Yes, her career has been characterized by herculean trial.

Your not serious enough to actually question why she got 129?

It has nothing to do with on the track as was pointed out by Merlinsky.

My work may not allow me access to download anything horseracing related, but I do seem to recall Unrivaled Belle losing to Striking Dancer, didn't she? Granted that was on pro-ride. As much as I like Striking Dancer she is not the same horse St. Trinians is.

As for the weight, I think the spread is more important than the actual weight. It is generally accepted by some horseplayeres that 1 lb equals 1 length in the final result, and to me that is substantial when you are giving that amount of weight to a horse of St. Trinians caliber.

In the end it may not matter, Zenyatta will probably run her down anyway, but she can't have a subpar ride from Smith or an off day.

I understand that the racing secretary has an obligation to make sure they keep her in the race, but where was she gonna go? Shirreffs is mountain-phobic and tackling Rail Trip would be attempting to climb the highest mountain. If you're giving Zenyatta 129, fine, St. Trinians should tack 114.

NT

I see, it's all so easy when you let the surface lines completely blur. I mean, who wouldn't take into consideration whether a horse is actually running on their preferred surface? After all, if you do that, how does the 2009 BC Classic field look?

NT

from what I understand they were looking at skipping this race and shipping, not only from the weight stand point but a few other reasons........this was a couple weeks ago.

I've been down that road here, with this 95% Pro-Rachel board. Unless Zenyatta wins on dirt, travels, runs a minimum 115 beyer, beats Quality Road, carries 130 doing so, and runs against the bias. It may, JUST may satisfy her detractors. Though I'm not holding onto that belief. But I guess even I can be surprised sometimes.

All I ask is that people comparing horses who have run on synthetics and dirt actually try to understand that many horses prefer one over the other. To diminish the quality of Unrivaled Belle because she lost a race on the Pro-Ride is foolish, especially given her prior dirt accomplishments and those she' accumulated since.

That argument drives me even more crazy than this incessant notion that Zenyatta is better on dirt.

NT

Oh poor you. Go f.uck yourself.

Stay classy

That's one of the problems with the sport. The mirage of classiness. If more people would tell the psychotic to go f.uck themselves the better.

May I add then why is it okay to diminish horses that win on poly? I know some people hate the BC, but if Zenyatta makes it to the BC later this year, we may get to understand her specialness if she can duplicate her races on dirt. If this is the case, I would hope she will receive her derserved recognition for being versatile enough to win regardless of what surface she runs on. To me that is a far better measure of greatness than the limitations of a singular surface.

You got a point. There are some instances where I see that being a good option.

People cannot just say they disagree, coming from him it isn't unexpected, it's par for the course. We all can't be raised with class. :)

You're a man, not a battered woman.

F.uck you.












Though I say that with a smile.



:)

Apparently, not all of us can be raised with a clue either.

I relish these opportunities to fire back, what's your excuse then? Are you waiting for a field of Bullsbay's and or Macho Again's to fill before your horse crush gets off the schnide this year? :D

We had made it 25 posts in this thread without a mention of Rachel. There was even a video of a horse carrying 130 lbs and winning (!) but you had to come along and invoke Rachel Alexandra. I'm so glad you came back.

NT

I don't see how anyone can complain about Zenyatta running in the Vanity no matter how much weight she's carrying when Rachel is running in a Grade 2 race against an allowance horse so far, they can't even find a field of 4.

This isn't about Rachel's schedule (as she tries to regain her form); it's about Zenyatta's (selectively easy) schedule at a time when we are told that she is at the top of her game.

You are comparing two class of fillies right now, not really apples to apples.

debatable....highly

No, you see, Zenyatta and Rachel are inextricably linked in message board world. You can't mention anything about one without someone bringing up the other. Bring up Shirreffs' ridiculous comments about the Rockies, Rail Trip, or anything else...you hear about Zardana. Bring up Rachel potentially going to any one of four races Saturday...you hear about how Zenyatta is the greatest racehorse evar and Jackson is a disingenuous POS. And also, what has happened in 2010 directly correlates to 2009, as in Rachel's two defeats completely expose her as a fraud and tarnish her HOTY title.

Surely you, someone who has sided with Zenyatta in the past, cannot dare attempt to cross over into the moderate domain, or else the Z police will take you down. See, you have to be for her or for Rachel, no middle ground. And, if you make a negative comment about Z, get ready to hear about how Rachel is so much worse.

NT

Please enlighten us.

You relish these opportunities?

And that's the best you could do? Repeat the same old drivel?

Also, what crush are you talking about? I'm sure I've been pretty vocal (or verbal) here since early last year that people are ridiculously overrating RA.

Some of you Zenyattards are beyond ever being able to find that all elusive clue.

While I want to applaud the connections of both horses for keeping their stars in training, I can't help but think that both connections are doing racing a serious disservice with all the needless posturing: (1) Zenyatta's connections by not testing her to see what her true potential is; and (2) Jess Jackson's continued refusal to reveal his plans with Rachel until the very last minute. (No matter where Rachel shows up on Saturday, don't you think the marketing department of that track would like more than 72 hours lead time to let people know that the reigning HOY will be racing there?) The "white smoke" routine on one hand is becoming as tired as the "too high a mountain" act is on the other side.

Given the 2.5 seconds of thought I gave your post, I think it was more than an adequate response.

psychotic to go f.uck yourself.

Same to ya and I hope you get pancreatic cancer.

I already have





































bladder Cancer, is that good enough?

No you haven't.

Obviously not.

Been saying for years that every G1 race in NA should be run with scale weights

Thank God the BC got it right

Damn shame that Z has to give this kind of weight to a quality, younger mare like Trinians which has beaten males on multiple occasions in GB

Don't know a thing about the others in there, but these huge weight spreads are ridiculous

Hell, I'd be embarrassed if my horse needed a 15 or 20 pound break to beat another animal in a G1 contest.


That said, the great mare is still gunna run their asses down.

Little Trinians might even hop the rail when she catches a glimpse of the runaway freight train coming at her in the lane.

I'm complaining about both of them. This weekend proves absolutely nothing if they roll against outclassed fields in favorable circumstances. I would salute either for running-win or lose- a G1 vs males, but who can get overly excited about watching or wagering these races. If you can't compete, fine, but if you want to say you have the best horse, then prove it.

:$:

Oh my God

It wasn't too long ago that I thought there were posts saying that St Trinians is better than Z. Since they are now facing each other, St Trinians becomes a donkey because Zenyatta has never beaten anyone but a donkey in 16 career races that includes 2 Breeders Cup wins?

Let's hope they both win and Z gets over her fear of flying and heads East where they can meet or at least she can run. It doesn't look like she likes DMR so it makes perfect sense to head East and remain until the BC but when does common sense ever rule in this game?

Not happening!!

http://drf.com/news/article/113743.html

This guy's shtick just gets better and better. Zardana probably couldn't have handled the Rockies anyway.