for years regardless of whether an additional trophy is added to their respective cases.

Respect for each of them has been EARNED on the track, not GIVEN at some awards ceremony.

That’s how I see things at least.  What say you?  Who do you think ought to receive the Eclipse Award for 2009 Horse of the Year?

The moment Zenyatta crossed the wire and became the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, things went hazy.  I vaguely remember searching for people to hug, slapping high fives with everyone around, and letting loose a series of  ”rebel yell” style roars that any native Alabamian would be proud of.   Once that subsided, I began pondering whether everything we’d witnessed both in the immediacy of the Breeders’ Cup and from the entire year in general could possibly have been real, or if I was about to awake from some deep, REM filled dream?  It seems so unimaginably unthinkable that one calendar year could have presented us with such unprecedented historical significance as to have rendered the completely opposite emotions experienced just 17 months ago an almost perfect contrast.  And, of course, the ending was capped off in perfect story book fashion.

Close your eyes for one moment (albeit a brief one), and remember that awful, devastating, seemingly unconquerable feeling of grief and agony that cast a pall over all of racing following the 2008 Kentucky Derby.  Now contrast that memory with the euphoria and outright elation experienced many times over this year as racing’s dream girls Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra conquered races and dominated the headlines of the sport in a manner never before seen, nor likely ever thought imaginable.

The “Year of the Filly” it most certainly was – and for racing it could not have come at a more opportune time.  A veritable 180° turnaround.  A phoenix rising from it’s own ashes.  A reconstitution of passion, pride, belief, and affection.  A reaffirmation of all that can and should be good about the sport we love.

Looking back to the previous year, I recall being plagued following the death of Eight Belles with the thought “where do we possibly go from here?”  The obvious follow-up to that question that was even more painful to consider being once we figured out “where” we would go, having to determine “how” we might go about getting there?  It seemed a mountain that we might never be able to climb.  A hole we might never dig ourselves from.  After all, the sport was not exactly in a position of strength from which to deal with such a tragedy, especially having had the same type of nightmare play itself out in 2006 with Barbaro; again while the entire world watched in shock. It was doom and gloom; misery and pain; agony and heartache. 

As if on queue, the sports two biggest stars of 2008, Curlin and Big Brown, were defeated in their biggest moments of the season; Curlin failing to sustain his trademarked “giant strides” as Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator surged past him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Big Brown being pulled up in the stretch of the 2008 Belmont and denied his quest for Triple Crown glory.  The collective mood was rather somber.  One could find themselves asking not what the morrow might bring, but rather cynically ”what could possibly go wrong next?”

Thankfully, as the old axiom holds, time heals all wounds. Tomorrow, no matter how high or low the previous day may have been, is always another day. 

The horse racing gods seemingly took mercy upon us and decided to give fans a little something special for their troubles to help ease the pain.  At least that’s how I like to imagine it.  Something we couldn’t have possibly conceived we would be blessed enough to behold was about to unfold in 2009, although it’s seeds were first sewn in 2008.  As our eyes were largely focused elsewhere, a massive and lightly raced 4-year-old filly based in California was beginning to hit her stride, turning heads and causing people the world over to take notice.  Out in Kentucky, a  2-year-old filly with a unique blaze would break her maiden within a month of the Eight Belles tragedy at a rather nondescript 12/1 price on the tote board.  It’s hard to imagine that anyone realized what might lay ahead as these two began to lay the foundations for what would become two of the more memorable rides through North American thoroughbred racing history in recent memory.

By the time Zenyatta was being crowned 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, the “Year of the Filly” had become the dominant story in racing for the better part of the year.  Zenyatta becoming he first mare in history to win the Classic, finishing with a remarkable perfect record for her career.  Meanwhile, the 3-year-old sensation Rachel Alexandra had achieved the distinction of being mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Ruffian by becoming the first filly in 8 decades to win the Preakness, the 2nd filly in 4 decades to win the Haskell, and the 1st 3-year-old filly to defeat older males on a dirt route race in New York since Lady Primrose in the 1887 Manhattan Hand.

Horse racing prints commemorating Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta from artist Fred Stone:  http://www.fredstone.com

On a more personal level, the year was indescribably magical. Somehow I managed to be lucky enough to witness Rachel Alexandra’s victories against boys in the Preakness and Haskell as well as Zenyatta’s victory in the Classic LIVE.  Talk about the Trifecta of a lifetime, eh?  And that doesn’t even count the experience I shared with my wife on her birthday at Belmont as Rachel sped her way to a near track record in the Mother Goose. 

For a guy who had always assumed he was born about 3 decades too late to experience historically relevant moments in the annals of horse racing, 2009 has been a veritable feast of unprecedentia (note: I’m fairly certain I’ve just invented that word, but it sounds fitting enough to keep).  In fact, the year as a whole has been a reaffirmation of everything that is great about the sport – even with the obvious remaining imperfections.

Searching through my mind for a fitting quote from the ether of the past, I was struck by a question that begins the memoirs from Private Sam Watkins of Company “Aytch” (H), 1st Tennessee Volunteers as he began to reflect in his middle ages about the experiences he had bore witness to in the Civil War as young man.  Watkins had fought in nearly every major battle in the “Western” theater of the war from 1861 – 1865 and had somehow survived relatively unscathed.  He had felt the sting of defeat, the rush of victory, the agony associated with the loss of loved ones, the salvation of ultimate survival and the experience of fatherhood that was denied so many of his generation, as well as the struggle to put into terms for others what had happened in his life.

“Were these things real…or are they but the vagaries of mine own imagination?”  

Much like Watkins, I struggle with whether all that which I have seen has really happened, or been the figments of some fantastical dream.  That somehow this has been too good to be true.  That we couldn’t possibly be lucky enough to have witnessed all that we have seen in so short a period of time.  The immenseness of it all being almost beyond comprehension.

To the tune of the full quote that was much abbreviated above from Sam Watkins:

Did my wife and I really have the honor of watching Rachel Alexandra become the first filly in 8 decades to win the Preakness at Pimlico? Did I shake with excitement, nearly yelling myself into cardiac arrest as she willed herself through the stretch?  Had we shed mutual tears of joy and embraced anyone we could find in the shadows of the old clubhouse at Pimlico where so many of the all-time great 3-year-olds had stood over the years?

Were we really bestowed with the honor of being inside the paddock to see Rachel off to post in the Haskell at Monmouth Park?  Had I truly been able to stand with my 5-year-old son and marvel at the majestic beauty before us moments away from her becoming “a Haskell legend?”

Did I watch as my beloved Zenyatta, forever my “Slow Cheetah”, paused in front of the Grandstand to “paw” at and “dance” upon the Santa Anita Pro Ride to the delightful roar of the crowd as she went to post in the Classic?  Had I sprung to life in unison with nearly 60,000 other fans as she made her bid for greatness in the stretch?  Had I celebrated with friends and strangers alike, faces flushed with joy, hearts spilling with the pride of parenthood and the innocent joy of childhood?  Had I led my hotel shuttle from the park in a rousing rendition of “how ’bout that Zenyatta?!?!?!” as we left Santa Anita that magical day?

Surely this must be a dream.  To call 2009 the “Year of the Filly” does not give the year proper justice.  It was more than that – perhaps a year for all time.  A year that we will no doubt struggle to explain as the grandchildren sit on our knees many years from now and inquire why grandpa is so continually fascinated by this peculiar (from their vantage point at least) sport. 

“Gather ’round, kids”, we’ll say, “let your grandpa tell you the story of the Year of the Filly way back in two thousand and nine.”  

We’ll then reach for some dusty box of treasured keepsakes and begin to remove the momentos we’ve managed to keep (for me this would most likely be my $2 win tickets from the Preakness and Classic).

“Awe, man….do we have to hear that one again, Grandpa?” they will ask (children being honest to a fault at times).

If there’s enough magic remaining for us in this life, we just might be lucky enough to have one grandchild that “gets it” when we talk about horse racing.

“Shhhhhh!” that child might say.  “Let him tell the story again.  I want to hear about Zenyatta and Rachel.”

Yup, it’s been that kind of year.  Treasure it, my friends.  These kinds of years only come around once in a lifetime.

Now that we’ve got the morning line odds, post positions, and initial scratches/changes to work with, we can take a bit of a more in depth look at the racing action at Santa Anita as we continue with our race by race look at the Breeders’ Cup.  We’ll turn our attention to the $1 million Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf for the moment.  The field sets up as follows:

1. Zip Quick (50/1)
2. Viscount Nelson (6/1)
3. Codoy (15/1)
4. Pounced (9/2)
5. Gallant Gent (30/1)
6. Awesome Act (20/1)
7. Bridgetown (8/1)
8. King Ledley (20/1)
9. Kera’s Kitten (12/1)
10. Becky’s Kitten (12/1)
11. Interactif (4/1*)
12. Buzzword (6/1)
13. AE – Dean’s Kitten (12/1)
14. AE – Summer Movie (50/1)

Like many of the races this weekend, the Juvenile Turf sets up as a showdown between the U.S. and Europe.  The U.S. contingent is led by INTERACTIF, a son of Broken Vow who has won 3 of 4 lifetime races.  Perhaps even more impressively, he’s proven his versatility by winning at 3 different tracks (Monmouth, Saratoga, and Keeneland), on two different surfaces (turf and dirt), and on varying track conditions (“yielding” in the G3 Bourbon and “firm” in the With Anticipation).  Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Kent Desormeaux will team up on INTERACTIF and attempt to get a tepid 4/1 morning line favorite home in the first action of the day on Saturday.

Opposing that outcome will be a contingent of potentially tough horses from Europe, comprised of BUZZWORD, POUNCED, KING LEDLEY, AWESOME ACT, and VISCOUNT NELSON.  Either of these 4 appear capable on paper, and we all know how the betting public (including yours truly) like to focus on the Euros in these types of races. 

It’s extremely difficult to separate this group on paper – at least in my estimation.  We see some familiar names in their running lines, including Beethoven and Siyouni. POUNCED got the closest to Siyouni last out in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (a race which should clearly be renamed the “Jean-Luc Picard” in honor of Star Trek TNG), but BUZZWORD has arguably been the more consistent horse and actually defeated Siyouni in the Group 3 Prix La Rochette in September. 

Do note, however, that neither POUNCED nor BUZZWORD have ever raced through left handed turns.

BUZZWORD and POUNCED exit the Jean-Luc at Longchamp, and will look to “make it so” in the BC Juvie Turf

Of course, it’s not like there aren’t other directions handicappers can turn in this race.  The above merely constitutes some of the more obvious things to consider.  Several up-and-coming types dot the field and make for interesting potential value plays. 

VISCOUNT NELSON looks particularly attractive at 6/1 on the morning line.  The sone of Giant’s Causeway has arguable improved in each race, despite being bested by 3/4 of a length last out at Doncaster in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes (where’s that gratuitous Christopher Walken “shamp-ah-nya” photo when I need it???).  Johnny Murtagh will retain the mount for trainer Aidan O’ Brien on this very appealing colt that is notably 2 for 2 lifetime at the 1 mile distance.  My only question is how the colt may fare over a more firmer surface, as so far he seems to have encountered softer footing than he’s likely to run over at Santa Anita. 

likewise, AWESOME ACT is a horse who can offer a ton of value at 20/1, provided you are able to forgive the 9th place finish last out in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket (GB).  Take a look at that running line before you dismiss this guy.  He missed the start, was bumped, adn then was rank?  Talk about a trip from hell.  Draw a line through that race and he suddenly makes quite a bit more sense, doesn’t he?  Of course, it’s also worth noting that he has a tendency to be “rank” in nearly every race he’s run, so don’t expect a 180 turnaround – unless of course he really enjoyed the flight across the pond.  

With all that attention focused on the Euros, it’s easy to overlook some of the more local contenders.  BRIDGETOWN certainly hasn’t done anything to disgrace himself in 3 lifetime races.  Usually I’m a bit leery of playing Speightstown offspring at anything over 7 furlongs, but he’s proven he can get that crucial 8th furlong.  Trainer Ken McPeek is having himself a tremendous 2009 season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this guy somehow lit up the tote board. 

One could also make a bit of a case for GALLANT GENT based on his synthetic form; assuming of course that you are comfortable in taking the leap of faith that such form will translate well to the turf.  It’s also interesting to note that Joel Rosario will hop back aboard the son of Yankee Gentlemen, as these two paired up for victory at the Allowance level back in July at the Del Mar summer meet. 

Then there’s CODOY, a son of Bernstein currently listed at 15/1 who has yet to run a bad race.  True, it took him 4 tries to break his maiden, but he seems to be on the upswing.  I’m not expecting him to be able to defeat this field, but he could offer some value underneath if he takes that proverbial “next step.” 

As for the “kitten” horses, I’ll leave those to the cat-themed players, although if you really twisted my arm here I could point out some angles on each of them that give you something to consider. 

The only horse that would really floor me if they won is ZIP QUICK, as I can’t really make a solid case for him beyond having run 2nd over the dirt to D’funnybone, and picking up the services of jockey Mike Smith (oh wait, that’s two angles, isn’t it?). 

I’m going to guess that this race comes down to the wire in a very interesting battle between the top horses entered.  I’ll look for BUZZWORD, BRIDGETOWN, POUNCED, VISCOUNT NELSON and INTERACTIF to all have a shot as the field nears the wire.  In the end I prefer INTERACTIF due to his versatility, and POUNCED as the “now horse” from Europe, although you best believe I’ll have BUZZWORD, VISCOUNT NELSON, and possibly BRIDGETOWN in my exotic tickets.  No need to get bounced in the first leg of anything, right?  I’m not even going to guess about the underneath finishes as they’ll likely be a wall of horses just behind the leaders with nearly everyone still picking ‘em up and ‘putting ‘em down with a shot to hit the board.  Suffice to say I’m expecting some combination of these guys to hit the board.

I’m making POUNCED the top choice just because I always get nervous backing Todd Pletcher in big races.  Maybe it’s the oft-repeated Derby record that gives me pause.  I know this isn’t the Derby though, so I may be foolish for doing so.  I’ve also learned to fear any horse that Dettori climbs aboard, and seeing him listed atop what I believe to be the “now” horse in POUNCED, I can’t help but make him the selection.  Sweetening the pot is the fact that he’s slightly more favorable odds wise at 9/2 (instead of 4/1). 

Selections:

• #4 Pounced (9/2)
• #11 Interactif (4/1*)
• #2 Viscount Nelson (6/1)

Now that we’ve looked in depth at each of the Friday Breeders’ Cup races this week at Santa Anita, it’s time to get down to business in the Friday finale, the $2 million Ladies Classic.  This just happens to be the race I’ve been covering this season for the NTRA, so hopefully it’s one that I wind up being closer to the mark on in terms of selections.

Obviously the fate of this race will be determined by the connections for team Zenyatta.  If the undefeated and defending champion returns to preserve her crown, the entire thing becomes academic.  There’s simply not another filly or mare in the world that could handle her in her own back yard on the Santa Anita Pro Ride.   Don’t read too much into that statement though, as I think most folks know how I feel about the whole Rachel Alexandra/Zenyatta “debate.”

Zenyatta – will the queen hold court in the Ladies Classic on Friday, or face the boys on Saturday?

In all honesty, given the way she’s worked and the effortless performance we saw from her last out in the Lady’s Secret, I’m fully anticipating the Moss family and trainer John Shirreffs opt to face the boys in a battle of the sexes in the Saturday version of the Classic. With that in mind, despite her being listed as an entry for the field below, I’m attacking this race assuming that Zenyatta will not be here.

Entries:

• Careless Jewel
• Cocoa Beach
• Lethal Heat
• Proviso
• Rainbow View
• Zenyatta
• Life is Sweet
• Mushka
• Music Note

The first thing to consider in the likely absence of ZENYATTA is the pace scenario.  Whereas a 3-year-old like CARELESS JEWEL, freakish as she may be, would likely have been nothing more than a target for the “50 foot woman” to run at, she’d now become a serious threat to wire the field.  Especially given her synthetic track ability demonstrated in her past performance running lines at Woodbine earlier in the year.  Is Woodbine the same as Santa Anita’s Pro Ride?  Not exactly – but at least it’s an indication of ability.

MUSIC NOTE would be your most likely favorite in the absence of ZENYATTA as the daughter of A.P. Indy has won back to back races for white hot Godolphin Stables.   We know this, she can handle the Santa Anita Pro Ride just fine, as she did in last year’s Ladies Classic in her 3rd place finish behind ZENYATTA and COCOA BEACH.

Speaking of COCOA BEACH, the daughter of Doneralie Court finds herself right back where she was last year at this time.  To be totally honest, I liked her form coming into the Ladies Classic last year better than I do this year.  She’s still very capable against a Zenyatta-less field, but she might’ve been a step better in 2008.  On the plus side, she’s working her tail off and, like MUSIC NOTE, is racing for the Godolphin crew that seems to turn everything they touch into gold lately. 

LETHAL HEAT is an interesting component of this race as trainer Barry Abrams insists she’ll run on both Friday AND Saturday.  Personally I think that’s madness, but she definitely warrants consideration here on Friday in the Ladies Classic.  As I mentioned in the NTRA post today, you have to go back quite a ways to find her last win, but keep in mind that she’s been facing colts and ZENYATTA in between.  She just about always finds a way to finish in the money, and we all know that offspring of Unusual Heat seem to thrive over the California synthetics.  Don’t sell this gal too short is all I’m saying.

RAINBOW VIEW is a 3-year-old invader from Europe who would make quite a bit of sense in this race.  Whether she runs here or earlier on the card will likely be determined by the decisions made surrounding Zenyatta, but if she shows up she’s capable of staging the upset. 

