Yep. RA is better suited for 10 furlongs than any other distance.

The kind of people who think she would struggle with added distance because of the way she finished up after taking tremendous heat in the Preakness and Whitney ... those are the kind of people that either don't bet or would lose more than takeout if they did bet.

Well put, Drugsy.

Shhh. Let them keep thinking like that.

Woodward :p

Last time they ran the Oaks, Haskell and Mother Goose it was at 9f and yes she will be a bet against at 10 furlongs if she tries the BC Classic next year.

I hope we see her try to top Zenyatta's race against the boys at 1 1/4.

I know the distances of those races, you mis-read what I wrote.

The idea that Rachel can't get 10 furlongs is idiotic.

NT

Why are folks always suckers for the closers.

They watch Horse A battle through fast fractions, put away the chasers on the far turn, then hold off the deep closer Horse B, and their immediate thought will be, "Horse A was just lucky. One more jump and Horse B would have caught her. Horse B is the better horse."

Horses staggering home at shorter distances don't inspire confidence when going longer. And all those people that keep touting her Mother Goose win, I hope they don't really think RA was 20 lengths better than the 2nd horse (even if it was only an allowance horse). Maybe if you know you're beaten, and there is only 1 other horse you have to beat (whopping 3-horse field), you might just try to beat that other horse for 2nd (which at 12 lengths further back--didn't really make you run hard. Biggest winning margin -- jeez, give me a break.

The pace in a 10 furlong race will probably be softer, therefore Rachel will have something left for the finish.

I think the only way some other horse would beat Rachel in a 10 furlong race on dirt is if another horse went on a suicide mission, as what happened to Presious Passion last weekend when that gray horse decided to take him on early.

Even then, I believe Rachel would be professional enough to rate in 2nd or 3rd if such a horse were to put themself in a suicide mission.

I think people are going to have doubts until she goes 10f against a good field. She probably can make that distance. But you can never be certain until she does.

I didn't mis read what you wrote and I think your girl can get 10 furlongs, but I find it intersting what will happen when she get just 1 pound from the boys at 1 1/4. I'm sure that the RA camp doesn't think that weight made any differance in her races.

…running 1 1/4 miles on dirt is regarded as the definitive test of American thoroughbreds. -- Andy Beyer 12/26/09



Still find it amazing … incredulous really … that, even after making the above statement in his latest article, Beyer is still gunna vote for a 3-year-old filly which never proved that she can win a G1 contest at the classic 10f distance for HotY.


Frankly, I think SB would've gotten to her in the Travers … and I doubt she'd have a prayer of holding off the monster western mare at ten panels … regardless of venue…

as opposed to zenyatta who didn't achieve the above either?

It all depends on the race setup. I don't know how many computer literate posters here remember when a speedball/sprinter named Bold Forbes gutted out a Belmont Stakes win way back when. I do.

Wonder how much money AB and the other RA lickers would've been willing to risk on a RA win ticket if this year's BC was at CD instead of SA and RA, Z, SB, QR and some of the others were in that BCC field.


My guess … little to none…

You ought to watch the Haskell again. RA doesn't need the lead, and for part of the Haskell, SB was even in front of her.

RA might not win the race, but she would finish ahead of the Z mare.

Um, a few things, sir …

First, as you know, the Haskell is nine-furlongs. SB is clearly better going ten or more.

Second, the race was SB's first start since the Belmont score … a nearly two-month layoff … so he likely wasn't at his absolute best.

Third, he had to spot her a significant amount of weight (5 lbs) in the contest.


In other words, RA had a lot going for herself that day … some of which wouldn't have been in her favor had they squared off again a few weeks later in the Travers.

SB got to compete at the more suitable 10f distance … and he had that 9f prep race, if you will, under his belt … which made him a sharper horse.

LOL … too funny




KILLS me that the lemmings are gunna hand the big prize to the inferior filly…

One can only hope.