As expected Crist is the man about the girl
 

Rachel's agenda a perfect fit
By Steven Crist

Barbara D. Livingston
Rachel Alexandra, with Dominic Terry up, exercises Thursday at Saratoga in preparation for her try at an historic Woodward win.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Win or lose on Saturday, Rachel Alexandra's appearance in the Woodward Stakes was both the most ambitious and appropriate place for the next stop in what already has been a historic campaign by a sensational filly. You might not gather as much amid the constant carping about her accomplishments and her schedule, from a variety of self-interested media outlets and from those still miffed she's not going to run in the Breeders' Cup.

The first half of last week's ESPN telecast of the Travers seemed devoted largely to Rachel Alexandra's absence from a race that would have repeated rather than enhanced her standing. Why exactly did she need to run again against Summer Bird, whom she had just dispatched by six lengths in the Haskell?

She had already beaten the Derby winner in the Preakness and the Belmont winner in the Haskell. After doing that, and annihilating fellow 3-year-old fillies by a combined 39 1/2 lengths in the Kentucky Oaks and the Mother Goose, it was time for her to face her elders - whether or not the most challenging opportunity to do so fell on the opening weekend of college football season.

The idea that Rachel Alexandra "ducked" the Travers for an easier spot in the Woodward is preposterous. The seven 3-year-olds who ran in the Travers had combined to win 21 races, $3.5 million, and 10 graded stakes. The seven older horses she will face in the Woodward Saturday have won 44 races, $8.5 million, and 14 graded stakes. It's not a stellar group, but it's a better one than assembled for the Travers.

So instead of doing something she had already done twice this year - beating 3-year-old males - Rachel Alexandra will try to beat older males in the Woodward, something that has never been done by a filly of any age. It's the toughest assignment of her career, and she's no cinch. A victory would be a major achievement. The complaint that the Woodward isn't what it used to be, because it has been moved from Belmont to Saratoga, doesn't quite jibe with the last two runnings, won by Lawyer Ron, the champion older male of 2007, and Curlin, the Horse of the Year last season.

The choices made by her connections, led by majority owner Jess Jackson, have been perfect to date, but seem to annoy people who are grudging about the filly because they're not crazy about her owner. Jackson's arm-twisting to get the purses of the Haskell and Woodward increased have struck a sour note, simply because his personal wealth so dwarves the added purse money, but his frustration is understandable: He thinks he has the best dirt horse in the world, but the two richest races that used to be run on that surface - the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic and the $6 million Dubai World Cup - will be run on synthetic tracks in the months ahead. The Woodward, a far better indicator of genuine quality than races on experimental surfaces where championship form in highly suspect, was worth only $500,000 until Jackson wrangled a 50 percent increase out of Saratoga management.

Jackson's choices have not dovetailed with national television schedules, but it is hardly his fault that ESPN is not televising the Haskell and Woodward this year, or that the Breeders' Cup is being run on a synthetic racetrack. Her absence from races that do not suit her is discomfiting to promoters still laboring under the delusion that a few star turns on network television will make racing wildly popular. Does anyone really believe casual viewers were hungering to see Rachel Alexandra-Summer Bird - The Sequel?

There's a similarly silly emphasis on how many people Rachel Alexandra will attract to Saratoga on Saturday, as if this is some sort of referendum on racing's popularity or a make-or-break financial proposition for the New York Racing Association. Labor Day weekend is a tough sell for live attendance, not because Rachel Alexandra is or isn't a great filly, but because people tend to have longstanding, traditional plans for the last weekend of summer and aren't suddenly going to run out to a racetrack they don't usually visit to see any particular horse.

Last year, NYRA pulled out the marketing stops when Curlin ran in the Woodward, and the turnstile count in perfect weather was 22,572. They will probably do better this year, given Rachel Alexandra's greater popularity, but a turnout of 25,000 vs. 30,000 or 35,000 isn't going to say anything meaningful about the sport or its following. What matters is whether Rachel Alexandra, already a filly for the ages, can become even more so by winning the Woodward.


At least some of us get it!!!

I love it.

Though it's not really anything novel that tons of other people aren't out there saying.

No one says it better than Crist! :tro:

Beyer is not far behind:

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do...3&subs=0&arc=0

Columnists | Posted 9/3/2009, 5:47 pm
With this filly, the deal's for real
By Andrew Beyer

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The main street in downtown Saratoga Springs is lined with banners reading, "Rachel Alexandra: Run Like a Girl." The mayor has declared Saturday to be "Rachel Alexandra Day." A press release declares that the filly's impending appearance is one of the most anticipated races in Saratoga's 141-year history.