LIFE IS SWEET would probably let out a huge sigh of relief if she could if indeed ZENYATTA runs elsewhere.  Her stablemate has had the misfortune of running directly into her in 3 of the last 4 races, with a showdown against colts like Rail Trip sandwiched in between.  Go back to her running lines before those last 4 races and what do you notice?  Oh yeah – this is a pretty solid horse who should be very game to run a big race here regardless of where ZENYATTA enters. 

MUSHKA and PROVISO have the look of outsiders, although anyone who watched them in the stretch of the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland knows they’ve got a bit of a score to settle. 

If ZENYATTA runs here, it’s her race to lose.  That’s probably the most obvious statement of the year.

If, however, she runs elsewhere, I’m going to take a stab with the 3-year-old phenom CARELESS JEWEL.  Why not?  Speed seems to be holding up fairly well in 2 turn route races over the Pro Ride.  It’ll take all she’s got in her, as she’s  yet to face horses as talented as MUSIC NOTE and RAINBOW VIEW, but this one might set up nicely for her.

Obviously the class of MUSIC NOTE and RAINBOW VIEW would warrant using them underneath.  Likewise I don’t think you can leave LETHAL HEAT or LIFE IS SWEET out of the equation here as well.  What appeared to be the “free square” of the Pick 6 sequence several days ago might suddenly become a wide open affair with bettors scrambling to end their tickets on some sort of bold stand. 

What say you?  If Zenyatta does indeed skip the Ladies’ Classic, which runner do you see stepping up to the plate (pardon the World Series inspired expression) and winding up in the winner’s circle as Ladies Classic champion?

Things get a little less absolute when we turn once again to 2-year-old fillies in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.  Thankfully there’s no turf involved here, no matter how “turf resembling” some folks insist the Pro Ride to be. 

An extremely competitive looking group of 12 runners was entered for this race, including many of the same faces we discussed in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.  Ironically, this race may be even more difficult to handicap when all is said and done. 

The entries are as follows:

• Always a Princess
• Beautician
• Bickersons
• Biofuel
• Blind Luck
• Champagne d’Oro
• Connie and Michael
• Devil May Care
• Ms Vanenzza
• Negligee
• She Be Wild
• Zilva

First things first.  ZILVA came out as my top selection for the Juvenile FIllies Turf. Given that she’s more used to synthetics one might assume she’d be my selection here as well, right?  Not so fast, my friends.  The daughter of Successful Appeal has yet to win over the synthetics, which makes her a bit of a riskier play.

Looking at those who have shown the ability to win over the “plastics”, my eyes gravitate towards NEGLIGEE.  Here’s a runner who has yet to run in a “clunker” with 3 very good races under her belt.  The daughter of  Northern Afleet is one of only two runners in this field with a Grade 1 victory over an artificial surface, having prevailed in the Alcibiades at Keeneland on October 9.

Speaking of which, BLIND LUCK is the other runner with a Grade 1 victory on the synthetics, having taken the Oak Leaf at Santa Anita on October 4.  I think you have to key on these two efforts , although by virtue of being lightly raced (and not that far behind developmentally), many of the challengers in here could be very tough.

We get the 2nd, 4th, and 5th place finishers from the Alcibiades to go along with NEGLIGEE.  SHE BE WILD finished 2nd beaten by a 1/2 length that day.  The aforementioned ZILVA was 4th, with BEUTICIAN rounding out in 5th.

Looking back at the Oak Leaf, we have the 2nd and 3rd place finishers to go along with the champion coming back for more.  ALWAYS A PRINCESS wound up finishing 2nd to BLIND LUCK, beaten by 2 1/2 lengths after leading the field into the stretch.  BICKERSONS was closing fast and just missed ALWAYS A PRINCESS by a neck at the wire. 

With that in mind, it’s worth noting that ALWAYS A PRINCESS could get loose on the lead again in the BC Juvenile Fillies – depending on what CONNIE AND MICHAEL attempts. 

In all likelihood, your winner will come from either the Oak Leaf or Alcibiades fields earlier in the year, as those appear to be the major prep races.  That being said, BEAUTICIAN, BIO FUEL, and DEVIL MAY CARE have taken slightly different paths and cannot be discounted easily.

Ultimately, I’m siding with BLIND LUCK here due to her proven ability over the Pro Ride at the 1 1/16 mile distance.  I like NEGLIGEE quite a bit though and would not be shocked if she wound up in the winner’s circle.  Of the rest, I think BEUATICIAN could be a sneaky horse to use in the exotics as many bettors might dismiss her as being more of a dirt horse despite the fact that she was “blocked” and “steadied” in her only synthetic effort (an all things considered not-so-bad 5th place finish in the Alcibiades).

Selections:

• Blind Luck
• Negligee
• Beuatician

Continuing on with our advance selections for the upcoming Breeders’ Cup championship races this weekend at Santa Anita, we now turn to the Juvenile Fillies Turf  - a race which has a tendency to perplex many horseplayers due to the relative equality of the competitors and their lightly raced backgrounds.

I’ll be completely honest here and admit that I don’t have a strong opinion in the Juvenile Filles Turf.  I’m a bad enough turf handicapper as it is.  Adding “juvenile” fillies to the mix only makes this more of a crapshoot for me. 

The field for the Juvenile Fillies Turf looks like this (according to the advance entries released last week):

• Champagne d’Oro
• Connie and Michael
• Dad’s Crazy
• Elusive Galaxy
• Hatheer
• House of Grace
• In the Slips
• Jungle Tale
• Junia Tepzia
• La Nez
• Lillie Langtry
• Lisa’s Kitten
• Potosina
• Rose Catherine
• Smart Seattle
• Tapitsfly
• Zilva

All things being equal, I’ll likely roll the dice a bit with my boy Graham Motion and hope that his combo of ZILVA and SMART SEATTLE can fire over the Santa Anita grass.  It would absolutely make my weekend to see Graham notch another Breeders’ Cup victory on his belt – especially after the retirement of the beloved Better Talk Now earlier in the year.  

Apart from that I thought that LILLIE LANGTRY appeared to have some solid European form coming into this race.  The question will of course be whether the daughter of Danehill Dancer wants to go the extra furlong here?  I see no reason to suspect that will be a problem, but it’s nonetheless something to consider.

The rest of the field seems fairly evenly matched, so hopefully the paddock and post parade impressions will help seperate these guys a bit. Suffice to say this is probably a spot to spread deep on your exotics.

If you’re a Medaglia d’Oro player (a recent innovation that just came into existence during this season), then perhaps you like Champagne d’Oro.  By the way, is it just me, or when you read this horse’s name do you not picture Christopher Walken doing his Saturday Night Live skit, announcing that some unsuspecting lady has “spilled their champ-ah-nya?”

If you’re a Beyer Figure handicapper, you’ll no doubt be attracted to ROSE CATHERINE and CONNIE AND MICHAEL.

If you’re a “recent form” player, then horses like HOUSE OF GRACE, IN THE SLIPS, JUNIA TEPZIA, and LA NEZ make sense.

If, like a Facebook friend (whose name ironically happens to be Lisa) you enjoy playing “cat themed” horse names, then perhaps LISA’S KITTEN is the horse for you?

Pick your poison here.  As I stated earlier, I’m a Graham Motion guy, so that’s where I’ll wind up.

Selections:

• Zilva
• Lillie Langtry
• Smart Seattle

 Go get ‘em Graham!

Here’s the first in a series of closer looks we’ll take at the Breeders’ Cup championship races this weekend at Santa Anita.  As a disclosure, keep in mind that post positions and odds have yet to be set as of this writing and that all handicapping was done perusing the advance past performances released last week.  

I’ll be leaving for California right around the time the post position and morning line odds  information becomes finalized, so what follows are an extremely advanced interpretation of how things might go that is obviously subjected to substantial changes between now (Monday) and the upcoming weekend.

**********************************

Marathon, eh?  Maybe it’s just me, but when I hear the word “Marathon”, I imagine a long phalanx of Greek warriors pitching into an invading Persian host.  For most people, however,  the word invokes images of long, grueling racing action. To this end, the Breeders’ Cup marathon has been extended from a 1 1/2 mile affair in 2008 to a 1 3/4 mile affair this year. 

The field for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon sets up like this:

• Black Astor
• Cloudy’s Knight
• Eldaafer
• Father Time
• Gangbuster
• Man of Iron
• Mastery
• Muhannak
• Nite Light
• On Fire
• Sir Dave

In looking for our own 2009 version of Miltiades the Younger (victor of the famed Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.), two European horses leap off the page to me; MASTERY and FATHER TIME. 

Miltiades the Younger - Victor of the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC

MASTERY comes in hot off a victory in the ST. Leger Stakes at Doncaster on September 12.  The son of Sulamani has been the distance before over the grass, and now must prove he’s the same quality of horse racing over the Pro Ride.  He’ll be a short price for the hot Godolphin team, so if you’re looking for a big score to kick off championship weekend, you’ll need to beat this guy to do so.

FATHER TIME could make the most sense to players looking to beat the chalk right out of the gate.  The son of Dansili has earned a victory over a synthetic surface to break his maiden almost a year ago exactly, and has battled with MASTERY in both the Great Voltiguer and St. Leger Stakes overseas.

One thing is certain – we’ll put the notion that the Santa Anita Pro Ride will favor European turf horses to test immediately in the Marathon. 

As for the rest of the field, I think MAN OF IRON makes quite a bit of sense, although he’ll probably be overbet.  I also like the looks of the 9-year-old CLOUDY’S KNIGHT and the 5-year-old NITE LIGHT.  Don’t forget last year’s champion, MUHANNAK, is also returning to defend his crown, although he doesn’t appear to be in as sharp form as he was a year ago.

It would be infinitely easier to explain a possible trifecta ticket if we had the corresponding post positions set, but suffice to say I’ll be using both MASTERY and FATHER TIME on top of my tickets, with NITE LIGHT and CLOUDY’S KNIGHT underneath.  I’ll likely be adding MAN OF IRON to the bottom of the ticket as well.

Selections:

• Mastery
• Father Time
• Nite Light 

Best of luck to all – make sure you start of your Breeders’ Cup wagers with a winner!

Maryland racing.  It might not get the glamour and top notch billing that it did in it’s prime (a prime that was relevant enough to see the city of Baltimore’s NFL franchise adorned with the name “Colts” in honor of the state’s rich history of racing and thoroughbred breeding), but for homegrown fans like me there’s simply nothing more special than a day of great racing at either Laurel Park or Pimlico. 

This Saturday gives us just such an opportunity with the 19th running of the Grade 1 De Francis Dash along with the undercard $50,000 Find Handicap and the $50,000 Twixt Stakes.  The Dash, it must be noted, is but one of only three remaining Grade 1 races run at Maryland tracks these days – with the others being the Preakness and the Pimlico Special (of Seabiscuit and War Admiral fame), and was not carded last year due to purse shortage concerns. 

Why the focus on Maryland this weekend?  Two reasons really.  Firstly, it’s my “home circuit” – the mystic dirt of home, and one of my original goals when this site was incepted was to do every little bit I could to help promote Maryland racing.  Will it ever return to the level it enjoyed back  in it’s “glory days?”  Probably not, but the fact that it once impacted the naming of an NFL franchise speaks volumes of the distinguished history the area has with respect to horse racing – and if I’m nothing else, I’m a sucker for historical significance. 

Secondly, I’ve simply had Baltimore on the brain lately.  Obviously this has nothing to do with my lowly Orioles (who are only trumped in terms of lowliness by my equally beloved St. Louis Rams…man, thank god I’ve got horse racing and the Alabama Crimson Tide to cheer for).  Instead, I think this began with the fantastic “Band That Wouldn’t Die” film – one of the specials being offered by ESPN under the banner of “30 for 30′ (30 films for their 30 years of operation). 

The episode in particular was quite revealing about the passion and diehard sports obsession that many Baltimoreans possess.  When the NFL took their team away, they refused to accept that the city that helped put the sport on the map would be overlooked in the modern era of NFL expansion.  

(Note: For any wondering what I mean about “the city that put the sport on the map”- consider the historical impact of the famed Colts/Giants championship game of 1958 that is widely considered the “greatest game ever played” and used as an iconic starting point for the uber-popularity that the game of pro football now enjoys)

Anyone else find it ironic that the same city that once put pro football on the map, only to have their dignity swiped from them in the middle of the night by the arrival of an army of Mayflower moving trucks also happens to find itself potentially on the brink of having it’s proud tradition of thoroughbred racing greatness stripped away?  My, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The current state of affairs has apocalyptic doomsday scenario questions worrying all fans of Maryland racing – such as how long we’ll be able to hold on to our beloved Preakness and how long the hallowed grounds of Pimlico race course, which have witnessed nearly every great North American thoroughbred in history for the last century, may remain open?

It just strikes me as painfully odd that the same city faces reminiscent challenges regarding two of it’s more cherished past times just decades apart. 

The similarities are right in front of us.  Old Memorial Stadium was falling apart and Colts owner Bob Irsay wanted a state of the art facility.  The politicians wrangled over when/where/and how much to spend on the project, and ultimately the city lost the team to Indianapolis. 

Fast forward to today, and the story has similar parallels.  We all know Pimlico is need of major renovations to keep it afloat.  The once proud Pimlico meets have been reduced to just a 4 week blip on the racing calendar.  Fans like me have to endure constant razzing from visitors about the current condition of the track (giving truth to the axiom that “one man’s treasure is another man’s garbage”).

It’s within the bumbling of the government itself though that things get really interesting.  I won’t attempt to explain the entire complexity of the situation, as to be honest it gives me headaches at times.  First there was the battle of the slots.  “To slot or not to slot? That is the question!”  Passionate arguments were made on both sides.  Ultimately the decision was given a go (at least theoretically, if not practically) – but in typical Maryland fashion it was bungled to the extreme and we now wind up with slots that won’t actually be at Pimlico (if they ever get all the zoning and licensing straightened out) - instead they will be at OTB and other satellite locations sprinkled throughout the state.

My personal opinion on the slots question?  As a typical Maryland resident (or more correctly, a former Maryland resident who now resides within walking distance of the Mason Dixon Line)- I’m fence sitting a bit on this.  I can see both sides.  On the one hand, it’s clear that Maryland racing is impeded in their ability to compete with neighboring states and put on a consistently competitive product whilst competing with slots infused purses in West Viriginia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

On the other hand, you can count me firmly among the believers that if slots money is considered our savior – that it’s already too late.  We need to treat the illness – not the symptoms.  I know, I know – one of the most horribly overused phrases of our time.  There are simply so many things broken with the models employed at tracks throughout the land (Maryland being no exception), that I’m not sure slots would amount to anything more than a temporary “fix” to a problem that will continue to grow over time.  It’s a necessary temporary fix – I just hope folks have the ability to see past what happens when the slots well eventually runs dry.

Anyhow, If you missed the ESPN film on the Colt’s marching band – it’s one I highly recommend.  You don’t have to be a Baltimorean to enjoy the film.  All you need is an ability to sympathize with folks who love a sport with all their heart and then have that which they love taken from them.  Also note that a similar film about the Triple Crown campaign (and subsequent drama and tragedy) surrounding Charismatic is set to debut in early 2010.

For now though, inspired by the members of the Colts marching band who refused to let the tradition of their beloved team fade into the night along with the hopes and dreams of an entire city, and inspired by the return of one of Maryland’s proud (but few) Grade 1 races, it’s time to give picking a few winners at Laurel Park the old college try. 

The De Francis Memorial Dash

Vineyard Haven, the highly touted son of Lido Palace who once sat atop many a Kentucky Derby rankings list at the end of last year, comes into town seeking redemption in the Dash.  He had the Grade 1 King’s Bishop in his grasp at Saratoga on August 29th, but was DQ’d and dropped down to 2nd by the stewards following some action in the stretch.   The horse has been working lights out for this effort, and at this moment in time Godolphin Stables seems to be hitting on all cylinders, making him a very worthy favorite at 8/5. 

The field for the Dash isn’t filled with pushovers, though.  Fleet Valid comes into the race having won 4 straight victories.  Amazingly, this horse was claimed a few years ago for just $14,000?  Talk about a solid claim!

Another favorite of mine, Saratoga Russell, is back looking for glory in the Dash.  ‘Russell has finished in the exacta in 6 of 8 career races, and certainly offers some value at 20/1.

Another horse who might get overlooked is Ravalo, who while he has faced lesser competition throughout much of the year should certainly find this race within his reach, having prevailed 9 times already at this distance.  I have a tendency to focus on runners who perform well on Preakness Day, and this guy won the Maryland Sprint Handicap that day against a very competitive field – so I know he’s got some guts.

Then of course there’s the victor of the Maryland Million Sprint – Roaring Lion.  The son of Lion Hearted races for the always dangerous Bruce Levine barn and will be stepping up in class to take on the likes of Fleet Valid, Ravalo, and Vineyard Haven.

I like Vineyard Haven to roll here (despite the short odds of 8/5), and underneath will be using 4 horses on my exacta and trifecta tickets:  Ravalo, Fleet Valid, Roaring Lion, and Saratoga Russell.

1/ 2,3,4,8/ 2,3,4,8

In the undercard races on the day, I like the improving #3 Target Sighted in The Find Handicap (Race 8) at 9/2.  Obviously there’s a few other horses in here to pay attention to, including #4 Baltimore Bob (3/1).  The winner of the Maryland Million Classic #11 Sumacha’hot (7/2 in his 4th turf attempt) and my original pick for the Maryland Million Classic, #13 Regal Solo (20/1) will also give it a go, but they don’t seem to  have enough enticing turf form for my tastes.

