Parrots are among the most intelligent animals on Earth. Usually they become neurotic in poor captive conditions, which leads to them doing weird things.

Which would explain a lot around here, come to think of it!

I'm sure that Jackson and Moss would agree to run in december at Calder for $500k.

What post TC races did Smarty and Barbaro run in again?

The Barbaro comparison is not fair, unfortunately his popularity soared when he got injured. The whole country was pulling for him. As far as Smarty goes, I want to believe that she is as popular if not more than he was. She hasn't had the cover of SI (yet), but then again she wasn't trying to win the TC. Unfortunately for the sport there are so many different avenues/sites where you could just watch the horse/race at a later date which makes it possible for you not to have to go to the track to watch him or her. But I want to believe that she is one of the handful of horses that people will go out of there way to see live at the track. This was my first Haskell and she was the main reason I attended.

This is probably as good an example of how much people care about the Triple Crown and don't care about anything else. Look at the spike when Rachel wins the Preakness and the absence of a similar spike when she won the Oaks or won the Haskell:

http://www.google.com/trends?q=rachel+alexandra

Oh, I am pretty sure Moss wouldn't--and Jackson would. But then even the likes of you would have your answer, although most of us have it already.

What difference does it make? If they brought in new fans that only tuned in to watch them again and don't watch anymore because they aren't racing, how is that helping the sport? I thought that you argument was that she is good for racing and could bring in more fans that might stay as fans of the sport and not just fans of hers. If your argument is that she'll bring her own fans, then it won't matter if she's racing at the BC or at Suffolk.

What "argument"--he's just ranting the same points ad nauseum.

You said that they didnt draw fans. What races were they supposed to draw fans to since they never raced beyond the TC? Wasnt there a record crowd at Smarties Belmont?

How else do you raise the awareness level of your product if you dont participate in the most widely available race? How else can thoroughbred racing be taken serious when it cant get its biggest star to run in its biggest events? Since when is a series of races that matches up the best horses and horses from across the world all on one weekend a bad thing? The Fall meet at Belmont is never going to be the same simply because horses arent campaigned the same way. A coordinated stakes program leading up to a year end finale would better than what we have now but to think that we can simply just purge the BC from the schedule and pick up again from 1983 is silly. Before the BC there was fragmnted voting on the year end awards. The fact that the system of electing eclipse awards is broken doesnt mean we should scrap the BC. Just as we can't expect new fans to storm the sport because we have a super horse to market. But to say that the additional attention that a horse like RA would attract wouldn't be a positive is baseless.

And you are suggesting a $500k race at Calder in December. Yeah maybe run it on Xmas Eve? Call it the Santa Clause Jackson stakes? Maybe Phil Saltzman can make a comeback and call the race? Or pass out Jess Jackson bobbleheads?

In the end I am suggesting that RA running in the BC would be the best possible outcome for the sport of horseracing. You are suggesting to run in December at Calder. Actually you are probably qualified for an exec position with Magna or CDI or better yet NYOTB.

Exposure helps to create fans. The sport gets more coverage. Maybe some people get interested in being owners. Or lets pretend like the Haskell being only on TVG was "good" for the sport. It wont solve racings problems but RA vs an undefeated Zenyatta in the Classic would be a huge event, even for racing. Maybe they both retire afterwards but you need to get eyes on the product in a positive way.

How?

I didn't say that they didn't draw new fans. I said that they didn't bring many new fans to the sport. They brought a few fans that wanted to see THEM race. Specifically. Not other horses but them. A lot of those fans didn't stick around because the horses didn't stick around. I think it would be the same with Rachel. Of course Rachel would attract a few more fans to watch her particular race. But would it be a significant amount of people? I don't think so. How many of those few would stick around to watch other races where she's not participating? What I'm saying is that the few extra people that are going to tune in to watch her will tune in whether she's racing at Suffolk or in the BC. Her participation in the BC will not help the sport.