Casual fans might be skeptical about all of this ballyhoo. Every year, it seems, some young horse is anointed as the sport's next superstar, and almost every year the hype turns out to be wrong. But this time it's different. Rachel Alexandra is indeed the real thing.

Her accomplishments this year suggest that she is one of America's best female racehorses of all time, and she will attempt to enhance her credentials Saturday when she challenges older males in the Woodward Stakes. In its 55 runnings, no female of any age has ever won the Woodward, and only one 3-year-old filly has tried. Rachel Alexandra's presence in this prestigious event underscores an important factor in her ascent to stardom. She has an owner and trainer willing to let her show how good she may be.

Although it seem be premature to assess Rachel Alexandra's place in history - she has another full year of racing ahead of her - few females have ever put together a string of races as dazzling as her last four starts. She won the Kentucky Oaks by more than 20 lengths, prompting owner Jess Jackson to buy her and run her in the Preakness two weeks later. She then became the first filly in 85 years to win the middle leg of the Triple Crown. Rachel Alexandra got a breather in the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park and romped by 19 lengths. Then she took on males again in the Haskell at Monmouth, where she trounced Summer Bird - the Belmont Stakes winner - by six lengths. Her Beyer Speed Figure of 116 was the best by any horse in North America this year.

Rachel Alexandra's achievements have few precedents, because most America horsemen are reluctant to run fillies against colts. (Europeans, by contrast, have no such qualms. Their fillies frequently win the most important grass races on both sides of the Atlantic.) Many of the best U S. filly champions - such Go for Wand, Sky Beauty, and Inside Information - never raced against males. The ones who have challenged males on dirt have recorded only sporadic success. Azeri, the Horse of the Year in 2002, was 0 for 2 against males. Lady's Secret, the 1986 Horse of the Year, beat males in only 1 of 7 attempts.

Rachel Alexandra's previous owner was one of the many conservatives in the sport who don't believe in racing fillies against colts. If Jackson hadn't bought her, the filly would not have run in the Preakness, Haskell, or Woodward. But the owner of Kendall-Jackson Winery got into the sport because he relishes challenges - he put his champion Curlin through an ambitious campaign last year. He also, however, understands that the condition of the animal dictates what he can do.

Jackson relies on trainer Steve Asmussen and assistant Scott Blasi to assess Rachel Alexandra's health and fitness. As the owner, he said, "I'm looking at the long-term schedule and taking into account the business aspects." So far the team has made all the right decisions about where to run the filly. "It's a process of defining her greatness," Jackson said. "Each time she passes one test, she goes on to another." Running a 3-year-old filly against older males is a choice that few trainers - including Asmussen - would make on their own, but Asmussen believes that the filly has retained her peak form, and he gave the green light to Jackson's aspirations.

Asmussen knows that the outcome of this race is not foregone conclusion, even if most people think Rachel Alexandra is unbeatable in a field that is sub-par by the Woodward's historical standards. The trainer recalled that Curlin was supposed to be unbeatable in the Woodward last year, but the champion had to fight hard to beat Past the Point by just more than a length. Past the Point is in Saturday's field along with six other battle-tested veterans.

"She's going to have to run equal to or better than Curlin in order to win," Asmussen said.

Rachel Alexandra will win if she produces her best form, but she is not an indefatigable machine. The racing record books show that

3-year-old fillies who beat top males have usually tailed off after their great triumphs. Winning Colors captured the 1988 Kentucky Derby brilliantly and never won another race of consequence. Rags to Riches defeated Curlin in the 2007 Belmont Stakes, lost her next start, and never raced again.

If Rachel Alexandra wins the Woodward, her place in history will be secure. It will not be an exaggeration to call her the best American filly since Ruffian. Although Ruffian was one of the fastest Thoroughbreds who ever lived, even her overall accomplishments don't match Rachel's, and her only venture against males - her match race with Foolish Pleasure - ended with her fatal breakdown.

Rachel Alexandra can lock up the Horse of the Year title with a victory, but she can also earn an even rarer distinction. While other members of her sex have won the sport's top award without beating the best males, this will be the first time in the postwar era that a filly, running on dirt, will be regarded as America's best racehorse, regardless of gender.

I have been amazed by the utter idiocy in this forum about this filly. I thought the old AOL boards were loaded with clueless, self-absorbed losers, but this has been an eye-opener.