In the Twixt (Race 7), I’m going to roll the dice looking for a bit of a price with Alan Garcia aboard the sneakily versatile #2 Miss Dartmouth.  This field just looks very evenly matched to me, so a horse that could be on the lead but doesn’t necessarily have to be looks enticing – especially with odds of 5/1.  As an interesting side note – take a look at who beat Miss Dartmouth in her debut- none other than Sara Louise, the last horse to defeat Rachel Alexandra.  True, she didn’t run particularly well against her, but it’s still noteworthy.  Underneath I think you’ve got to look at #8 Princess Malka, #1 Love’s Blush, and #5 Southern Charmer.

Best of luck to all!

With festivities and celebrations galore, Melbourne Cup Day in Sydney is no less exciting than in Melbourne. There are numerous venues holding numerous functions that come up with new and exciting events every year.

Leading hotels organise live telecast of the race and serve choice buffets with exceptional wine along with live entertainment and fabulous parades and exciting contests that give away prizes for the best dress, the best dressed, the best hat or the best tie. Connoisseurs of fashion reveal fashion tips and trends for the season. The frenzy in Sydney is no less than in Melbourne with lucky draws and sweeps.

Sydney Harbour is the choicest of venues where functions are organised at several waterfront locations where the race and the Carnival events are shown live on plasma screens in the setting of spectacular harbour views.

There are cruises that take you around the harbour and serve you not only the best food and wine, but also the best views of the harbour! On the pre-Melbourne Lunch Cruise operated by Magistic Cruises you get to see the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge from different fantastic angles and several other famous landmarks before you return ashore in time for the pre-race events. If you can handle all this excitement in one day, just go for it!

Another weekend is upon us.  Is it just me, or does this seem to happen like clockwork every 7 days?  Very strange.  You’ll forgive me for drifting here and there as we’ve got twelve big races to cover in what promises to be an exciting weekend of racing.  The biggest (and baddest) name on the entries is obviously Zenyatta – the undefeated mare attempting to equal the feat of Personal Ensign by winning her 13th consecutive start of her career. 

Here’s a quick roundup of the major races being run at Belmont Park, Keeneland, and at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meet.  I’ve organized them by order of post time so that they flow in sequence – which means we’ll be bouncing between the tracks a bit here. 

Belmont – Race 4 – The Jamaica Handicap (Grade 1) – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf) – 2:35 (ET)

We kick things off with the 60th running of the Jamaica H.   The two horses that appear to have the biggest shot here are #2 COURAGEOUS CAT and #6 TAKE THE POINTS.  The latter we know from the Preakness earlier in the year and his victory in the Grade 1 Secretariat on August 8.  COURAGEOUS CAT is the horse I’ve got to take here.  Despite being the morning line favorite at 2/1, he might wind up offering slightly better value if TAKE THE POINTS takes a lot of money at the windows. The son of Storm Cat is also named for one of my favorite childhood cartoon stars.  Most folks don’t remember Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse, but I do.  #3 GRASSY looks like a runner with a big shot in here as well.  I could also make a case for adding in #7 MR SANDMAN and #1 STRAIGHT STORY on the bottom of the exotics. 

Selections:

• #2 Courageous Cat (2/1*)
• #6 Take the Points (5/2)
• #3 Grassy (6/1)

Keeneland – Race 5 – The Woodford (Grade 3) – 5 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) – 3:23 (ET)

We visit Keeneland for the first time today for the 13th running of The Woodford.  I’m not much of a turf sprint handicapper, and I know it’s one of my weaker areas, so we’ll keep this one simple.  I like #2 MR. NIGHTLINGER in here, despite the 2/1 odds. The son of Indian Charlie has not had quite the banner year many of us expected to have, with only 1 victory thus far in 5 starts.  One of the main reasons I’m backing him though is that he’s got talent and shows early speed – something which can be noteworthy from time to time at Keeneland.  He will be tested though, as #7 SILVER TIMBER looks like a good one for trainer Chad Brown.  The son of Prime Timber is the most likely to get first run at MR. NIGHTLINGER if he can’t hold on out in front.  #6 DIE DATE is another horse worth considering in this field.  He gives you a consistently even effort every time out, although he may be better suited for the bottom of exotic tickets.  Other horses worth ticket consideration would appear to be #5 BULLET FROM ABROAD and #8 FORT PRADO. 

Selections:

• #2 Mr. Nightlinger (2/1*)
• #7 Silver Timber (5/2)
• #6 Due Date (7/2)

Keeneland – Race 6 – The Thoroughbred Club of America (Grade 2) – 6 Furlongs – 4:00 (ET)

We stay in Keeneland for the 29th running of the TCA.  #8 INFORMED DECISION is the overwhelming favorite on the morning line at 3/5.  While that might be cause to try and beat her, the daughter of former Kentucky Derby champion Monarchos has proven deadly (3 for 3) at Keeneland in her career.  She’s also won all 5 of her synthetic starts.  Just keep that in mind if you try to take her down.  The most logical contender would seem to be #6 CARLSBAD, who comes off a Grade 3 victory at Delmar last out. Tyler Baze is the listed rider, meaning he’s left the friendly confines of California.  There’s enough value here on the morning line (5/1) to warrant stong consideration. #5 BOLD UNION is another interesting runner who comes off a Grade 3 victory at Delaware.  The Dixie Union filly has only raced once over the synthetics, and it was nothing to write home about, but she does have speed and that can be a big factor in sprint races. I like the two “Ashley” horses (#1 AWESOME ASHLEY and #4 PIOUS ASHLEY) enough to include them on the bottom of my tickets, and I might take a chance underneath with #3 PORTE BONHEUR as well, as she’s proven she can handle the synthetics at Woodbine last November. 

Selections:

• #8 Informed Decision (3/5*)
• #6 Carlsbad (5/1)
• #5 Bold Union (6/1)

Keeneland – Race 7 – The First Lady (Grade 1) – 1 Mile (Turf) – 4:35 (ET)

You know, we just love Keeneland so much that we’ll hang around for another race, whaddya think?  The First Lady is for fillies and mares 3-and-up going 1 mile over the turf.  #5 FOREVER TOGETHER is currently listed atop most rankings of oder turf females in the U.S., and will be the morning line favorite at even odds.  The daughter of Belong to Me was absolutely dominating at times last year, but has had some trouble putting together consistent victories this year.  If her current pattern of running 1st, 2nd – 1st, 2nd continues, she’s due for a victory.  If only it were that simple.  Working in her favor will be the fact that she gets a little pace to run into with #4 TIZAQUEENA and #9 SUPERIOR STORM on her flanks.  That should help her have a big race.  #6 MY PRINCESS JESS and #8 DIAMONDRELLA are two runners who could also get good trips and who would obviously offer more value on the tote board.  At least work them into your exotics.

Selections:

• #5 Forever Together (3/5*)
• # 6 My Princess Jess (6/1)
• #4 Tizaqueena (12/1)

Belmont – Race 8 – The Frizette (Grade 1) – 1 Mile – 4:43 (ET)

It’s back to New York for the 62nd running of the Frizette for 2-year-old fillies. #3 NONA MIA looks like the horse to beat here coming off an impressive 12 length score out to break her maiden.  Being a daughter of Empire Maker, I’m not as concerned about how she’ll handle the distance as perhaps I ought to be. #4 AWESOME MARIA should have a say as to how things turn out as well.  The daughter of Maria’s Mon is already a Grade 2 winner having defeated several of today’s rivals in the Matron on September 19.  The rest of the field looks fairly even behind these two.  #6 FRANNY FREUD, #5 TOUCHING BEAUTY, and #2 DEVIL MAY CARE all came up as having chances to hit the board based on my own personal handicapping methods, as did #7 WORSHIP THE MOON.  I’ll probably box the top two choices on top and then take all of these guys on the bottom of the trifecta.  That’s my initial plan at least.  We’ll see if se can get a good look at them in the post parade to narrow it down a bit more.  I went with TOUCHING BEAUTY as my 3rd choice by a slim margin – mostly due to the fact that she was sired by Tapit. 

Selections:

• #3 Nonna Mia (5/2)
• #4 Awesome Maria (2/1*)
• #5 Touching Beauty (5/1)

Santa Anita (Oak Tree)  – Race 4 – The Yellow Ribbon (Grade 1) – 1 1/4 Miles (Turf) – 2:00 (PT)

Time to head out west to the lovely Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita for the 33rd running of the Yellow Ribbon.  The two big names in this field are #1 MAGICAL FANTASY and #7 VISIT.  MAGICAL FANTASY exits 3 consecutive victories, including two at the Grade 1 level in the John C Mabee and the Gamely.  This is clearly one of the better turf mares on the California circuit and she should be respected as such. VISIT is a 4-year-old that has always seemed on the cusp of greatness, yet has a tendency to run for minor slices of the pie.  Garrett Gomez will get acquainted once again with the daughter of Oasis Dream , who should be firing at about the same time as MAGICAL FANTASY.  This could be a good battle between these two runners in the stretch.  As for the rest of the field, #4 BLACK MAMBA is a dangerous runner who can jump up and run a big one from time to time. Trainer John Sadler might have her primed for a big effort this weekend.  I’m also familiar enough with both #2 LEMONETTE and #3 LEMON CHIFFON that I’ll probably include them on the bottom of my tickets as well.  If I’m not mistaken, LEMON CHIFFON was one of the horses I hit at the NTRA Handicapping Contest last fall in Las Vegas. 

Selections:

• #1 Magical Fantasy (8/5*)
• #7 Visit (5/1)
• #4 Black Mamba (5/2)

Keeneland – Race 8 – The Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (Grade 1) – 1 1/16 Miles – 5:10 (ET)

Now we head back to Kentucky for more 2-year-old action in the Breeders’ Futurity.  The colt I’m most anxious to see here is #2 BACKTALK.  The son of Smarty Jones had won 3 in a row to start his career before drawing the 12 hole last out in the Hopeful.  Will he like the synthetics at Keeneland?  Well, if his bullet workout there on October 5 is any indication, he out to handle the surface switch just fine.  That being said, I’m going with #8 AKENITE as my top choice.  Why?  Well, the son of Yes it’s True will offer some value at the windows, and might be overlooked.  Plus, look at that last race where he lost to Dublin and Aspire.  Those two are the top choices for the Champagne, run just 5 minutes later at Belmont (and coming up next in our selections).  If those two are among the best in the young and developing division, then that could be a race to key on.   Maybe if they don’t leave him with as much to do and go for a more even effort?  It’s worth a chance is all i’m saying.  #7 MAKE MUSIC FOR ME is a logical contender as well, coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Best Pal and the Delmar Futurity.  I have some questions about how this one will handle the distance, but I like that they’ve trained her at 7 furlongs following a game effort at that same distance. Note that Tyler Baze will also be aboard this runner, so he’s got a couple of potentially live mounts on the card.  A horse that might get overlooked and is in all honesty probably compromised by their starting position is #14 STATELY VICTOR.  Don’t be surprised if this son of Ghostzapper goes on to become the best horse of this field in due time. Whether he shows that on Saturday not is a bit of question mark, but I think he’s worth at least including underneath.   There’s plenty of other directions you could go here, depending on which horse you may already be familiar with or have developed some affection for.

Selections:

• #8 Akenite (5/1)
• #2 Backtalk (4/1*)
• #7 Make Music for Me (6/1)

Belmont – Race 9 – The Champagne (Grade 1) – 1 Mile – 5:15 (ET)

We head back to New York for the final time this afternoon for the Champagne.  If you start reading this and feel as though you’re having deja vu, don’t worry – we did just talk about some of these runners.  #5 DUBLIN comes into the race as the victor of the Hopeful at Saratoga.  In that race he held on to deny #3 ASPIRE, who will get the benefit of an extra furlong in his attempt to turn the tables on his rival.  Don’t I kind of have to go with a horse named ASPIRE since this is The Aspiring Horseplayer?  That’s just too strong a vibe for me to pass up.  In all honesty, I rate these two extremely close to one another, and while if my life depended on it, I’d probably side with DUBLIN, I”ll take a chance and go with ASPIRE here.  The horse that might be the x-factor here is #6 HOMEBOYKRIS for Rick Dutrow Jr.  #4 DISCREETLY MINE also rates a chance here as this son of Mineshaft did run well against Dutrow’s other prized possession in the 2-year-old division thus far, D’Funnybone.

Selections:

• #3 Aspire (3/1)
• #5 Dublin (8/5*)
• #6 Homeboykris (6/1)

Keeneland – Race 9 – The Shadwell Turf Mile (Grade 1) – 1 Mile (Turf) -5:45 (ET)

The finale of the marquee races at Keeneland for Saturday is the 24th running of the Shadwell Turf Mile.  I’ll consider taking a chance here with #9 COURT VISION, despite the fact that the son of Gulch has not won a race since the Hollywood Derby last November. He’s running for Dutrow now, which in itself is cause for improvement, and adds the blinkers back on, which he’s had off the last 3 races.  Call me crazy but I think this helps keep him focused in the stretch and gives him a chance for the upset.  The monster of the race though is #7 JUSTENUFFHUMOR.  The son of Distorted Humor exits 6 consecutive victories, including the Bernard Baruch Handicap last out at Saratoga.  If he’s good enough to beat my boy Cowboy Cal, he’s good enough to take this field. #5 BATTLE OF HASTINGS is a horse I’ve given out several times here successfully, so you know he’ll be on my tickets again.

Selections:

• #7 Justenuffhumor (5/2*)
• #9 Court Vision (7/2)
• #5 Battle of Hastings (5/1)

Santa Anita (Oak Tree) – Race 6 – The Oak Tree Mile (Grade 2) – 1 Mile (Turf) – 3:00 (PT)

Things get a little bit calmer as we head out west to stay to finish up the day, beginning with the Oak Tree Mile.  Notice that there’s a theme here today where I talk about a horse in one race, and he shows up in the next.  #9 COWBOY CAL comes into the Mile having finished 2nd in the Bernard Baruch.  There’s something about this guy that I really admire.  He’s a gamer – and I think he could be in store for a big effort.  He’ll need to avoid a speed duel with #7 MONTERREY JAZZ though, and ought to press the pace from 2nd to give himself his best chance.  Coming off the pace will be #10 WHATSTHESCRIPT and #4 GLOBAL HUNTER, who each have big shots in here as well.  I’m going to stick with my COWBOY CAL on top, with GLOBAL HUNTER running big for 2nd.  WHATSTHESCRIPT has a tendency to run 3rd or 4th, and I’ll use him on the bottom.  Do give some props to the filly, #8 ALLICANSAYIS WOW – as she steps up to take on boys again.  She ran well for 2nd in the Delmar Mile, and finished ahead of Lethal Heat, a horse who (you guessed it) will come up again later in our picks.  I’d also keep MONTERREY JAZZ around in your tickets, being as that he is the speed of the speed.

Selections:

• #9 Cowboy Cal (2/1*)
• #4 Global Hunter (8/1)
• #10 Whatsthescript (5/2)

Santa Anita (Oak Tree) – Race 7 – The Goodwood (Grade 1) – 1 1/8 Miles – 3:30 (PT)

The feature race of the day is the final major prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic – the 28th running of the Goodwood.  Wht a race we’ve got in store.  #4 COLONEL JOHN tries to get back to his winning ways on the main track following a disappointing 5th place finish in the Pacific Classic.  I thought the son o f Tiznow had a horrible trip that day and am expecting the real COLONEL JOHN to show up again this weekend.  He was, after all, my Derby selection back in 2008.  Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert brings the hot longshot winner #3 RICHARD’S KID in for the Goodwood with visions of the Classic dancing in his head.  Was that last win in the Pacific Classic a fluke, or has Baffert turned this guy into a top runner?  I wouldn’t let Bob Baffert burn you twice, if you know what I mean.  Of course, there are also some runners in here both seeking to regain respect and who are favorites of many fans.  #2 TIAGO is one class=”mceItemHidden”> of the few remnants of the talented 2007 crop of 3-year-olds that produced Curlin, Street Sense, and Hard Spun. Tiago always was in their shadows, and despite ome success as a 4-year-old and some sexy Beyer figures on his resume, he’s only won $24,000 in 2 starts this year.  If he comes back like his old self, he actually makes some sense here.  This is the same team, remember, that gave the world Zenyatta (and Giacomo).  #5 TRES BORRACHOS still has the coolest name in all of racing (“3 drunks”).  And of course, there’s that guy that won the Kentucky Derby at 50/1, #10 MINE THAT BIRD.  How great would it be to see the son of Birdstone come back and run a big race?  He’s been on synthetics before – hell, he’s won on ‘em before, so if his throat surgery has got him back to the way he was this spring, he could make some noise here in his 1st start against older horses.   I haven’t even had a chance to mention #9 INFORMED (son of Tiznow), #6 MONZANTE (winner of the 2008 Eddie Read), and #7  PARADING (disappointing 4th in the Pacific Classic last out).  This looks like a great race – hopefully a glimmer of things to come on Breeders’ Cup weekend this November.

Selections:

• #4 Colonel John (3/1*)
• #4 Richard’s Kid (8/1)
• #10 Mine That Bird (7/2)

Santa Anita (Oak Tree – Race 8 – The Lady’s Secret (Grade 1) – 1 1/16 Miles – 4:00 (PT)

We wind up the day with the return of the undefeated Zenyatta – the super star of west coast thoroughbred racing.  I’ve covered this race already for the NTRA, and you’re welcome to read my assessment there.  The biggest question we’ll be looking to answer won’t come until after the race, once trainer John Shirreffs has had a chance to see how ZENYATTA comes out of the race.  That will ultimately determine whether she runs against boys on the Classic on Saturday, or defends her crown against the Ladies’ on Friday in the Breeders’ Cup.  Last time we saw her, ZENYATTA was flying home like a rocket towards a desperate photo finish with longshot #8 ANAABA’S CREATION.  This race could play out in similar fashion without an abundance of speed signed on.  Also note the presence of #1 COCOA BEACH, who in case folks forgot ran 2nd behind ZENYATTA in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic last year here at Santa Anita.  Hopefully we can get a good gauge on how she’s shaping up heading into the championships as well.  Stablemate #4 LIFE IS SWEET draws the misfortune of facing the monster that is ZENYATTA once again, after earlier reports that she would be pointing towards a turf race.  Then there’s #6 LETHAL HEAT, who just ran against the boys last weekend in the Cal Cup Classic (finishing 2nd).  She comes right back in what should be her final tune up for the Ladies’ Classic as well.  I think the class of ZENYATTA is too much for ‘em all in the end.  Look for ANAABA”S CREATIOn or COCOA BEACH underneath in second.  I’ll give LETHAL HEAT a big shot to hit the board as well along with LIFE IS SWEET.