No one knows who Zenyatta is. Rachel against Mine that Bird in the Travers is a far bigger draw than Rachel and Zenyatta to the casual fans.

How would it not?

How can you possibly quantify this?

And no one knows the next star third baseman until they see him play. She is an undefeated filly who won the BC last year. This is an easy sell especially because these horses are fillies.

Horse racing is interesting. It is like no other sport in the world. First, the connections has to do what is best for the horse. Second, the connections have to do what is best financially. And the horse racing comes 3rd (the fan). There are not too many sports where the fan comes 3rd and that is a distant 3rd. The connections are going to to what is best for them and that is all. I don't think there have been too many people who have said "lets do this for the fans."

Off topic---has anyone heard of thr rumors of Churchill trying to lure Zenyatta and RA for the Clark?

Mike Moustakas, that's an easy one, and I've never seen him play.

I actually think having two fillies takes away the novelty of it. A filly beating the boys is an easy sell. Once it becomes two fillies beating the boys it isn't as big of a deal. People will just assume the fillies beat the boys all the time.

The race is on a Friday anyway ...

And she would probably run terrible.

Agreed

Moustakas=Not a star

The BC Classic is on a Friday?

great pics
 

Revidere,


You must have some camera.

Those pics are beautiful.

I was there in the paddock and saw her up close, she has some look in her eye. And cool and well behaved. Exudes class.


Congrats to your daughter for her horse show ribbon.

Oh brother.

Perhaps we should revisit this insane comment.. Look at the participants in any 3 g1 races at three different tracks and tell me at least half of the owners don't have a net worth of over 250mil.. Perhaps you/we could review the stakes races at Saratoga yesterday tell me 99% of the owners gave a flying FCUK about purse money..How about todays Amsterdam.. Oh you are saying I am focusing on the big circuits...Well DAH that is were the major stakes are held.. Oh and Yesterdays haskell had a bunch of tee shirt and cell phone dudes pooling there 100's.. Your funny Chuck.. 99% of owners in Graded races care about the purse because win lose or draw it really fn matters.. lol The friggin guys who claimed the Teddy Drone winner for 18k give dam the rest of the field was billionaire B or C team..lol you crack me up

I really think it would be best to have Rachel go in the Arc with Zenyatta.. Maybe they could share the plane ride? Chuck Pro Ride is not dirt perhaps you can explain why you want to see a dirt horse race on Pro Ride and not grass.. And since when is the turf classic not the the single most important grass race in America? I really think you are under estimating Rachel's potential on the turf and at 12f's..

Fair Grounds is always available. Facility is very small, but they could put up tents (like after the fire) and bleachers.

Thanks and Thanks. Why do they always say it's the camera?

Please freddy. If they didn't care so much about it why do they complain so much about it? No one said that they are going broke if they dont win but to act as the vast majority of owners arent running their horse operations as a business is silly. I mean Sheik Mo has a lot of money right? why doesnt he lower the sales commission to .5% at fasig? I mean he doesnt need the money? Why not stand the stallions for $1000? Why doesn't Jackson donate his horses earning to charity? Yeah they love to keep losing money. Thats why Monmouth added more money to their pot or CD did last summer, because noone cares about it? Dont be stupid, the money is how the really rich guys keep score. And they do keep score.

Listen fred if you cant understand simple concepts like Ernie Paragallo doesnt give a damn about his horses or anyone else for that matter why would i expect you to understand why she should run in the Classic.

So far in this thread I have been told that RA running in the BC would be bad for the sport, that she shouldnt run in the classic if she did, that 6 yo slugs have been winning the classic, that positive press doesnt matter, that a 500k race at Calder in December would be better than the BC for Zenyatta and RA, that RA wouldnt draw more viewers to the BC telecast, and that owners dont care about money.




And supposedly I'm the one who doesn't get it.....

According to people here it doesnt matter because no one has ever heard of Zenyatta and RA has no following.