Cannon Shell is VERY far behind on this topic.

I'm glad Crist tore ESPN a new one; their self-promoting BS agenda last week was disgusting.

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/sho...2&postcount=63

Early enough for you, dalakhani? I'm not a band wagon jumper or redboarder on this subject, am I?

Crist hasn't made me cringe this bad since "pick6 for beginners"

Surely he isn't comparing the ****ing woodturd to a race on anything from the moon on down(much less pro-ride) vs Sea the Stars, Gio Ponti, Zenyatta, Rail Trip, GenericEuroStar2, Summer Bird, etc....

Genuine quality: "i do not think it means what you think it means"

Bobby we realize you are a special talent but I think your post could use a bit of an explanation

No actually they made many of the same points that I have made yet aren't willing to trash the field as it should be just in case she happens to lose. Perhaps if you actually understood what I have posted you may better understand why I am not behind at all.

Well, Tector, Im sure if Rachel might happen to lose you will be back on here calling Jackson and Assmussen every name in the book and accusing them of running a short horse. Isnt that what happened with QR?

1.Azeri would be odds on in this edition of the Woodward.
Not taking anything away from RA. If she wins it will be a feather in her cap. But i still maintain that running any horse in any race where you are 1/2 on the morning line isnt a real stretch.

2. In reference to Ganders inability to understand that most 1/2 morning line choices are clearly better than the competition.
It has nothing to do with her "greatness" or any measure of it. It has to do with the fact that she is an overwhelming fav over the field she is facing. Running a overwhelming fav doesnt make you bold in my opinion. It makes you smart. This is a pretty logical spot for her as was the Haskell. The fact that it is against males is interesting and a bit historic but come on, this isnt like taking on Mike Tyson his his prime.


3. It is logical to run in the best races for the most money when you have the best horse. When is the last time a 3 yo filly was clearly the best horse in the country in May of her three year old year? Please explain to me why running a horse in a spot where she is clearly the best horse and in fine shape physically not a logical idea? Her being a three year old filly makes it unusual however the Woodward is the best spot for her to not only run and win but to complete a theoretical checklist of her owners aspirations. If Seattle Slew and Affirmed were in this years version of the Woodward I would say that this would not be a logical spot. Not to mention they have the ready made excuse that she is tired from a long campaign (check out Jacksons comments) and that she is taking on older horses. Why wouldnt the Woodward be a logical spot?


4.At no point did I say anything like that. People here love to put words in the mouth of others. If I put forth a scenario where Summer Bird captures horse of the year it isnt a knock on the filly. It is simply a scenario.

Freddy you need to get a grip. The strange set of circumstances that have taken place make the Woodward the ideal spot to run this horse. Is that a better word? There has never been a three year old dirt filly that was clearly the best horse in America at this point. The Woodward accomplishes everything that Jackson wants to do just as the Haskell made her the clear leader in the HoY race and established her as the best horse in the country regardless of sex or age. The Penn Derby isnt even a grade 1. The Woodward has prestige despite the obviously subpar field facing the filly. Not to mention avoids going an unknown distance of 1 1/4 and also avoids a further confrontation with horses she has already beaten. It is simply a logical spot.

As for your contention that I am saying that her campaign is a fraud,I have no idea where you get that. What I am saying is that it is easier to push the envelope when you are facing moderate competition that makes you an odds on choice everytime. I think that the race will be interesting with her in it. I also think that she will win and it will be her last race of the year. her campaign next year will be interesting to say the least. Of course if JJ had racings best interests in mind he would plot out his races beforehand and let the public know where she will run as opposed to all this secretive bs that he does now.


5.Aside from running on the turf or Synthetic, what dirt race is out there right now that RA wouldn't be an overwhelming favorite?

Which is exactly my point. So when people say how courageous it is of Jackson to run in the Woodward remember that.


Ok what exactly did I say that isnt true?

That Azeri would be favored against this bunch?
That her running in this race is hardly a stretch like it is made out to be?
The fact that this spot if perfectly logical in the context of her campaign, the dearth of talent in the older horse division and the fact that she is 1/2 morning line?
That there has never been a three year old filly that was clearly the best horse in the country during the summer of her three year old year?
That the Woodward accomplishes exactly what Jackson wants?
That I think she will win and be put away for the year?
That Jess Jackson should plan out the fillies 2010 season in advance so that possibly the public and television networks can possibly plan to see her?


Where exactly did I go wrong?