Selections:

• #5 Zenyatta (2/5*)
• #8 Anaaba’s Creation (12/1)
• #1 Cocoa Beach (6/1)

Whew – I need a break after all that ‘capping. 

Best of luck to all – and don’t forget about Icon Project this Sunday in the Spinster at Keeneland.

“Can’t keep my eyes from the circling skies. Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I.”  – Pink Floyd “Learning to Fly”

For thoroughbred racing fans in the United States, you might be excused if you’ve been a bit late to catch onto the Irish-bred phenomenon that is Sea the Stars.  The sensational colt has taken the European racing world by storm in recent months by winning the Epsom Derby and the 2000 Guineas in dominating style.  It’s been hard to get good glimpses of him though, especially this past weekend when he added the world’s most prestigious turf race, the $5.8 million Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, to his resume in convincing style. 

Ridden by Mick Kinane, the son of Cape Cross began rather slowly, but wound up putting his talent on display and powering home to a two length victory over the 6-year-old Youmzain.  Cavalryman, who broke from the extreme outside finished 3rd, with 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf champion Conduit in 4th.  Youmzain has now been defeated by Dylan Thomas, Zarkava, and Sea the Stars while running for 2nd in the last 3 runnings of the Arc.  According to trainer Mick Channon, Youmzain will “be here next year” if all goes as planned.

So why was this victory so important?  It seems as though apart from the diehard fans of the sport (and most of us reading this probably consider ourselves “diehards”), not many folks cared that much here in the U.S.  The race barely received any attention here.  Granted, the post time (10:15 ET) was a bit early for anyone in the U.S. living on the west coast.  Across the pond, however, folks are whispering not just that Sea the Stars is good, but that he might be that good.  You know what I’m talking here – the kind of good where you start to wonder where a horse ranks among the all-time greats?

Consider for a moment how unique that is.  English racing fans don’t seem the type to me that would jump up at the chance to call the next flavor of the month the “best ever” – so for them to even raise the question suggests that we’ve greatly under appreciated this colt’s qualities – at least in terms of how much we should’ve been screaming about him from the rooftops.  Here in the U.S. the yearly Kentucky Derby winner gets some foaming at the mouth followers convinced he’s the “best ever” – and we’re all forced to suffer through the nonsense the follows. 

In the U.K. though?  I’d almost expect some gentlemen named Sebastian in a top hat (and preferably with a monocle – either for functional purposes or purely for decoration) to slap me silly for daring to speak the words “best ever.”  There’s simply too much history to contend with.  Or so one might reasonably assume.

As amazing at it sounds, the British handicapping service Time Form even has odds laid out on where Sea the Stars will rank in terms of all-time greats. He’s currently listed at 10/1 to match the all-time best Time Form rating set by Sea-Bird II (145), while he’s 14/1 to break that mark. 

Before we go any further with this discussion, I have to state that personally I’m not one to put a whole lot of stock into “greatest ever” arguments. The entire nature of the discussion is inherently subjective.  In a perfect world I think it’s important that your past be storied and held to a standard perhaps even greater than it was in it’s immediacy, if only that we not cheapen our present.  To put that in plainer terms, unless we safeguard the history, legacy, and traditions of the sport by revering the past, then any moment – no matter how larger than life it may seem while it’s happening - will remain relevant for only a precious few seconds.

Is Sea the Stars really that good?  I can’t answer that question, but if our friends in Europe think it’s a question worth asking than I’d have to defer to them.  They probably wonder the same thing about our Rachel Alexandra infatuation.

If he is indeed that good – then what a shame we didn’t showcase this runner here in the States a bit more.  Who cares if he didn’t run here – I bet more Americans watched the Dubai World Cup than watched the Arc.  Think about that, and then realize we’re talking about a race where a potential legend makes history and a 2008 Breeders’ Cup champion finishes 4th as opposed to a race between Well Armed and Asiatic Boy? 

On a related note – as big a racing fan as I am, my experience on Saturday was illustrative of everything that is wrong with the sport at the moment.  The world’s richest turf race is on.  A race with potential Breeders’ Cup implications here in the U.S.  A race with as highly heralded a favorite as I can remember in recent memory – and yet I couldn’t find a live broadcast anywhere.  How sad that is. 

Something tells me that racing fans in Europe and Japan don’t have that same problem if, by chance,  they wanted to watch our Kentucky Derby.  I don’t have the answers to this problem, but as a fan it’s destructively frustrating and simply HAS to change.  If you did get the race live – good for you.  Consider yourself lucky and pray that you don’t have to live in the blindness  and informational vacuum that no live coverage creates.

When you wind up driving someone like me – a person who lives and breathes horse racing and wants only to be able to watch and wager on exciting, top quality racing action – and force me to change the channel to watch ESPN College GameDay (my alternative was the Hawthorne replay show??? Seriously????) – guess what – you aren’t getting me back.  Like most men, I have the attention span of fruit fly.

Well, okay, that’s not entirely true as I did come back to watch Super Saturday at Belmont, but I kept the football coverage on “previous channel” memory on my remote so that I could switch back defiantly during each commercial break!  Each such occasion being accompanied by a blood curling, defiant, full throated rebel yell.

In other racing news over the weekend, Careless Jewel and Music note each cemented their paths to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.  If, by some chance, Zenyatta decides to run in the open Classic on Saturday, than one of these runners would likely be your morning line favorite for the Ladies’ Classic.  Up next we’ll get to see Icon Project in the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland, and Zenyatta will take on the California girls (Life is Sweet, Anaaba’s Creation) in the Grade 1 Lady’s Secret.

In a bit of a stunning upset, Goldikova was actually defeated at Longchamp on Saturday when longshot Veranar pulled the upset in the Prix de la Foret (Group 1).  The defending Breeders’ Cup Mile runner was cutting back to 7 furlongs on Saturday, and may have been burned up a bit by a swift early pace that she got too close to.  Trainer Freddy Head indicated after the race that the Breeders’ Cup was still likely, but that “nothing is written in stone.” 

Elsewhere on “Super Saturday”, I’ve got to give a big shout out to my main man Tim Ice and his fantastic 3-year-old colt Summer Bird who throttled the field of the  Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.  Tim told me during the Haskell that the plan was to send Summer Bird to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, so we’ll have to see if that is still the case.  The chestnut son of Birdstone has turned in a remarkable, and likely 3-year-old champion Eclipse Award winning summer campaign that included victories in the Belmont, Travers, and now the Jockey Club Gold Cup to go along with a game 2nd to Rachel Alexandra (likely Horse of the Year winner) in the Haskell.

Summer Bird will always be a favorite of ours since we got to hang out with his connections on Haskell morning.  He was also my wife’s pick for the Belmont, so he’s earned some major brownie points there.  Well done, Tim!  And way to go, Summer Bird!  The Iceman winneth!

We’ll be back before the weekend with a look at the upcoming Spinster, Lady’s Secret, and of course the Goodwood.

This weekend kicks off an action packed, star studded 48 hours of thoroughbred racing action, capped off by the running of the world’s premier turf race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.  If the weather holds up well enough, European phenom SEA THE STARS is set to go to post as the heavy Arc favorite.  Not to be entirely outdone, the U.S. has it’s own prestigious races to offer to the gods of weekend racing as the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup highlights a remarkable Saturday card at Belmont Park.

(NOTE: If interested, you can read my latest thoughts on the weekend races with Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic implications – namely the Beldame, the Fitz Dixon Cotillion, and the Cal Cup Classic in my most recent offering on the NTRA website.)

10/4 – Longchamp (France) – Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

We’ll do things backwards here from a chronological perspective as obviously the Arc is the big story this weekend and rightfully deserves the most attention.  Roughly $5.84 million in purse money is on the line when the horses go to post this Sunday.  Epsom Derby winner SEA THE STARS has drawn comparisons to some of the all time greats while running up an impressive list of 5 consecutive Group One victories.  Trainer John Oxx has referred to him lovingly as “the horse of a lifetime.” 

The Irish colt’s dam, Urban Sea, was crowned Arc champion in 1993, meaning he’s got it in his genes beyond the obvious visual talent we’ve seen on display thus far.  The only concern might be mother nature, as he may be a bit vulnerable if rain enters the forecast.  For the moment at least, that does not appear to be the case. 

Lining up against SEA THE STARS is a salty group of accomplished runners, including CONDUIT, the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf champion.  YOUMZAIN will also be looking to make some noise and has shown an ability to hit the board in the Arc before.  Two ladies that I’ll be paying extra attention to are STACELITA and DAR RE MI, as at the moment there is still hope for enticing either of them to ship west for the Breeders’ Cup on November 6 & 7. 

I think this one goes to the favorite, as I can’t see SEA THE STARS being denied in the stretch.  He’s had a hard campaign, but if he’s half the horse that our friends from across the pond say he is (and they tend to know a thing or two about horses and their capabilities), than he should deliver the goods on Sunday.  I’ll probably play CONDUIT and YOUMZAIN underneath along with the two fillies (STACELITA and DAR RE MI).  FAME AND GLORY and CAVALRYMAN are two other horses I’d consider working into my plays, although I’m not fond of the latter’s post position draw (19).

10/3 – Belmont Park – Race 7 – The Grade 1 Vosburgh (6 Furlongs)

Moving both backwards in time and to the more familiar surroundings of Belmont Park, we’re confronted with the  70th running of the Vosburgh.  Only 5 horses are entered for this race, but it still has a bit of intrigue based on the horses that will (should) compete. 

MUNNINGS enters as the 3-year-old taking on older males for the first time, and you might think he’d have things easy here against a small field.  Not so fast, my friends.  While the son of champion sprinter Speightstown has chased admirably behind the phenom that is Rachel Alexandra, he’s managed to draw quite a dynamic duo with both KODIAK KOWBOY and FABULOUS STRIKE in his first race against older runners.  

I could see FABULOUS STRIKE getting a perfect trip here and making it look academic in the stretch.  KODIAK KOWBOY and MUNNINGS are talented enough to make it competitive, but would be a bit of a surprise if they managed to stage the upset.  GO GO SHOOT should be pace factor and thus has a shot of hanging on in the exacta. 

Selections: 5/ 1, 4/ 1, 3, 4

10/3 – Belmont Park – Race 8 – The Grade 1 Flower Bell (1 1/4 Miles – Turf)

We head to the turf for the 32nd running of the Flower Bell.  Seven horses will compete here in what is a deceptively competitive race.  First, there’s DYNAFORCE.  I don’t know what it is about this girl, but whenever I’ve played her in the past she’s burned me.  Last time out in the Beverly D, I jumped ship and went with PURE CLAN.  You don’t even have to look at the past performances to guess what happened. 

DYNAFORCE and PURE CLAN will get another crack at one another on Saturday, and will also run into a pair of runners for trainer Christophe Clement that includes Carribean Sunset.  The daughter of Danheill Dancer could be rounding into form at the right time, but must also answer questions about whether she wants go 10 furlongs. 

A horse that might be overlooked at the windows is MONEYCANTBUYMELOVE.  Leave alone for a second the awesomeness of a horse with a Beatles themed name (especially with the release of The Beatles: Rock Band last month) and instead focus on her running lines.  This seems to be a runner who gives a solid effort each time out, and note that she chased Rainbow View gamely.   We know she likes the distance, so the only question will be whether she’s shipped well enough.  Without the benefit of a recent workout over the track to offer a clue, you’ll have to check her out in the post parade to attempt to make that final assessment.

For now I’ll roll the dice with MONEYCANTBUYMELOVE for the win.  Underneath I’ll add in DYNAFORCE and PURE CLAN, with CARRIBEAN SUNSET added to the bottom of the trifecta. 

Selections: 7/ 3, 4/ 1, 3, 4

10/3 – Belmont – Race 9 – The Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (1 1/2 Miles – Turf)

The 33rd running of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic presents an opportunity for GIO PONTI, the dark horse longshot for Horse of the Year honors, to continue his fine winning streak that currently stands at 4 consecutive Grade 1 turf races going back to the Frank Kilroe Handicap in March.  He’ll run into a field of 7 other contenders including the upset winner of the Sword Dancer – TELLING. 

The buzz right now is that GIO PONTI is likely pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Classic rather than the Breeders’ Cup Turf.  If true, I’ve got to wonder why his connections are running here rather than opting for a prep like the Goodwood at Santa Anita next week?  Gio does own a victory over the Santa Anita Pro Ride back in December, but that was at the Grade 3 level against the likes of Medjool and El Gato Malo and not the level of class  he’d run into in the Classic.

Presious Passion will definitely be a part of the pace scenario – that much you can take to the bank with you.  The question, as always, will be whether he can slow it down enough to wire the field, or if he’ll run himself into a brick wall like what happened in his Arlington Million effort?  The distance seems to suit him fine – but he may not be as fond of the Belmont turf as he is, say Monmouth.

TELLING stole more form me than even I myself realized in the Sword Dancer, and I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive him.  That race wound up being the final in the career of Better Talk Now, and but for Telling, my beloved Blackie would’ve gone out a winner as he deserved.  I try not to hold grudges – especially not against a horse, but I can’t shake that last bit from my memory. 

I’ll play GIO PONTI for the win, figuring the model of consistency will continue to plug away and do what he always does – win the race.  I think TELLING could hit the board again here as well and will box him along with PRESIOUS PASSION and GRAND COUTURIER on the bottom of my tickets.  If he looks good on the track, I might also work MUSKETIER into the bottom of the equation, as he did run 2nd to GIO PONTI in the Man O’ War.

Selections: 1/ 4, 7, 8/ 4, 7, 8

10/3 – Belmont Park – Race 10 – The Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup – 1 1/4 Miles

 The feature race of Belmont’s sensational Saturday card is the 91st running of the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.  It always brings me great pleasure to cover a race that my boy Curlin won – not once, but twice!  This year another horse that I’ve got some mojo with comes into the race with strong support; SUMMER BIRD.  The beautiful chestnut son of Bidstone has bookend Grade 1 victories in the Belmont and the Travers buttressing a 2nd place finish to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell.  He absolutely destroyed QUALITY ROAD in the stretch through the slop at Saratoga to take the Travers.  This will be his first start against older horses, but trainer Tim Ice has believed since well before the Belmont that his colt was something special.

MACHO AGAIN will rightly take quite a bit of consideration here coming off a defeat by only a head in Rachel Alexandra’s historic Woodward victory.  We all know how this angle works; horses who have run competitively against Rachel Alexandra are virtual locks the next time they step onto the track.  Given that he holds the age advantage over SUMMER BIRD and QUALITY ROAD, and is as battle tested a Grade 1 older dirt horse as we have in the nation at the moment, MACHO AGAIN would seem to be the one to beat.  I’m just not sure he gets 10 furlongs as well as he usually gets 9.

Instead, I’ve got to stick with my man Tim Ice here and Summer Bird.  Either way, Rachel stands to have yet another feather placed in her cap when a horse she’s defeated adds the Jockey Club Gold Cup to their belt.  QUALITY ROAD is the x-factor here and could either run a huge race or prove to be better suited to shorter distances.  After all the unfulfilled hype surrounding this horse heading into the Travers, I’m going to make him beat me rather than support him.  I think he can hit the board though and would definitely include him underneath in the exotics. 

TIZWAY and ASIATIC BOY shoud also be considered for underneath play in the exotic wagers.  I’m not much of an ASIATIC BOY fan, but he has run respectable at this distance and has a tendency to wind up in the money.  TIZWAY could be interesting at a price considering he appears on paper to be a pace contender – plus you know I never like to discount the possibilities of Tiznow’s offspring. 

Selections: 3/ 2, 4, 7/ 2, 4. 5. 7

Best of luck to all!

We’ll be back next weekend for a look at the Lady’s Secret (featuring Zenyatta and Life is Sweet) from Santa Anita as well as the Spinster (featuring Icon Project) from Keeneland as we continue to countdown to the Breeders’ Cup Championships.

Better Talk Now receives a bath following a morning workout at Fair Hill, MD. (author's photo)

It’s never easy to write these posts, as I’m one who tends to struggle with goodbyes.  There’s never a simple way to come to grips with the retirement of one of your favorite horses.  It’s been said that bad news comes in droves.  Racing fans know this all too well.  In recent days we’ve had to stomach the losses of heroes such as Kona Gold and Summer Squall.  Now comes news that one of the most beloved horses in training, Better Talk Now (aka ”Blackie”) is injured and will race again no more. 

Better Talk Now striking a "rock star" pose while eating some grass (author's photo)

Like many, I had been hoping to see him run in his final race in New York this fall and was looking forward to the closure that an opportunity to say goodbye might provide.  We all knew this day was coming, as the old man wasn’t getting any younger, but I can’t help but feel a bit of a punch in the gut now knowing we won’t see him run again.  Part of me feels selfish (and foolish) for that though, as he had already given us so much over the years.  This wasn’t the way his story was supposed to end though.  I think we all had dreamt that somehow, someway, he’d go out on top as a winner – just as he deserved.

Having spent most of the week thus far in the hospital myself dealing with some emergency surgery (appendicitis), I was unaware of this development until arriving home this morning.  Suffice to say it was not the kind of news I was hoping to come home to.    

