Hard to really evaluate the work other than to say she was too aggressive. She never had her head at any point until the last 1/16th.

She didn't look like she had her mind on running. Granted, I haven't seen enough of her works to have a baseline, but it didn't look like a tighten the screws sort of work.

Notice that Jackson isn't saying she is at 85% of her top level, but at 85% of where she should be now. Perhaps a less than stellar race at FG will give them a chance to save face. Nobody wants to see them race each other unless both are at their best. Who could complain if the matchup is postponed until the La Troienne on the Oaks undercard as the national media would take much greater notice of the race.

Thegreek has odds up on this

Zenyatta +105
RA +115
Any Other +725

Hmmm.

Everyone would complain, and yes, there are a million Zenyatta fans who want to see Rachel when she's not at her best.

:zz:
No fan should want to see this race if either of them is not at least 100%.

Ladies and gentlemen...Start your excuses.

I don't want to hear excuses from anyone if this goes down.

What you will here is a bunch of junk from the Zenyatta disciples if RA pulls out because she is not ready.

That's the idealistic view, but it isn't reality. Fanatics on either side care only about winning. Ask Alabama football fans if they cared that Colt McCoy got knocked out 3 minutes into the championship game...nope.

someone else will make a big offer to showcase the two if either is unready. oaklawn wants this-and they're expecting over 100k if it happens, but it appears to be a rush job at this point. i'll be surprised if it happens next month. but i feel it will happen this year.

I dont disagree with you. But if that is the case, they should go ahead and get on down the road instead of hyping this race and creating excuses.

Its a month to go. People have to make travel plans and buy tickets and the event has to be properly promoted. To do it right, its going to cost money...big money.

At this point it should be in or out with no excuses.

I, for one, will be very disappointed if they don't both go in the Apple Blossem as I will be in the Jockey Club both the 9th & 10th. I understand that people are spending big money to be in Hot Springs that weekend. Houses in Hot Springs are being rented for huge money and big money people are looking to get in the area that weekend.

Of course, anyone making plans should know that a lot can happen in the month in which one or both can't make it to the race. I hope it goes as planned and lives up to its billing.

I'm sure everyone is as committed as they can be when it comes to a horse race. If it fails to happen, at least there are still good races on tap for that wknd

I think only a sucker would take 6/5 on RA right now.

Zenyatta has a huge recentcy edge at this point.

Rachel Alexandra's hasn't run in a long time and Asmussen is a very sub-par layoff trainer.

She has to prove she's still herself in her prep race. Last year - champion 3yo filly Proud Spell came back at Oaklawn on March 12th for her 4yo debut - she was beaten at odds of 1/9 and ran only an 80 Beyer.

Rags to Riches - the previous 3yo champion filly before RA and PS - she was a no-excuse loser to Lear's Princess at 2/5 odds off of a 3+ month layoff after her Belmont Stakes win.

Once RA proves that she's still the same horse she was in the summer of last year .. you'll see her go favorite in that match-up.

What was wrong with the work?

Michael Strahan didn't want the sack record after The Great Brett Favre gave it to him.

I know you weren't asking me ... and I've never seen her work before anyway, so I don't think anyone can even attempt an opinion unless they've watched her train several times before at various points through her career.

But I'm kind of curious Cannon ... what in the hell can anyone learn from something like that?

To me ... it looked like she was a little keen and aggressive sitting off a lowly 3yo who was recently 4th in a rained off-the-turf N1X alw race .. and when they turned for home she put him away with ease while looking a little unpolished with her action.

I guess if she would have struggled to pass him - it would have been very disconcerting - because she's supposedly a very agressive work horse.

What was right with the work?

This is what stuck out to me and a bunch of her works are available on youtube.

She put away - with ease - a dead fit horse capable of running low 70 Beyers. That's what was right about it I think.

I dont think there was anything wrong with the way RA worked. I mean she is a fast filly, being asked to stalk a 51 split. Cmon, this was two riders not knowing how fast they were going. Dom should have given Brian a shout to go on with it. The only thing i would be worried about is her getting much out of it concidering she really was only asked to work a 1/4 of a mile...