Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Uh, tector, there were at least two Euros which won Cup races on Pro-Ride last year... and others which ran well … including the one (Twice Over) which was no match for Big Mama in the Classic.

Btw, the same TO which beat '08 BCC winner Raven's Pass that year in Europe.

Originally Posted by tector

Is there a point to this? Let's see if anybody, besides you, can see it.

Originally Posted by tector

Well, I can't speak for others, all I can say is that I never criticized the layoff for Zenyatta per se. But it did leave them just a few races, and they chose those races way too conservatively, until the last one.

Really, there are only a handful of non-turf (can't call them dirt) CA races that have cachet throughout the country--and part of that cachet relates back to when they were contested on dirt:

Big Cap
SA Derby
Hollywood Gold Cup
Pacific Classic

The Ancient Title and Goodwood used to be held in very high regard as BC preps, on dirt. Now they are only relevant for a plastic BC, which I don't expect to see again soon, especially if SA goes back to dirt (but then both of these preps will be back on dirt, too).

That's about it. The Malibu, Pat Obrien, etc--some people know them, some don't. And the whole slew of "san" and "santa" races are just a jumble to people who didn't grow up watching them. And almost nobody ships into them. Everybody ships to the Haskell, for example.

Originally Posted by prudery

I am not sure I get this ...

If Rachel is off from Sept 09 until April or later that is seven months over two years ??

If Zenyatta was off from the BCC of 08-Nov--May 09 roughly aren't they the same ???

Does HOY give you a pass to a longer layoff ??? Really ???

It didn't by a longshot for the other Jackson HOY Curlin ...

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

You can't be serious, VOL JACK.

Munnings is a stone-cold sprinter … and SB was coming back from a two-month layoff and spotting RA five pounds, to boot. Not to mention the fact that the Travers, not the Haskell, was his main summer objective.

That Jersey race was EASY pickins for RA.


There is absolutely NO comparison between Z's BCC and RA's Haskell, in my estimation.

Originally Posted by arizonadave

Again , thinking outside the box, i think Gio Ponti was horse of the year. He only won two awards last night, first time in thirty years.

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

When is Jackson's next press conferance to tell the world that RA is racing in Japan and Europe this year.

You can run , but you cant hide!

I but RA will not even consider a race at 1 1/4 this year. Yes skipping the Classic against the world.

Lets hope that both are able and still want to run when they meet.

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

I posted this on another board, but the cut to Moss at the point in Jackson's speech where he basically said, "look, can we talk and work a race out," was so telling - Moss was po'ed, no smile, no nothing.

And as classy as he and Sheriffs have always been about this mare, his comments afterwards about them having to beat her "by proxy" were dead classless as well.

That really sucks. Because all year long, before the HOY awards, Jackson praised Z and her team, while Moss and company stuck to their guns. It's not that in general that I"m upset about, since I think the right horse won and everyone else has to deal with it -- it's the fact that a general total class act like Moss turns into a completely different person when he loses to a horse who ran a better campaign. She beats the boys once before the Classic? She wins. She runs on the sloppy CD track and wins? She wins. They have nobody to blame but themselves for this loss -- and his total lack of humility tonight was very surprising to me...totally not what I expected from an otherwise out-of-this-world classy team.

Originally Posted by Danzig

much as i like him, i have to disagree. thought he had a good year, and was one of the best, but no way he had a better year than the filly.

Originally Posted by arizonadave

i would like to see either filly run against him on the grass,his surface.

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

I don't want to read this whole thread and I am sure smarter people than me have pointed out Jackson's statement.

I am not sure he is saying he does not feel Zenyatta is worthy of racing RA or that he won't have any inclination to make it happen?

We’re hoping that each horse, taking it’s course, may win their way to an ultimate match and maybe we can work toward that."

Originally Posted by Danzig

i'm sure he means that he has races in mind for his horse, and assumes the mosses have a definite path in mind for their horse as well...and that maybe they'll end up at the same spot at the same time-the bc at churchill perhaps? i doubt he feels zenyatta is unworthy-but i am sure that rachel is his first and last concern, not anyone else's plans for his horse.

Originally Posted by freddymo

It seemed to me that a guy wouldnt say "Maybe I can speak to Jerry and see if we can make this happen" if he didn't think the two should meet. I think the only thing we know for sure is Rachel is months (like 4) away for any return to the track. They said she worked in 17..

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The comment about her working in :17 was a bit frightening. What's also a little mind boggling about this whole thing is they said way back in November or December that Hot Dixie Chick is on the same schedule as RA and there's been no activity for her either. I'm a bit perplexed.

NT