Trying to be the ever the positive “glass half full” type, there are some important silver linings here to this story that we must keep in perspective. 

It goes without saying that it’s fortunate to have identified the injury and safely retired Blackie rather than have had something go horrifically wrong on the track.  Now he’ll be able to retire and live out the rest of his life while still in the care of Graham Motion and his top notch Herringswell Stables operation at Fair Hill, MD.

I know I tend to sound like a broken record about some things here from time to time, but having had the opportunity to visit them at Fair Hill earlier in the year on the morning of Del Cap day- this is where he belongs.  There’s no doubt in my mind about that.  From top to bottom Herringswell Stables is the definition of a class act. 

If I ever have the pleasure of owning one of these magnificent animals, I’ll do all I can to ensure my horse is under Motion’s supervision.  You can just feel the love everyone involved with them has for their horses.  Of course, Blackie was the “rock star” of the barn, and since he’ll stay there I suspect he’ll continue to be so. 

Motion has commented several times that he considers Better Talk Now’s  Breeders’ Cup Turf victory in 2004 as the highlight of his distinguished career as a trainer.  Looking back, I think that was one my favorite highlights of the last decade as well, albeit from a fan perspective. There was just something about Blackie that many found instantly lovable. 

Lastly, let’s not forget that he gave his fans reason to cheer their guts out one last time in his effort in the Sword Dancer back in mid-August.  He rallied from 10 lengths back with 3 furlongs to go and “gave it his all” to run 2nd to upset winner Telling.  I remember thinking he’d have a big shot in that race - and wanting desperately for him to run well.  At times, I’d swear he looked more like a happy kid in that race than a 10-year-old veteran.  In the end, it was rewarding to know that he was still a threat at the Grade 1 level no matter how “long-in-the-tooth” he might have been.

As we adjust to the realization that we won’t get to see him battling on through the deep stretch in future races, closing like a freight train into the early pace setters, we may at least take solace in knowing that he will be under the care of a group of people who love him dearly and will see to it that he receives only the finest care imaginable.  There’s no place on earth where I could envision him being happier.

In closing, here’s how we’ll always remember Blackie – making that powerful move in the stretch and running past all of ‘em to become a Breeders’ Cup champion.  Watching him run was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life – and no doubt went a long way towards making me the fan of the sport I am today.

We’ll miss ya, fella, and we’ll always love ya.  Thanks for all the memories you’ve given us along the way.  Such a card.  Such a character – but  an immensely and instantly lovable one.  Enjoy your retirement – you’ve earned the rest, ole buddy.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Thus spoke Abraham Lincoln on June 16, 1858 to the delegates of the Republican Convention in Springfield Illinois who had earlier in the evening nominated him as their candidate for the United States Senate.

The issue at hand happened to be one of immense national controversy; human slavery.  Lincoln would go on to face his opponent, the famed Stephen Douglass, in a series of debates on the issue that rocked the nation to its very core.  Indeed, by the close of the following decade over half a million of the nation’s sons would see their lives destroyed by a war that (at least in retrospect) attempted to bring resolution to the “question” at hand.

None of this, of course, has anything directly to do with horse racing.  There is, however, one great irony (though admittedly of infinitely less importance than it’s historical counterpart) between the events of the past and those of the present, and today marks a perfect opportunity to reflect upon such.

Today, September 17, marks the 147 anniversary of our nation’s darkest hour: the horrific battle known as Antietam (or Sharpsburg, depending on which side of the Mason Dixon you were raised).  The 23,000 casualties that were amassed between 5:30 AM and 5:30 PM that fateful September morning stand as a testament for all time to the horrific consequences that can result from our most passionate of disagreements.  

Antietam Dead from Stephen Lee's rebel artillery battalion near the Dunker Church at Sharpsburg, MD

So what great cataclysm are we as racing fans confronted with that has warranted this invocation of Lincoln?  Or this call for pacification?

It is time, my friends, to put down the hatchets and end this nonsensical Zenyatta vs Rachel Alexandra debate.

Why not use this anniversary of our darkest national hour to call upon folks to listen, as Lincoln would have implored “to the better angels of our nature?” 

It was from the ashes of the cataclysm that was Antietam, after all, that our nation took its first baby steps towards a “new birth of freedom” with the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation. 

Fast forward to the present.  As a racing fan, nearly everywhere you turn the debate rages.  On every horse racing forum, across the nebulous expanse of social networks like Twitter and Facebook – folks have drawn very sharp and defined “battle lines.”  Depending on what you say or how you feel, you are instantly placed on one “side” or the other. 

I’ve found myself caught up in this nonsense recently.  It seems that by stating my belief in Rachel Alexandra’s Horse of the Year credentials (a case that I’d like to think in both post and comments I laid out rather matter-of-factly), that I’ve been categorized as being “anti-Zenyatta”, or otherwise not a Zenyatta fan.  In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. 

Those who have read along here over the years know that my love of Zenyatta runs deeply, and goes hand in hand with the inception of The Aspiring Horseplayer.  She was one of the first handicapping picks I ever gave out publicly – and since then she’s turned into an undefeated superstar that I’ve been lucky enought to cover for her entire career.

She is, after all, my “slow cheetah.”

Sadly, however, we live in an age where people like to pass sweeping judgements based on 5 second soundbites.  Before information has even had time to be thoroughly processed and absorbed, staunch opinions are formed and rash conclusions made. Thus, because I’ve also been outspoken in my love for Rachel as she’s blazed through the pages of history in recent months, I’ve been categorized and labelled as one of Zenyatta’s “enemies.”

As a friend pointed out on Twitter a few weeks ago after an attempt to clarify the matter: “too late dude, you’ve been labelled.”

Nonsense, I tell you.

Just to set the record straight, I believe Zenyatta to be one of the most brilliant horses I’ve had the pleasure of watching run (on television that is, although I hope to see her in person during the Breeders’ Cup).  I thought her 2008 campaign was neck and neck with that of Curlin (whom I loved like no other).  That being said, I’m sorry, but her 2009 campaign has not been as awe inspiring, especially when compared to the historically unprecedented accomplishments of Rachel Alexandra. 

The above should not be interpreted as a knock on Zenyatta.  She doesn’t decide which races she runs in, or which horses she faces.  All she knows to do is to go about her business in the mornings and to run like the wind come race day.  It’s simply a reflection of the accomplishments each runner has achieved through calendar year 2009, and I think the historical record speaks for itself. 

I’ll simplify that point using the parlance of our times; “it is what it is.”

As for the implications of the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Classic, and a potential Zenyatta victory, I’m proud to offer my first ever NTRA submission for some additional thoughts.  The Classic, even without Rachel (or potentially Zenyatta) is “still a classic.”

With the above matter settled, I call upon racing fans of all ages and walks of life to cease with the slandering of either of these great animals in attempts to justify the greatness of the other.  There’s no need for that nonsense, nor should their be any tolerance for it within our sport.  Moreover, there is no need to pick and choose from amongst the two when it’s perfectly reasonable to love ‘em both.  In fact, I have trouble understanding how any self proclaimed “fan” of the game could not love both of these horses?  Ever since the debate began, my take has remained the same;  if these two ever do meet up (which is now entirely unlikely), the only outcome I’m interested in seeing is a dead heat.

The trouble, of course, is that when folks start lobbing incendiary filth at one horse or the other (usually in a shotgun attempt hoping that some of their slung filth will stick…especially if repeated ad nauseum), it causes people to become emotional and defensive in response.  It divides us.  It forces people to one side or the other.  Why must we do this?  Is this the new age belief that only through igniting controversy and fanning the flames of “reality television” style internal cat fighting that we can maintain relevance?  If so, this is indeed our darkest hour. 

The good news, however, is that this doesn’t have to be the case.  Even when discussing which of these two is worthy of Horse of the Year, it’s possible to do so without demeaning the other horse.  Haven’t they both earned such respect given what they’ve accomplished on the track?  We must demand higher standards from ourselves.  This is the “sport of kings” after all, and we’re supposed to have class to go along with our varied opinions. 

Let us use the memory of this day, and the danger of driving wedges between us as a united people, to remind us that no matter our differences, causes, or beliefs – nor how steadfastly we hold to them – we must not allow trivial nonsense to tear us asunder. 

We must not focus so intently on our differences.  We must be hesitant to divide.  Rather, we must focus on that which binds us together through common love and appreciation.  Is it really so hard for the most diehard of fans on one side of the “argument” to fully appreciate that which their brethren see on the other? It should be no great mystery, nor any great debate.  Instead, a mutual appreciation of all that we hold dear.  

I imagine that if good ole Abe Lincoln were alive amongst us today and by some twist of fate fancied himself a racing fan, he might say something like the following (paraphrased – badly- from the closing of his 1st inaugural address on March 4, 1861):

“I am loath to close.  We must not be enemies, but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every (stable) and (race track) to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of (our) union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

In closing (and on a semi related note), take a moment to view the video below.  It concerns a teenager from a NY volunteer regiment who was killed in battle 147 years ago today at Antietam and subsequently hastily buried in a makeshift grave on the field.  The location of his body remained unknown and lost in the passage of history for a century and a half before a chance discovery in 2008. 

On Tuesday the body was officially transferred to the custody of the State of New York, where he was promptly buried with full honors upon returning to the mystic dirt he once called home.  A native son finally going home nearly a century and half since he went missing after offering his “last full measure of devotion.”

Rest in peace, young lion.  You were someone’s son, someone’s brother, and someone’s comrade-in-arms. 

Welcome home.

Rachel Alexandra - Photo by Jim McCue of the Maryland Jockey Club

I’ve posted this on Twitter, placed it in recent articles, and feel very strongly about the matter.  Following Rachel Alexandra’s victory against older males in the Woodward on Saturday at Saratoga, the race for Horse of the Year would appear to be over.  I realize that might be a bold statement considering there are several huge races left to be run this year.  I can’t see how anyone else’s campaign could possibly top what we’ve seen unfold before our eyes.  The filly who was once rejected by her mother (Lotta Kim) has reached the top of the mountain as the finest horse in racing in all of North America.

This isn’t just a Horse of the Year campaign, it’s a campaign for all times.  Arguably the start to a Hall of Fame career.  Every time she runs, decades worth of history come crashing down like so many dominoes.  She lays waste to the competition, conquers every track she encounters, and can lay claim to achieving truly unprecedented results.

“…any talk of another horse being worthy of Horse of the Year honors is patently absurd.”

Interestingly, I actually believe that if the Zenyatta camp had travelled east to face Rachel in the Woodward, they would’ve had a very big shot to prevail.  Especially considering how the pace setup ultimately played out.  The closers (Bullsbay and Macho Again) were rolling late with every chance to catch Rachel.  You’d have to think Zenyatta would’ve been coming gamely in the stretch.  We must also factor in that Zenyatta would’ve been returning to dirt in a relatively fresh condition.

I just don’t see what Zenyatta can do now to surpass what Rachel has done this year?  There would’ve been an opportunity to keep pace by moving up the class ladder and taking on older males in the Pacific Classic, but that didn’t happen.  We KNOW that Rachel is the dominant horse of the U.S. east of the Mississippi.  Zenyatta?  Well, the picture’s a little cloudy for her.  She’s a champion and undefeated mare who deserves a great deal of respect, that much is certain.  

Don’t you have to feel though that the older male division in California has been somewhat ripe for the taking?  I thought Zenyatta would’ve made a lot of sense as a logical contender in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.  Sadly, we’ve never had the chance to find out.  Hopefully that changes in the future, but even so it might be a case of too little too late.

Even if Zenyatta manages to win the Classic, and let’s assume for a moment that she does win in electrifying fashion against top flight competition, would that be enough to leapfrog everything Rachel has accomplished already?  Not in my mind.  Of course, this doesn’t even factor in that Zenyatta might run into a horse like Sea the Stars in the Classic.  As much respect as I have for her, the 2009 campaign so far does not stack up favorably against the accomplishments of Rachel.

Too strong an opinion?  Perhaps, but let’s review that list of accomplishments for Rachel:

Historical notes:
-First filly in 8 decades to win the Preakness
-2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell
-first filly EVER to defeat older males in the Woodward

Runners who have flattered Rachel with NEXT OUT Stakes wins:
-Just Jenda ( G3 Monmouth Oaks)
-Sarah Louise (G3 Victory Ride)
-Gabby’s Golden Gal (G1 Acorn)
-Take the Points (G2 Secretariat)
-Flashing (G1 Test)
-Summer Bird (G1 Travers)

Misc:
-5 CONSECUTIVE Grade 1 wins (Ky Oaks, Preakness, Mother Goose, Haskell, Woodward).

-Joins elite company becoming one of the few 3-year-old fillies in history to defeat Grade 1 older males over a mile or more.

-Faced males in 3 of those 5 Grade 1 races, won ‘em all.

-Perfect 8 for 8 record in 2009, all stakes races.

-Has defeated the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap, Stephen Foster – all while winning the Kentucky Oaks, Preakness, Mother Goose, Haskell, and Woodward for herself…and that’s just the last 5 races going back to May.

(read that point above one more time)

-For any other horse (colt or filly) defeating the Kentucky Derby winner would’ve been the centerpiece of their 3-year-old campaign.  For Rachel it’s just one of many such moments, and arguably not the biggest or the most memorable.  Think about that.  That’s really saying something.  Just to help you remember how special that moment and the buildup to that historic ride was, take a little walk down memory lane once again:

-Has won Grade 1 races this year at 5 different tracks: Churchill Downs (KY Oaks), Pimlico (Preakness), Belmont Park (Mother Goose), Monmouth Park (Haskell), and Saratoga (Woodward). 

-There were 3 more stakes victories starting the campaign in early 2009.  Take note of this as it’s the first point in the discussion that Zenyatta’s ‘09 campaign draws even by comparison.  It’s the basement of Rachel’s accomplishments but currently the ceiling of those Zenyatta has earned thus far in 2009.  I think that last sentence bears some reflection.

The thought that all of the above happened in the 3-year-old campaign of a single filly is so unbelievably spectacular that I’m not sure even Horse of the Year renders it full justice.  Remember that after all this, she’s still not even a mare yet!  It boggles the mind to think of how she might develop if given proper rest to prepare for a 4-year-old campaign.

“…any talk of another horse being worthy of Horse of the Year honors is patently absurd.”

Well, maybe that is a little harsh, but it’s hard to argue with the list of accolades listed above. 

Any argument favoring someone else for Horse of the Year is bound to contain speculation about what might happen in the future, or is based on memories from the previous year.  In contrast, Rachel’s case is built on events that have actually happened this year.  There’s no might or if about them.  She’s earned it all on the track.

What say you?

“A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!”

She did it!!!

Rachel Alexandra defeated a field of 7 older males to take the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga on Saturday afternoon, virtually locking up Horse of the Year honors with yet another history defying stretch run.  It may not have been by double digit lengths this time, as had been her trademark against fellow 3-year-old boys and girls, but at the end of the day it may have been her most impressive performance yet.

As anticipated, the pace setup for the race was extremely challenging for the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro.  She found herself on the lead being forced to set punishing fractions of :22 and :46 through the opening splits.  As the field turned for home, it appeared that the great filly might have bitten off more than she could chew.  Macho Again and Bullsbay had taken aim and were unwinding as the field raced to the wire.

Flash back to the moment immediately after her victory in the Haskell.  Jockey Calvin Borel indicated that he “didn’t know how great Rachel was” because we had yet to see how she would respond when another horse looked her in the eye in the stretch.  Well friends, we got about as close to that on Saturday as we’re likely ever going to see.

As Macho Again looked poised to surge past her for the score, Borel suddenly found more. Like the courageous champion she is, her ears perked and her eyes ablaze, horse and rider determined that history would not be plucked from their grasp within sight of the wire.  Somehow, someway, she dug down and found more.

What followed was a moment for all time.  The 3-year-old filly crossing the wire in a Grade 1 “distance” race against older boys.  Clearly, she must’ve read my “win one for the Vintner” post before heading to the paddock.  I tried to warn the boys what they were in for, even going Shakespeare on them get their attention, but they must not have listened.

She has now blazed a trail through history not once, not twice, but THRICE in momentous races.  The Preakness, the Haskell, and now the Woodward.  I said this over twitter immediately following the race and I think it bears repeating.  “Any discussion of another horse deserving Horse of the Year honors is now patently absurd.”

Not to take anything away from other runners, but the accolades for Rachel are simply off the charts now.  It’s beyond my comprehension how anyone could even make a case for another horse as Horse of the Year?  I suspect such sentiments would be fueled by disdain for her connections, or blind love for another horse.  I understand those feelings quite well – it’s just that they’re flat out wrong in my opinion.

True, the Breeders’ Cup “championship” awaits, but I can’t imagine any single race being able to stack up to what this horse has done on the track throughout the year. 

What we’ve just witnessed was a unique moment in history that we might not be lucky enough to live to see again. Yes – it was that special. Just like her victories in the Preakness and the Haskell.  There’s a reason these types of races don’t happen every year.  Rachel is an absolute one-of-a-kind freakazoid of nature. 

So what lies next for her majesty? Owner Jess Jackson has hinted at shutting her down for the rest of the year, presumably so he can bring her back fresh for her 4-year-old campaign.  My guess is that after a grueling victory like this, where she had to lay it all on the line to prove her greatness, she’s likely had enough – at least for now. 

I keep thinking they’ll send her to Dubai next year to race in the World Cup, once again following the path that Curlin blazed for the Jackson/Asmussen camp in ‘07 and ‘08. It’s important to keep in mind though that Dubai is switching to a synthetic surface.  We all know how Jess Jackson feels about them.

The victory makes her a perfect 8 or 8 in 2009, including 5 consecutive Grade 1 victories stretching back to the Kentucky Oaks, which ironically was the race that first brought her to the forefront of the sport’s consciousness.  Additionally, she’s now boosted her lifetime earnings to just under $3 million ($2,948,354).