Oh I get it it's the scorecard.. Chuck in case nobody told you if they looked at the score card they would never buy a friggin horse again. These folks lose huge money each and every year. There are those in the business of breeding and racing and those that are in the hobby of racing.. You want me to accept that Zayat is keeping score.. Uh how about Hobby 100 mil your winnings 3 mil.. BTW they may try and represent that they are making BUSINESS decisions but in all candor that is truly impossible as it is a hobby.

How does unestimating a persons insensitivy to his animals suggest that I can't understand the concept of were Rachel should run??

I never said she shouldn't run I repped that why would she run on a 3rd surface type that is suppose to equate to dirt but clearly doesn't. So you think that now its a good idea to expose the fringe viewer to Championship day on a third surface and market to them that Rachel should be just as good on this stuff they know nothing about. Ok this is brilliant stuff. People who are new to the game (fringe viewers) are going to tune in expecting a super dirt filly only to be baited and switched to a Poly race that clearly she will not be the same on. But the good news is we got them to watch and not understand the complexity of the situation or have them frustrated that she really is no big deal as some never was no name beats her. That should get them back.. What you don't see is the harm that you could do by hyping speed and greatness and only to have it bit you in the marketing face.

Look your a tad jealous, no you are a lot jealous. AS AM I.. I want a horse like Rachel, as you I want to call her my own. It's ok admitted you are frustrated as she is not yours and anything these folks do you will be scornful of..Its human nature I get it.

You know the Moss's while wonderful people in the game and truly charitable people by all accounts really are standing behind this BC Classic loyalty a bit to firmly for my palate. I think you can wag your I Hate Jess flag all you want the guy races his horses all ove ..The by product is fans get to see them and they try things that most other trainers wouldn't.

Trust me we all know if you owned/trained Rachel, and I hope you do get such a horse, that you would have had her racing against fillies on 4 weeks rest on dirt and or would have sold her to a Jess/Shiek type and basked in a big pay day.. I figure that is just the way things are for the folks who still have to keep some score.

Rachel doesn't need to run on Pro Ride to prove herself.. Look what are you going to moan about if she won the Classic on Pro Ride? Why Jess is breeding her on March 1 to Curlin or How could he not run her as a 4 year old? Please already the guy bought a great horse whatever he paid it doesn't matter he isn't keeping friggin score. He is living out the balance of his life exactly the way he wants becasue I guess he was a fcukin lucky guy or a great score keeper..Eitherway thank you Jess.. Thx for buying her and not letting hal wiggins run her against her own every 4 weeks till we all got bored to death. Thx for sending her to the Preakness where she kicked ass.. Thx for not sending her to the Belmont and having the good sense not to over extend her. Thx for a smart prep in a historic race..Thx for sending her to the Haskell and inviting all that is standing to come and try and catch my girl.. And finally thx for exposing NTRA and there ridiculous decision to force dirt horses to compete on a surface which is not there best on a what is suppose to be a proving ground for American Turf and dirt racing..

Maybe just maybe NTRA gets a clue and alters there incompetience immediately.

Cheers to Rachel!

Yep!! It isn't about the money....

LMAO ... so Mr. Sportsman doesn't want to come out to Cali to face THE CHAMP.



Actually, who can blame him ... Zen would school her at the BC...

I put myself on the wait list, but it is very doubtful that it is as good as Funny Cide Pride Ice Cream. Best ice cream ever, even if it wasn't named after a horse! :D

So, are you saying you don't want a bottle of Rachel wine for Christmas this year? :p

It's 300 cases it isn't about money.. 3600 bottles of wine isn't a making money.. let's put it this way 300 cases of Petrus 47 isn't a big deal for Jess money wise so how is 300 cases of his low rent swill mean anything monetarily.. It's funny you guys must all think I love the guy, when in all honesty I basically have opinion eitherway. I just think he is a older sick man playing up 18.. I feel sorry for him in a way.