Of course, the possibility of a matchup with Zenyatta in the Beldame courtesy of TVG-Betfair is still out there.  I just don’t see it happening as it doesn’t seem like either camp is particularly interested.  The Breeders’ Cup is still out there as well, but Jackson has been adamant that he wants no part of the “plastic Classic.”

Ironically, Rachel wasn’t the only horse stringing together her 5th amazing victory against top level competition.  European sensation Sea the Stars was equally impressive taking the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.  The victory left racing fans from across the pond speechless searching for races to compare with the performance.  The Arc most likely awaits Sea the Stars next, but his connections also have designs on the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Not a bad Saturday, eh?  We just saw the two most magnificent specimens in all of horse racing the world over turn in monster performances.  Up next we’ve got Colonel John on Sunday at Del Mar.

“…And the last thing he said to me — “Jess,” he said – “sometime, when the barn is up against it – and the filly is set to meet the boys – tell her to go out there with all she’s got and win just one for the Vintner!”

Knute Rockne delivers the famed "win one for the Gipper!" speech at halftime of the 1928 matchup between Notre Dame and Army

 When she steps onto the track on Saturday afternoon just before six o’clock in the afternoon (Eastern Time), the filly Rachel Alexandra will be looking to add yet another illustrious stripe to her storied career.  In years past the notion of a 3-year-old filly taking on and defeating older males in the Woodward (Grade 1) at Saratoga would’ve sounded absurd.  This year, and this horse, however, render matters utterly different as the filly sensation will head to post as the heavy 1/2 morning line favorite.

She’s already proven the naysayers wrong by shattering popular opinion and defeating fields full of stakes winning 3-year-old colts.  A win against the older boys in the Woodward would not only be the next logical step up the proverbial class ladder of thoroughbred horse racing, but also icing on the cake in her quest to become the 2009 Horse of the Year.  The Preakness, the Haskell, and now potentially the Woodward, all as a 3-year-old filly?  Remarkable.

That last part causes some consternation amongst fans of different horses.  In recent weeks we’ve heard from them how Quality Road was going to annihilate the Travers field and prove that he, and not Rachel, was the best 3-year-old in the nation.  Unfortunately for those who subscribed to such a belief, Quality Road wound up being trounced by a horse that Rachel had defeated handily in the Haskell;  Belmont Stakes champion Summer Bird. 

The win by Summer Bird marked only the latest in a long line of recent foes who have solidified Rachel’s credentials as horse of the year.  We all know the stories.  Just Jenda, Gabby’s Golden Gal, Flashing, Take the Points, Summer Bird, Afleet Deceit, and Sarah Louise have all returned victorious in their next starts following defeats at the hooves of Rachel the Great.

The field for the Woodward, while not as large as the field of the Travers last weekend, has the potential to flatter her even farther. Grade 1 winners Bullsbay (Whitney Handicap), Da’ Tara (2008 Belmont) and Macho Again (Stephen Foster) lead the charge along with Grade 2 winner It’s a Bird and Group 2 winner Asiatic Boy.  In fact, there are over 20 stakes wins amongst the competitors lined up to challenge Queen Rachel and attempt to deny her history.

From a pace setup, the filly would once again appear to be challenged.  She could wind up being the speed of the race, although one would suspect jockey Calvin Borel would prefer to use her newly found and decidedly deadly pace pressing style if given the chance.  The only other likely pace horses on paper would include Da’ Tara, who wired the field of the 2008 Belmont at moderate fractions, and possibly Cool Coal Man, whom you wouldn’t expect trainer Nick Zito to “send” if he were anticipating stablemate Da’ Tara being on or very near the lead.

If Rachel is on the lead, it’s going to take a monster effort, similar to what we saw in the Preakness to hang on against Macho Again, It’s a Bird, and Bullsbay in the stretch, as those runners figure to get favorable trips. 

Looking over her competition, It’s a Bird looks to me like the biggest threat.  Trainer Martin Wolfson also trains Icon Project, the next horse that many are whispering might have a chance against Rachel.  Sadly, for Wolfson, Icon Project will not be in the Woodward, and instead he’ll have to turn to It’s a Bird.  Some folks might go gaga over the name, considering the smashing success that “bird” themed horses have celebrated this year, but this ornithologically named runner is a son of Birdonthewire rather than Birdstone.  Still, if his efforts in the Lone Star Park Handicap and Oaklwan Handicap are any indication, he’s capable of sitting an ideal trip and making a run for the money in the stretch. He’s a must use on the exacta and trifecta plays, especially at 10/1 with the talented Leparoux at the helm.

One must also not overlook the disappointing but talented Asiatic Boy, who has won Group 2 races on the dirt at Nad Al Sheba and finished second in both the Suburban Handicap (Grade 2) and Stephen Foster (Grade 1).  My only problem with Asiatic Boy is that if he could barely hang on to defeat Einstein after that horse had a “trip from hell” in the Stephen Foster, than how could I anticipate victory against a significantly more talented horse like Rachel?  Jockey Alan Garcia, who recently was granted a stay from his impending suspension following Vineyard Haven’s drfitwood performance in the King’s Bishop, once again takes the call at attractive odds of 10/1.

And then there’s Bullsbay. I think my affinity for Tiznow offspring is well documented enough that I need not go into great detail.  Add to that the fact that he runs for my favorite trainer, Graham Motion, and it he becomes a strong heart play.  If I distance myself from those feelings, he actually looks like a potential bounce candidate on paper, following a career best effort in the Whitney.  A review of his running lines, however,  shows that he seems to demonstrate that trademark Tiznow toughness in the stretch, giving a solid account of himself nearly every time he goes to post.  This is perhaps best evidenced by his 13 in-the-money finishes in 18 lifetime races, including 7 victories.

My gut tells me the filly will rise to the occasion just like she has done in each of the challenges she’s faced since last fall.  A quick comparison of her final times over the 1 1/8 mile distance that the Woodward is contested over shows that she finished in just over 1:46 in the Mother Goose, and though she was aided greatly by a blistering early pace set by Flashing and Malibu Prayer, it’s important to remember that she finished the final 1/16 “under wraps.”  Might she have been capable of a sub 1:46 final time?  Also note that she finished the Haskell in just over 1:47 despite running over a tremendously sloppy surface. True, the track was sealed, but those times jump off the page.  Clearly this is a distance she relishes.

By comparison, her biggest threats have been a few steps slower in terms of final times (never an apples to apples thing, mind you). It’s a Bird took the Oaklawn Handicap over the same distance in 1:48 and 4, and Macho Again’s Stephen Foster victory clocked in at 1:49 and 3.  That’s a fairly substantial differentiation in terms of final times, even if those races were contested at different tracks and conditions.

One thing is for sure, Rachel Alexandra is not going to be an attractive betting opportunity by any stretch of the imagination, so if you’re playing for a price you’d obviously have to go against her.  But why be silly and play against such an immensely talented runner?  Would you really be “happy” if you beat her? I guess the answer to that question depends on how much you are willing to risk.  The value will be there if you can beat her.

We must also remind ourselves that horses are not machines, and it’s important to note that even the best of the best suffer defeats.  I know the pro Zenyatta crowd foams at the mouth whenever anyone says that, but they must restrain themselves by realizing the obvious fact that Rachel is already out classing anything Zenyatta has attempted by taking on older males, and thus exposes herself to significantly more risk of defeat. If Rachel were taking the same protected path as Zenyatta, she’d be running against 3-year-old fillies again in a 4 or 5 horse field and offering nothing of historical or compelling interest to the sport. I love ‘em both, but there’s no comparison in terms of accomplishments attained this year.

Instead, what we have on our hands is a filly once again on the cusp of re-writing history the moment she steps on the track.

I’ll look for Rachel to take command at the top of the stretch and put the issue to rest with several hundred yards to go.  At some point in time she is bound to get tested in the stretch, and it would be logical and fair to assume that may well happen in this her first effort against older males.  I just have this feeling that whatever they challenge her with she’ll have an answer for.  She seems to be that once-in-a-blue-moon type of talent.  I’m not one to run around proclaiming her the “greatest ever” quite yet, as I think that’s a disservice to the numerous entrenched “greats” of the sport whose accomplishments would then be unwisely overlooked and unfairly forgotten, but she seems to me to be clearly the most talented horse in training at the moment and arguably the best we’ve seen in at least the last several years.

As much as folks love to hate him for what they perceive to be hubris, the simple fact is that her owner and wealthy vintner Jess Jackson has given fans reason to rejoice these past two years by virtue of bringing back Curlin as a 4-year-old and racing Rachel in historically significant situations that she likely otherwise would have avoided.  The result is that we are once again staring history in the face.  Fifty-five previous runnings of the Woodward and counting.  No filly winners.  Expect all of that to change with Rachel on Saturday.

“Win one for history, Rachel.  Win one for your fans. Win just one for the vintner!”

Give ‘em hell, girl!

Belmont champion Summer Bird (Birdstone) romped home to victory in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga on Saturday afternoon, defeating highly regarded competitors Quality Road, Charitable Man, and Kensei.

The “other bird” now suddenly finds himself atop the 3-year-old colt division, having firmly rested that title from Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird – at least for the moment.

Big congratulations go out to trainer Tim Ice, who has always believed that his fabulous looking colt deserved a shot to face the best and has not been hesitant to run him against the most formidable foes around in both Rachel Alexandra and Quality Road. 

We mentioned in the Haskell write-up that Tim was a stand-up guy that we’d be cheering for from here on out.  After all the hype about Quality Road , and after all the attention that folks like me gave Kensei and Charitable Man, it was the good guy in Tim Ice that came out on top.  What a year he’s having!  35 years-old and already has a Belmont and a Travers under his belt, not to mention most likely a 3-year-old male Eclipse Award.

Trainer Tim Ice and owners of Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes champion Summer Bird pose for a picture with our family on the morning of the 2009 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

Hats off to the fantastic job they’ve done with the son of Birdstone, who seems to be following in his daddy’s footsteps with his victories in the Belmont and Travers. 

Summer Bird showed the same tenacity in capturing the Travers that had allowed him to battle gamely for 2nd against Rachel in the Haskell, powering home in 2:02.83.  Hold Me Back finished in 2nd with Quality Road and Charitable Man rounding out the superfecta.

As for what might be next?  Well, no official word has been released, and likely won’t until they have a chance to check out Summer Bird following the race and ensure everything is sound.  I will share that I asked Tim back in July what his long term goals were, and he mentioned the Travers first and foremost, but then also said that they were considering the Goodwood as a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup this fall.  

Meanwhile, the procession of winners who last out ran into the dominant filly Rachel Alexandra and then returned to win continues with each passing day.  Earlier in the day, the last filly to have defeated Rachel Alexandra, Sara Louise, returned to the winner’s circle by prevailing in the Victory Ride (Grade 3).  The list of runners who have returned from facing Rachel to prevail next out just continues to grow and grow, and has become an angle that handicappers cannot ignore.  Sara Louise, Gabby’s Golden Gal, Take the Points, Flashing – these are the runners in recent memory to have turned defeat at the hands of Rachel the Great into victory next out.

This is important because one might expect that horses would regress after being defeated as soundly as Rachel has done to them. Instead, the direct opposite has been true, and the filly winds up being flattered nearly every weekend as her legend continues to build.

It serves as a nice buffer to the “she hasn’t beaten anybody” claims that seem to get tossed around about all of the top horses when you can quickly look back and reference a growing pool of recent foes who have acquitted themselves on the race track upon returning from their “blind date with Rachel.”

Unfortunately, Munnings, third place finisher behind both Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird in the Haskell at Monmouth Park, was not able to continue the string of runners to turn a Rachel encounter into a triumphant return.  Vineyard Haven, that tenacious son of Lido Palace who at one point in his 2-year-old campaign adorned the top of nearly every “Derby watch list”  one could find, proved that a return to Saratoga was indeed just what the doctor ordered.  He powered home on top, but wound up drifting out badly in the lane, only to be disqualified from the win following a determined run from Capt. Candyman Can, who wound up being placed on top by the stewards after an inquiry into the bumper-car action of Vineyard Haven late in the stretch.

Rachel Alexandra - Photo by Jim McCue of the Maryland Jockey Club

Older males-the “final frontier.”  These are the voyages of the filly Rachel Alexandra.  Her 3-year-mission thus far being to explore new worlds, to seek out new challenges and competition; to boldly go where no filly has gone before.   

“Captain’s Log, Star Date 9/5/09.  I, Captain Jess J. Kirk of the starship Rachel Alexandra, after lengthy consultation with the crew, have decided to set course for the uncharted Woodward nebula.”

With word coming yesterday that Rachel Alexandra would skip the Travers and instead point the Woodward Stakes on September 5, the stage is set for the next chapter in her historic campaign to be written.  She’s already throttled everything the 3-year-old filly division could throw at her.  She’s toyed with the 3-year-old boys in becoming the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness Stakes, and the 2nd filly in 42 years to prevail in the Haskell Invitational.  The only worlds left for her to conquer are that of the older runners of both her own division and that of the males she’s been humiliating in recent efforts.

By skipping older fillies and mares and proceeding straight to older males, one might say that she’s jumped right over the double-dog-dare (the Travers), right past the triple-dare (facing older fillies and mares), and thrown down the gauntlet that is the dreaded triple-dog-dare.  Here she is fellas, come and catch her if you can.

The decision also sets the stage for her stablemate, the oft-overlooked Kensei, to run in the Travers this weekend against the likes of Summer Bird, Mine That Bird, and Quality Road. 

Here’s the funny thing…depending on who Rachel faces in the Woodward, skipping the Travers might actually wind up being an easier path to follow.  Usually that’s not the case – as all things being equal older horses tend to be tougher than younger ones, but this year I’m not sure that old axiom holds true. 

We started the Triple Crown season assuming we had a distinctly deep crop of 3-year-olds, and we were only focusing on the colts at first.  At times we wondered if the depth of the crop might rival that we saw in 2007.  Then, as is sadly the case in many years, injuries began to rob us of our most gifted runners.  The Pamplemousse, Quality Road, and finally even likely favorite I Want Revenge on Derby morning of all days, all succumbed to nagging injuries and wound up missing the party.

Now we’ve got Quality Road back, and if his record setting effort at Saratoga in the Amsterdam at the beginning of the month was any indication, he’s in sharp form.  Even more miraculously, we’ve had other runners such as Mine That Bird, Summer Bird, and now Kensei step up to the plate and prove that we did indeed have a deep and talented crop this year.  Then you look at the fillies.  While obviously none have quite stacked up to Rachel’s level of greatness, just when you think you’ve got the division all figured out along comes a horse like Careless Jewel, who looks like she could take colts to task if she wanted to as well.  And note, we haven’t even mentioned the overseas sensations that are Sariska and Sea of Stars.

But what of our older male division?  Well, truth be told, it’s arguably at it’s lowest point ever.  Most of the older males worth their salt are already pointing towards the Breeders’ Cup this fall.  Synthetic surfaces continue to remain the one frontier that “Captain Jess J. Kirk” does not seem willing to boldly return to and attempt to conquer…at least for now.

Instead, Jackson is literally re-writing the history books as he goes while Rachel’s triumphant victory parade marches through the legendary shrines of horse racing that dot the East Coast and Mid Atlantic Regions.  Pimlico, Belmont, and Monmouth have already fallen to Alexandra the Great  just the way cities of the ancient world fell to a conqueror of similar name many centuries before. 

Will Saratoga be the next great bastion of horse racing fame to compound “before thy most assured overthrow?“

“What say you, Woodward competitors? Will you yield, and this avoid, or guilty in defense be thus destroyed?”

Ah yes, we’re back to quoting Shakespeare here at the Aspiring Horseplayer, which if you recall from my Curlin-obsessed period (I being one who actually divides his life into two segments;  BC for “before Curlin” and PC for “post Curlin”), tends to happen when we’re on the cusp of a momentous achievement.

The good news, at least for Rachel’s would-be rivals, is that those who have faced the “Wrath of Rachel” and survived to tell the tale have quite often returned in triumphant fashion.  It’s like their resolve has been all the more steeled by staring straight into the eyes of the mythical beast and giving it their all.  While she tends to blow away fields by ridiculous open lengths, these runners do not hang their heads for long. Take the Points, Flashing, Gabby’s Golden Gal – all returned to the winner’s circle following dismal performances against the great one. 

Lining up to meet Rachel and attempt to deny her latest shot at history will likely be Bullsbay and Macho Again.  Fine horses in their own right, but not quite the sizzling matchup we might have had with the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont winners going up against a fresh new challenger like Quality Road.  True, there’s history on the line by attempting to become the first filly champion of the Woodward, but the Travers would’ve offered just as much historical precedence.  Remember, it’s not been since the days of the Austro-Hungarian empire that a filly has been crowned Travers champion (1915).

No matter, the racing world seems to be pulling out all the stops, including a purse boost to the Woodward in order to help attract as competitive a field as possible.  Being as that we’re nearing the one year anniversary of the NTRA marketing summit (click that link for a retrospective look courtesy of the Paulick Report and our fearless TBA leader, Handride) last year where myself and other fans pleaded with the powers that be to do a better job of telling a compelling, continuous story from the Triple Crown to the Breeders’ Cup – I sincerely hope something is being worked out to ensure that both the Travers and the Woodward will be delivered to as wide a viewing audience as possible.

I know I sound like a broken record here, but given the level of “star power” that Rachel has (our Facebook fanclub group alone numbering in the thousands – and keep in mind that the overall number of people revealed in Facebook searches who have even listed “horse racing” as an interest is significantly lower than that total, meaning she exceeds the fanship of all racing fans on that social networking application), it seems to be a horrible mistake that she’s only been nationally broadcast once so far this year in the Preakness. I don’t care what the excuses are - and no doubt some are valid – it’s still inexcusable.

I can understand not covering Zenyatta much this year as she’s progressed through the various “San-Who-Gives-A-Rats?” Stakes in California, but the job we’re doing collectively at promoting our most interesting draw is simply mind bogglingly bad.  The Preakness with Rachel blew television viewership levels of recent memory completely out of the water.  The single day of wagering helped turn an otherwise disastrous Pimlico meet amidst the “Great Economic Recession” into an improvement over the previous year.  You’d think someone, somewhere, might want to try and keep that excitement going?

Is it really that hard to promote something so….promotable?  The Geico cavemen sure make it look easy.

“Please, if you don’t mind, let Rachel be herself!  So she can shine with her own mind, let her be herself!” (God I love those commercials!!!!)

But then again, as the Paulick Report article I linked to several paragraphs above has to point out, the perception of bloggers like us who call for such things is that we’re peons who spend all day in grandma’s basement, grinding axes against perceived threats out in the ether of the “real world” – which evidently is a frighteningly complex place that our fragile minds are  ill-equipped to either confront or understand.  Yes, as over-the-top as that description sounds, I suspect that is what comes to mind whenever I utter the dreaded “b-word” to folks (“blogger”), but I digress.

Back to the matter at hand…considering that we’re already missing a matchup of infinite significance that the entire world wants to see (Zenyatta and Rachel) in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita this fall, isn’t just a bit disappointing that we don’t get the dream matchup that would’ve been possible in the Travers?  Was it really the wise thing to do to jump right past the double-dog-dare and the triple-dare and move on to older males?  I suppose we could armchair general this thing to death, but my hunch tells me that the race fans wanted to see was Rachel versus Quality Road more so than Rachel versus Bullsbay. 

Don’t get me wrong, as many know I’ve got a great deal of admiration for Bullsbay since he’s a Tiznow and trained by one of the absolute best their is in Graham Motion, but he’s not the horse you hear people whispering about in connection with Rachel. 

For my money, the Travers was setting up to be the race of the year, and we’ve already been jipped out of one race that is intended  be the race of the year.  I know I’m normally walking in lock-step with Jess on the decisions he makes, but in this case I find myself in mild disagreement.  Of course, the whole situation could be rendered academic if either of the “Birds” finds a way to prevail in the Travers, since Rachel has already defeated them.  If Quality Road wins, however, then we’ll have a small dose of controversy on our hands as folks begin whispering for a matchup between he and Rachel in addition to the ubiquitous calls for the Rachel versus Zenyatta matchup. 

You know what I always say about such things:  NEVER wind up in a two front war.  That rule being only superceded by it’s sister rule: Never get involved in a land war in Asia. 

For Rachel’s connections, I suspect the situation is a bit like a game of “whack-a-mole.” Every time you think she’s knocked out the competition definitively, someone else surfaces purportedly ready for a shot at the title.  Who knows, in time that might include her stablemate, Kensei? It ain’t easy being top dog, that’s for sure, no matter how deceptively so Rachel makes it seem. 

In an attempt to see if my suspicions about what racing fans wanted to see are correct, I’ve added a poll below.  Sound off and let me know what you think. Was it right to point to the Woodward and take on older males, or should Jess and company have opted for the Travers instead?

After an exciting week that included an opportunity to feature a new guest writer break his blogging maiden successfully with California Flag on Wednesday in the Green Flag Handicap, we return this weekend with Saturday Selections for the major races at Monmouth Park, Laurel Park, Saratoga, and Del Mar. 

Obviously the big news of the weekend is the possibility that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta could meet in the Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park on October 3, with TVG-Betfair upping the stakes by $400k and promising a $1 million total purse if both super horses wind up competing.  It’s probably still unlikely this will happen as we all want, but If nothing else it feels the closest we’ve been all year to the much anticipated and hoped for matchup.  Only time will tell if it comes to fruition. 

For now though, we’ll focus on the runners who are definitely racing (late scratches obviously exempted from that statement) this weekend.

Monmouth Park – Race 9 – The Phillip H. Iselin (Grade 3) – 1 1/8 Miles

• #5 Coal Play (2/1*)
• #4 You and I Forever (6/1)
• #3 Solar Flare (3/1)

We kick things off with the 75th running of the Phillip Iselin at Monmouth Park.  The entire field is filled with “older” horses (over 3-years-old), and some familiar names dot the list including Coal Play, Solar Flare, Chirac and Researcher.

Coal Play is the obvious “horse for the course” selection by virtue of his 3 wins in 5 starts over the Monmouth dirt, as well as place and show finishes.  He’s got the speed to really take it to this grouping provided he gets a good trip.   No doubt he’ll be hammered at the betting windows, so if you’re looking for a price you won’t be happy.

The rest of the field appears relatively evenly matched on paper, but two horses jump out to me; You and I Forever and Solar Flare.  If you can forgive the last our performance against weaker competition over the slop at Churchill, You and I Forever has some sneaky class to consider.   If you’re a Beyer Speed Figure player, note that he posted a 104 mark at this distance last summer at Saratoga.  That being said, he is winless at 4 tries going a mile and an eighth.  Still, I give him a big chance to hit the board here.

Solar Flare has the always dangerous Larry Jones/Gabriel Saez combination working in his favor (26% in the last year).  Like the favorite, who he’s chased before, he seems to enjoy the surface at Monmouth.  I prefer his recent form over that of other contenders like Researcher and Chirac.

I’ll play the heavy favorite on top with Solar Flare and You and I Forever underneath in the exacta.  For the trifecta, you can add in Researcher, Chirac, and Actin Good to the bottom of the ticket.

• $1 Exacta: 5/3,4 ($2)
• $1 Trifecta: 5/3,4/ 1,2,3,4,7 ($8)

Laurel Park – Race 9 – The  Pearl  Necklace ($50k) – 1 1/16 Miles – Turf

• #9 Blind Date (7/5*)
• #7 Ravenous (5/2)
• #2 Hogan Beach (8/1)

Saturday’s running of the Pearl Necklace at Laurel Park for Maryland bred 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles over the turf appears to be a two horse race on paper.

Hamilton Smith sends out Blind Date who will be looking for her 5th victory in her last 6 starts.  The daughter of Not For Love (Mr. Prospector) towers over the competition from a class perspective by virtue of being the only stakes winner in the field (and in her case, a multiple stakes winner, including the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks).

To win, she’ll need to chase down the speedy Ravenous from trainer Richard Small’s barn. The daughter of Bowman’s Band would appear to be the likely pace setter, and while she’s bound to get her stiffest test yet has shown the ability to wire the field at this distance.

I’ll play the class of Blind Date on top with the speedy Ravenous underneath. To round out the trifecta, I’d consider using both #2 Hogan’s Beach and #1 Southern Charmer, who could both be moving well late.

• $1 Exacta: (Box) 7,9 ($2)
• $1 Trifecta: 9/7/1,2 ($2)

Saratoga – Race 10 – The Alabama (Grade 1) – 1 1/4 Miles

• #8 Milwaukee Appeal (9/2)
• #3 Funny Moon (4/1)
• #5 Careless Jewel (5/2*)

We move to the hallowed grounds of Saratoga for the 129th running of the Alabama, a race that has a bit of extra meaning for being as that I’m a native son of the land of the Crimson Tide.  You know one thing about us Alabamians – having been spoiled with the greatness of Bear Bryant, we like winners…and consistency.

If we were going to go just on straight winning consistency, we’d be winding up with the chalk, Careless Jewel as our top selection.  Obviously the daughter of Tapit has been a model of consistency winning three straight races since her debut, largely in speedy gate-to-wire fashion, including a smashing domination of the Delaware Oaks last out on July 18.  Two things stack up against her here today, however; class and distance.  She’s thus far unproven going the 1 1/4 mile distance, and clearly, despite being a certified Grade 2 winner, she’s never faced quite as tough a field as this.

For those reason, and in an effort to try and beat the chalk with at least one of these picks, I’m turning my attention to the Canadian bred filly Milwaukee Appeal.  I actually liked this filly against the Canadian boys in the Princes of Wales and the Queens Plate, and she ran very respectably in each race.  I’m hoping her odds hold close to the morning line of 9/2, as she offers real value at that price, but I suspect they’ll come down just a bit once wagering opens.  She ran her heart out in the Prince of Wales, which tells me she’s versatile enough to handle the dirt just fine.  Her Beyer figures might not be sexy, but she’s a tough cookie in the stretch. 

Funny Moon also warrants a good deal of respect.  Remember that consistency angle I mentioned earlier? Well, it’s hard to be more consistent than jockey Alan Garcia has been so far at the Saratoga meet.  He’s managed to really shine in an incredibly tough jockey colony at Saratoga and gives his horses a big shot in seemingly every race. 

This is a very deep field, so it’s not like the other horses I haven’t mentioned don’t have solid chances as well.  I could make a case for just about anyone, but would definitely think about including Don’t Forget Gil and Casanova Move on the exotics. 

This ought to be a good one, arguably the “race of the day.”

• $1 Exacta: 3,8/ 3,5,8 ($4)
• $1 Trifecta: 3,8/3,5,8/3,4,5,7,8 ($12)

Del Mar – Race 8 – The Del Mar Oaks (Grade 1) – 1 1/8 Miles – Turf

• #5 Well Monied (5/2*)
• #8 Hameildaeme (12/1)
• #9 Lexlenos (8/1)

The 53rd running of the Del Mar Oaks would seem to be all about Well Monied, the impressive daughter of Maria’s Mon (Wavering Monarch) who has run big at both the Grade 2 and Grade 1 level in recent efforts and owns a perfect 2 for 2 record at the 1 1/8 mile distance.  Taking her on will be two stakes winners in Strawberry Tart, and Starlarks.  While I like the favorite here on top, I’m looking for value underneath. Well Monied will be a force if she runs her patented race – that much is certain.  I’m not sure if any of the horses in this field can beat her without a bit of racing luck, but there could definitely be some shots that hit the board underneath her.

That being said, do be a bit careful in banking too heavily on Well Monied, as jockey Joel Rosario, despite having a sensational Del Mar meet, has had some trouble getting wins over the turf.  If she falters, which is definitely possible, then we’d probably see a price explosion on the tote. The only trouble is that chalk has been exceptionally tough to defeat at Del Mar so far this week.  Thursday was a veritable chalk-fest, and as of this writing, the Friday card seems to be much the same.

Hameildaeme is a runner who seems to be slowly putting it all together.  If you read Jay Hovdey’s excellently insightful article in the Saturday edition of the Daily Racing Form, you know that her connections feel she may be a good one…if they can get her into the gate without losing her mind.  I went back and looked at her effort in the San Clemente against Starlarks and Strawberry Tart and saw enough to give her a shot here to turn the tables on them with a better overall trip. 

Lexlenos has run into Well Monied in consecutive races, as well as the very sharp Gozzip Girl, who is probably a shade better right now than Well Monied as far as 3-year-old turf fillies are concerned (as evidenced by Gozzip Girl’s 3 1/4 length victory over Well Monied in the Grade 1 American Oaks).  If those fillies are among the best of the 3-year-old turfers, than Lexlenos has to be respected as an exacta/trifecta consideration by virtue of her 3rd place finishes in the last two efforts.

This might be a race to go a bit deep underneath, for as mentioned earlier, it’s filled with horses who have a shot.  I’ll add in Internallyflawless, Strawberry Tart, and Starlarks to the equation underneath.

• $1 Exacta: 5/ 8,9 ($2)
• $1 Trifecta: 5/ 8,9/ 1,6,7,8,9 ($8)

Best of luck to everyone and happy Saturday betting!

It brings me great honor to introduce a guest blogger to you all for this week.  Ladies and gentlemen, please meet Matthew Galbreth, better known as “MrDelMar” over on the TVG Community message boards. 

Matt has brought his passion and love for the game to the TVG Community each night, and is most famous for tirelessly organizing the Community version of the “Pick 4 Posse” – even gaining mention from on-air hosts Ken Rudolph, Simon Bray, and Todd Schrupp. 

I asked Matt to stop over and author a few guest posts if he was interested as he’s the type of guy who has an infectious love of the game.  These are his first public writing forays, so I hope everyone will give him a warm reception and encourage him to share more thoughts whenever the mood strikes him.  He’s got an open invitation to do so here anytime he wishes.

Who knows? With a little luck, perhaps he’ll take to this whole blogging thing and become a future TBA blogger?

Without further adieu, meet Mr.DelMar – Matthew Galbreth.

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In Wednesday’s feature race where the turf meets the surf at Old Del Mar in the Green Flash Handicap we have a turf sprinting monster on our hands in CALIFORNIA FLAG.  Happy horses are bed in California like our 5 year old gelding here.  This horse is California in every way, he loves himself some R & R, as you will see from his record off the layoff and takes to the grass very well.  I think there is no better place for a horse like this to race than right near the beach.

So here we sit as racing fans.  Just days before we watched with amazement as super filly Rachel Alexandra once again dominated 3-year-old colts by taking the Haskell in near record time.  Just hours from now racing’s other biggest star, the undefeated mare Zenyatta, will likely throttle a field of familiar rivals in Sunday’s running of the Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar.  We all know the hot button issue between these two.  You can’t get involved in a horse racing discussion for more than 2 minutes before it comes up.  Should Rachel and Zenyatta face each other in the Breeders’ Cup Classic?

The obvious answer would seem to be yes.  I’ve already gone on record defending the decision of Jess Jackson to avoid running over what he refers to as “plastics” so I won’t go down that road again.  Instead, allow me to suggest that we may be getting all worked up over nothing.

Wait? Did I just say NOTHING?  Zenyatta against Rachel…nothing???

Yes, as crazy as it sounds, that may be the case.  Obviously that warrants some explanation though, as I realize it’s a bit of a buck from the current trend of rational thought.

First, we must ask ourselves “why” it’s so important that these two runners face off in the Classic?  Ostensibly it’s to decide the potential “Horse of the Year” honors.  I can see the logic in that at first glance, but the fact of the matter is that thus far in the year, Rachel has accomplished infinitely more on the track than Zenyatta.  She’s become the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness. She’s the 2nd filly in over 40 years to win the Haskell.  Moreover, she’s won 7 consecutive races in 2009, compared to just 2 for Zenyatta. 

The year is still relatively young, but August is already upon us.  It would seem that the only hope for Zenyatta to catch Rachel in the quest for horse of the year would be to defeat her directly in the Classic (or at least one of the Classics, be that the Friday or the Saturday version).  From an earnings standpoint, it’s not even close.  Rachel added another $700,000 to her totals last weekend, pushing her yearly winnings to over $2.4 million.  Zenyatta?  Well, let’s just say she’s not even amongst the top 15 US horses.

None of this should be interpreted as a knock against Zenyatta though.  It’s not her fault she’s only run in two races thus far, and she took care of business like the champion she is both opportunities she’s been afforded.  The only point I’m illustrating is that if “Horse of the Year” is meant to be an honor for the horse who consistently demonstrated greatness throughout the year, and not an honor simply bestowed upon the winner of an individual race, then isn’t this one all but over? 

Rachel has been the dominant force in racing, both in name and on the track, all spring and all summer -with no inclination that she’s likely to slow down throughout the fall.  Zenyatta, while brilliant, has been largely unheard of.  Certainly she’s made no history-defying moves like Rachel’s Preakness and Haskell victories.  She can, however, close with a bang by toppling older males in the Classic. 

Ironically, the race for Horse of the Year then sets up a bit like an actual race between Zenyatta and Rachel might play out on the track.  Rachel’s used her speed, or perhaps her newly perfected (and decidedly deadly) tactical speed to negotiate brilliant positioning early on, and turning for home she’s opened up to a clear lengths lead.  It appears she might be waltzing away with another trademark victory.  You can almost feel Calvin Borel anticipating the moment to begin an early celebration.  But, from the back of the pack, having trailed the field the entire race, suddenly Zenyatta is about to get rolling.  The question we’ve all been waiting for is about to be answered…can she catch Rachel in the stretch? 

The first step in answering that question will play out this Sunday at Del Mar.  “Slow Cheetah” cannot afford a misstep now with Rachel out in front gunning for home.  If she’s going to make it happen, she needs to put on one of her patented bewildering late runs, inhaling the competition with seeming ease as she guns for the wire.

Of course, as we all know, we aren’t likely to find out the answer to this question on the track, more’s the pity.  Instead, the “race of the year” that was supposed to offer clarity has done nothing but obfuscate an already highly confused picture in horse racing.  This has angered many fans of the game, and rightly so.  Many feel cheated or slighted, and they are looking for someone to blame, be that Jess Jackson for his refusal to ship Rachel to Santa Anita, the Breeders’ Cup for their questionable awarding of the main event to Santa Anita for two consecutive years, and at times even the connections of Zenyatta for refusing to come east and face “the challenger.” It seems not one of us is safe from what a current and totally unrelated Directv television commercial refers to as “blamestorming.”

Each of these arguments is worthy of discussion and is rightly being played out on many a website, discussion forums, or in the halls of racetracks throughout the land.  It’s the main question over on the TVG Community website.  Indeed, it is the “great water cooler debate” of the year for racing fans.

But what if we’re missing something?

For starters, I think you know my opinion on this matter.  Whenever we reduce a field of talented horses like the Classic(s) to a showdown between two horses, what usually happens?  Wasn’t last year, just a week before the race, supposed to be about Big Brown and Curlin? I suspect this year it would result in some “unforseen” scenario where Colonel John, or perhaps European invaders Sea of Stars or Sariska wind up blowing past the two runners we’ve hyped beyond belief in the stretch.  Suddenly our calls for a showdown would seem trivial.

It’s more than that though.  Over and over again I hear the same argument, and I admit that it’s one I at first subscribed to.  We all know that racing isn’t exactly in it’s “glory days.”  We’re largely ignored on the public radar.  The only times we get any national recognition are the 2 minutes known otherwise as the Kentucky Derby, and depending on what happens in that race, to a lesser extent the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in the following weeks – even more so if a Triple Crown becomes a possibility.

The argument, therefore, is that a “super showdown” between the undefeated Zenyatta and the immensely popular Rachel Alexandra is EXACTLY what the sport needs to help generate public interest.  A “thrilla in Manilla” style battle for the ages.  We were teased with the prospect of such a matchup last year between Big Brown and Curlin, and it never came to fruition.  Thus, fans this year are frothing at the mouth for such a showdown not to be missed this time around.  It would seem hard to argue with such logic.  This might be our chance to put racing back on the map, right?  Why relegate ourselves to continued obscurity when there’s a chance to become relevant again on the national scene, even if only for a fleeting moment?

Here’s why.

During the Haskell coverage on TVG, analyst Todd Schrupp made a comment that I think bears repeating.  These weren’t his exact words, so forgive me for twisting things a bit.  I don’t have the benefit of transcripts at my disposal to double check.  While he wasn’t speaking directly about Rachel and Zenyatta, the essence of his comment might be interpreted as follows:

If a horse like Rachel Alexandra wins Horse of the Year honors, it’s front page news everywhere. 

If a horse like Zenyatta wins Horse of the Year honors, it’s front page news on the Daily Racing Form.

Think about that for a moment. 

I’m not suggesting that this should be an excuse to avoid such a showdown.  Far from it.  I think the important thing to keep in mind is that, in terms of general public opinion, it doesn’t really matter who Rachel faces or where she does.  As long as we hype the race and make it accessible we can gain that public relevance we so desperately seek.  The key factor is simply Rachel.  Think of the millions of viewers who turned in to watch the Preakness this year.  For many, it may have been the first horse race they’ve ever seen.  To many more it was probably the first race they’d watched in countless years.  Why?  Because suddenly they had a reason to care, and the race was accessible (imagine that – a compelling and accessible story attracted viewers. Wow, who would’ve thought such a thing was possible?)

Also consider the person sitting next to you at work.  Most likely they aren’t a horse racing fan.  If they are, then think of the person on the other side of you.  They’ve probably at least heard of Rachel Alexandra.  If they haven’t, then a quick reference to the “filly who won the Preakness” or the “horse that was on the cover of Vogue magazine” usually reminds them enough to say “oh yeah, I remember her!”  Mention Zenyatta, however, and you’re likely to be met with a blank stare.  “Zen-who? Oh, you mean the album by The Police, right? Yeah, they rule.”  Or even worse “is that some sort of eastern philosophy or something?“

That’s what we’re dealing with here, folks.  Rachel Alexandra, quite frankly, is bigger than the game itself.  I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but given our current state of affairs, I’d say we ought to be thankful for any horse who is capable of transcending the normal boundaries of awareness concerning our beloved sport.  Zenyatta, while beloved to most racing fans, simply doesn’t capture the public’s attention.  Part of that is our fault, of course.  I believe the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic was the only (or at least one of the very few) times she was ever on a national telecast, which really makes you wonder why we spend so much time hyping relatively insignificant Derby prep races in the early spring?

It is my contention that all one needs to garner public attention is a well marketed, well hyped race featuring Rachel Alexandra.  Note that we pretty much blew that opportunity by missing a chance to televise the Haskell nationally last week.  Seriously…I like the Arlington Million as much as the next racing fan, but Gio Ponti and Presious Passion will be beamed into millions of more households this Saturday than Rachel was in making history last weekend?  Nobody else sees a problem with that?

If the bottom line is that we crave the national spotlight and the attention that comes with it, then we’ve already got all we need.  Just march Rachel out to the Travers in a few weeks and hype the fact that she’d be the first filly since 1915 to win the race.  As long as it’s available to folks on tv: 

“People will come, Ray….people will most definitely come.”

Of course, the real losers in the Rachel vs Zenyatta saga are the true fans of the game.  We’re the ones who take the proverbial shaft, at least on the surface (no pun intended towards the dirt/synthetic controversy).  A glass half full approach might be to suggest that we get to watch twice as many meaningful races as long as Rachel and Zenyatta stay apart, but the purist fire that burns in all of our hearts does long for some sense of closure.  For us, the fans, I do hope we eventually see what we long for, although I’ll continue to refrain from demanding it happen at a specific time or location.

For the sake of the sport though, and as tough as it is to say this, I think we have to realize that in the grand scheme of things Zenyatta doesn’t really matter.  I know…It hurts me to even type that as I’ve loved this mare since she debuted and have cheered along for each of her races in her stellar career.  It’s not her fault she’s not as a big a star as she could be, nor do I fault her connections for plotting what has thus far been a spotless career (kind of hard to argue with an unbeaten mark and a horse that has remained sound through all of it).  It’s just the way things are in our game.  It’s the nature of the beast.  In fact, even if she had taken on older boys already out west, she’d doubtless still be second fiddle to Rachel in terms of national recognition from the general public.

Curlin fans like me had to deal with this a bit even after our big red hero won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2007.  The fact of the matter was that Street Sense was still the bigger househould name.  Why?  Because he won the Kentucky Derby.  I suspect it would be much the same even if Zenyatta were to face and defeat Rachel in the Classic.  Would we have our clarity?  You betcha…at least to a degree (there’d always be the “surface excuse” to fall back on).  Rachel would still be the star though.  She’s simply captured too many hearts for that to change. 

In the end though, I fear we’re making a mountain out of a molehill.  Rachel and Zenyatta would be huge for the fans, but no more huge for the sport than Rachel against anyone else would be – provided we got our act together and ensured it was accessible to anyone with a television and then marketed the heck out of the event.  Hey, maybe we could use some of those mythical marketing dollars we were all told that running the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita in consecutive years would provide the sport?  The point is, such a matchup would only be a “thrilla in Manilla” for those of us fans who will likely already be watching anyway.  For the public it would be “just some race” that featured Rachel.  In other words, no more or less marketable than the Haskell last weekend, or the Travers/Woodward/Alabama options coming up later this month. 

In fact, you could argue that it would be decidedly EASIER to market the Travers/Woodward/Alabama races as we won’t have to go head to head with the kickoff of the College Football season.

As for the prospects of a  Breeders’ Cup without Rachel?  I thought Jennie Reese summed it up rather nicely.  “Celebrate the horses who show up, and don’t sweat those that don’t.”

After all, do we really want to work ourselves up into knots fighting amongst each other over who to blame only to have a dark horse we totally overlooked come in and steal the show?  If we ever want to get things right in this sport, we need to work on the little things first.  Our biggest star (Rachel) making history in the Haskell while not available to most of the nation is indicative of why we have such problems.  Maybe the powers that be will learn their lesson when our top draw is held out of the Breeders’ Cup this year?  Probably not, but hopefully it’s a shot across the bow.  It’s just a shame that the fans are the ones who have to pay the ultimate price.  That’s nothing new though.  We’re used to it.  We’ve been taking it on the chin for years!

For now, we’ll have to keep running this race over and over in our heads…or perhaps start wagering on who might win Horse of the Year credentials, as that appears to be the true “race of the year.”  I’d say it’s about 9/5 at the moment on Rachel…but watch out for Zenyatta coming late on a wide sweeping move in the stretch. 

“Vēnī, vīdī, vīcī”

The phrase was purportedly first used by Julius Caesar in a brief message to the Roman Senate following his victory over Pharnaces II of Pontus in 47 BC at the battle of Zela.  Following her dominant performance against colts in the 2009 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday, the amazing filly Rachel Alexandra might be neighing something eerily similar in her stall right now. 

Just like we all thought she would, Rachel conceded the early lead in the Haskell to Munnings, the son of 2004 champion sprinter Speightstown.  Summer Bird was determined to give Rachel a challenge and pulled up even with (and for a brief moment in front of) her as the field raced down the backstretch.  Then, the moment jockey Calvin Borel began to ask her for a bit more as the “real running” commenced, she responded in the style of a champion and began pulling away by open lengths.  By the time the field reached the sixteenth pole the race was beyond over and she was coasting in front by 6 lengths. 

Borel stopped asking her with about a hundred yards to run, and immediately broke into his trademark victory celebration by pointing to the crowd and blowing kisses.  Despite this, the amazing filly romped home in 1:47.21 – just off the track record.  Some might attribute this to the fact that the main track at Monmouth was sealed due to the (at times) torrential rain experienced earlier in the day, but having seen what this filly can do in the Kentucky Oaks, the Preakness, and the Mother Goose, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that the final time was 99.999% “Rachel.”

The victory capped off an exciting day of racing at Monmouth.  It wasn’t a particularly good one for me as far as handicapping/wagering is concerned (I’m dreadful at such tasks when a track turns sloppy), but overall it was a day we won’t long forget.  We got to hang out with trainers Gary Stute (Papa Clem) and Tim Ice (Summer Bird).  I was interviewed by “Monmouth Park Insider” Mike Curci prior to the Haskell (though evidently I just missed meeting my friend and horse racing icon Ron Correll of TrackSideView), and of course was granted access to the paddock to see all of the horses, including Rachel Alexandra.  Then, we managed to run into Steve Asmussen and Calvin Borel as we prepared to leave.  To top things off, we also ran into Todd and Simon from TVG, who stopped for a quick chat and some photos.

I can’t say enough about any of these folks.  Gary Stute and Tim Ice were amazing.  Gary strikes me as the kind of guy that it must be fun to be around 24/7.  He just seemed full of smiles and in genuinely high spirits.  I suspect he’s a bit like that friend all of us has – the one that whenever you’re with you wind up having a good time no matter what it is you do?  He’s like a big kid, and incredibly friendly.  He even let us get up close to Papa Clem and pet him, which was especially thrilling for our 5-year-old.  I also found out that the lady in his entourage on Preakness Day who spotted my trademark ‘Bama hat and began yelling “ROLL TIDE” was his girlfriend.

Then there’s Tim Ice.  Talk about an impressive dude?  He turned 35 on the day that Summer Bird won the Belmont.  This is exactly the type of guy you want to root for as a racing fan.  He’s a bit intimidating due to his enormous stature (seriously…I’m used to being considered a bigger guy, but Tim TOWERS over me…if this horse racing thing doesn’t work out for him, I’m sure the Steelers could always use another outside linebacker or defensive end….if the dude ever played football, I’m certain he was a monster on the field), but he’s so down to earth and personable that at times you forget you’re talking to a guy who just won the Belmont!

After the race as he was walking back to the paddock, you could tell he was disappointed that his horse hadn’t won (Summer Bird had run his heart out for 2nd).  We caught eyes with him and he again came over to speak with us.  A fan standing nearby asked him for an autograph, and when he learned through the small talk that accompanies such situations that her son was serving in Iraq as a Marine, he stepped back, had a tremendously serious look come over his face (where before had been the disappointment of defeat) and remarked “people like him….they are the reason we’re able to enjoy things like this.” 

It was one of those moments that I think humbled everyone around.  Suddenly, for a brief moment, he had taken the spotlight off of him, and had the gathering crowd’s attention focused on this woman and the sacrifice that her son was making for all of us.  Suffice to say, given my background, we’re total Tim Ice fans now.  There won’t be another horse he sends to post that I don’t cheer my guts out for.  Amy felt rather fulfilled given that she picked Summer Bird in the Belmont and now knows what an awesome guy Tim is. 

If you ever get the chance to see Summer Bird in person,  I strongly recommend doing so as he’s one of the most fantastic looking colts I’ve had the chance to see close up. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in running 6 lengths behind Rachel.  Most runners wind up 20+ lengths back from her.  In recent memory, only Mine That Bird has been closer, and Summer Bird’s already defeated him in the Belmont.  Plus, Mine That Bird got some benefit in terms of softening up Rachel for the stretch by virtue of her outside (13) post position for the Preakness and the fact that she was on the gas from her first step out of the gate (not to mention that she was running on just 2 weeks rest for that race).  He’s an awesome colt in his own right and I one I hope to see him again in the Travers, The Classic, or who knows, maybe even the Goodwood?

The folks at Monmouth Park (and in particular, Sophia Mangalee, who’s husband Navin rode longshot My Dream Tomorrow into the money for show in the 3rd race of the day) really rolled out the red carpet treatment.   From early in the morning right on through the feature race itself.  I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank them enough, apart from praying that Monmouth gets another shot at the Breeders’ Cup in the near future and gets some cooperation from the weather gods when their chance comes again.

Speaking of the weather…did it strike anyone else as ironic that the horrific storms subsided just in time for Rachel the Great to make her appearance on the track?  I do believe the sun even managed to stick it’s head through the clouds just before she arrived.  Fitting, I suppose, for in many ways Rachel’s magnificence has been a parting of the clouds for the sport itself.  While the weather may have dwindled down the hoped for attendance figures at Monmouth, there was still a helluva strong showing their to suppor her.  Coming hot on the heels of the Barabaro and Eight Belles disasters, the triumphs of Rachel Alexandra have had a unifying, healing, and pacifying effect on the entire sport, and have gone quite a ways towards rectifying the game’s image in the eyes of the public.

She’s the kind of horse people drive across half the country to see.  She’s the kind of horse parents bring their small children to see.  She’s the kind of horse that adults bring their now elderly parents back to the track to see, just as they had done for them years ago when they were little. She’s the kind of horse that reduces even the most proud of would-be horse racing authors to expressions like “wow!!!” and “OMG” on Twitter.  She reminds us what it was that we found so magical about this game when we first paid attention.  She reminds us why it is we follow along with the sport in every maiden race we can possibly feast our eyes upon, always searching for the next great one. 

So how do we measure a horse’s greatness? 

I thought Calvin Borel made a poignant remark following the race when asked whether we had seen her best yet.  I don’t recall the exact words, but he replied something to the effect that he wouldn’t truly know how great she was until another horse pulled even with her in the stretch and looked her dead in the eye.  That is, after all, the ultimate test of will.

In the immediate future their are two other distinct possibilities;  defeat older fillies and mares, and then defeat older boys.  If she can pull off both of those feats, than I think she’d be revered for the ages in a fashion similar to Ruffian.  Heck, she may already be there in the eyes of some, having become the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness, and only the 2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell.

As if that’s not enough – consider what might be up next; The Travers.  No filly has even run in the Travers since Davona Dale in 1979, and no filly has won the Travers since Lady Rotha in 1915.  

Nineteen fifteen??? Are you kidding me? 

Austro-Hungary was still an “empire” in 1915.  The U.S. Army didn’t yet own a single tank in their armed forces.  Battleships still ruled the high seas.   The “Red Baron”, Manfred von Richtofen, had only begun pilot training in August of that year, and had not yet begun to terrorize allied airmen in the skies.  The Germans were bombing English cities using zeppelins!  Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Chicago freakin’ BlackSox were still 4 years away!  Thousands of American Civil War veterans were still collecting pensions.  The first stone in the Lincoln memorial was just being laid!

Does that put it properly in perspective? 

Even if she doesn’t go to the Travers, the point I’m making is that we’re witnessing right here and now the kind of thing that folks who are passionate about horse racing are likely to be talking about for decades to come.  

I know there are some who can’t stand the attention she receives.  This happens with every great runner.  We call these people “haters” these days, and they abound no matter what the sport or what the occassion.  There’s always someone waiting to rain on the parade the first opportunity they’re given.  I’ve never quite understood this.  I can understand folks having “favorites” and longing for certain connections to win over others, but I’ve never understood the folks who hope and wish for something to go wrong.  Hoping for a horse to lose?  Makes no sense to me.

We saw this a bit with Curlin in ‘07 and (more specifically) in ‘08.  No matter what he did, it wasn’t good enough.  No mater wich race he ran in (is their a single race he can ever be accused of “dodging?”) either the field was a joke or their was some other reason for the “haters” to dismiss – but only after they had warned us for weeks leading up to each and every race that “this” was the moment he was “going down.”  It’s rather morbid, if you ask me – and yes, there are folks out there who feel this way about Rachel today.

Thankfully, history seldom remembers the runners who pull the brief upset, and instead rewards consistent greatness with long term reverance and awe.  A microcosm of this was experienced on Sunday as we had SEVERAL conversations with very astute horse racing fans, none of which could remember the name of the longshot (Soul Warrior) who had just defeated Mine That Bird and Big Drama in the West Viriginia Derby the day before.  I should point out that one of the folks we spoke with was a relative of Dale Beckner, the jockey who rode Sould Warrior to victory.

My point is this, and hopefully it ties back into my previous ramblings about how we measure greatness…

History will remember that Rachel was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness.  It will remember that she was the 2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell.  If all goes as planned, it may remember her as the first filly in 94 years to win the Travers.  More importantly though, she will be remembered in name and cirucmstance across the expanse of time.  A decade from now, we’ll be comparing 3-year-old fillies to her.  Count on it.

There will always be Ruffian at the top, and of course there are countless other fillies and mares who have accomplished stunning success (some that even rival the success Rachel has achieved) -  including victories over older males – but because she did so on one of our biggest stages (the Preakness), and because she carries the iconic status of the “underdog” by virtue of being a girl running amongst boys (even when saddled with 1/5  favoritism at the beting windows), Rachel’s memory will burn bright for years to come.  And with each passing victory, her legend continues to grow.  I think that’s the thing to really take hold of.  When you watch Rachel run, realize that you are watching, in all likelihood, a living legend in the making.  How darned lucky we are to be alive to see it!

And of course, on a personal level, that hole in my heart that has existed since Curlin’s retirement was announced following the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic?  It’s been filled.  Or, as a buddy on Facebook responded, it’s been “fillied.”

As for Rachel…

She came, she saw, she conquered.