No, horses lose--they are flesh and blood, not machines. I already posted Gary West's column on the subject. I guess you missed it, or "forgot".

But horses do have one advantage over humans--they don't lie and distort for their own petty purposes. So, you still have something to aspire to.

GAFL.

Yeah I'm sure ESPN's producers are licking their wounds over being "ripped a new one" by Crist.

ooooh Gary West! The Steve Assmussen/Jess Jackson PR man. Is he already giving out excuses in case she loses?

You know what is also great about horses? When they always act like assholes we cut thier nuts off.

The percentage of idiots from the old AOL days was quite higher than here man. Also, the sheer lunacy and fanaticism (duns, val, barry irwin, florence and goat lover, to name a few) was far worse. Remember when goat sent a case of ho-ho's to flo?

Here you have just a few really idiotic posters who, I think in this case, are just trying to be contrarian without having a grasp of reality.

Oh, and no fugging fan clubs here!

Please put down the bottle, take your mouth off the bong and explain.

I could/may/hope to own a special horse like RA some day. All I know is if I ever owned her, she would be on the first flight to LA to run in run in the BC.
Win, lose or draw I would never put my personal agenda about surfaces against a great match up.

Stop being so contrary. You obviously are hater and just dont get it!

I'll change my mind as soon as the precious NYRA allows me to run the BC on dirt..oh yeah...Rachel, Rachel, Rachel....lol..ship her ass

Does that also include the fanclub or fanantical posters who take it as blasphemy if they feel that their favorite horse has been besmirched when their accomplishments are questioned?

I really look forward to the next two months of whining about Rachel not being in the BC!

It's not whining...he's being the bitch here

Would you like to see her race in the BC?

They ship her out there and we probably will not have the greatest $10 seats of all time available.....

No.

Why not?

She has already won over the synthetic at Keeneland, pretty impressively by the way.

She will love Santa Anita also

That is some logic that I will never understand.

Why because she may lose?

She could lose on Saturday and I'd run her there anyway.

I don't understand the "it's the BC you must run" logic - and it's not like she is the only horse being withheld from the event.

The BC is for the best horses to run against each other. Hell, the f'n Euro's try their turf horses on dirt/synthetic every single year, but this Jackson guy can't ship the best horse of 2009 out there.....

I still maintain that she will run in the BC, regardless of what he is saying. As you all have seen, the guy likes a 'story' and him repeating saying he isn't going to do it, then he says "For the good of the game and industry I am going to run RA in the BC Classic"

i'd probably run her. but i can't fault jess for not running her. hell, he's run her plenty, as did her previous owner. she's had a season with more starts than most do these days, and it's early september. as someone wrote a few weeks back, when does she tail off? you'd think at some point she'd get tired.

Well Haskin wrote a column today doing the same thing.

But let me see if understand:

If someone discusses now how she could easily lose, they have to listen to a dork like you mumbling your gibberish above?

But if they don't bring it up now, and she loses, proven liar/distortionist dalkhani is going to whine because they didn't raise it advance?

Do you guys routinely give each other reacharounds? Or do you limit yourselves to circle jerks like this?

Maybe you guys will get "lucky" and she'll break down--then you can feel REALLY superior to Jess Jackson. Yeah, you'll have shown him but good.

IC, there were more entertaining loons on AOL, but the concentration of true bitter losers is no less here.

The only fanatics in this discussion are you and rough operator.

But why wouldnt you want to see her run in the bc? She is the best horse in the country clearly. As a fan, why wouldnt you want to see her on the biggest stage?

Liar/distortionist? LOL Yes, I lied about you calling Pletcher out AFTER the Travers was over. You really didnt rip into pletcher for running a short horse after the race was over after not mentioning it before hand. You doing that really isnt as Lame as i thought.

Are you happy? Can we move on? Or rather, can you just go back to aol so the adults can discuss racing again?:)

Thanks

exactly! If she is one for the ages (and i believe she is), take her to Santa Anita and let her win the BCC.

it's not a bong, i just happened to grab a pen & a large bottle of pain pills in the same hand! (but i did note a few posters 'blowing smoke' in Crist's direction!) oooooooooooohhhh

[on top of my regular cardiovascular compromising (2 open heart surg...) genetic disease (and some/most here would say mentally "special"), i just got hit head-on in my chest by a mini van at high speeds while waiting for a red light.]
Rather than wonder how the hell i'm alive , i'd prefer to log on the internet under an alias, and project my jealous insecurities onto one of the classiest pros in this business. Any questions? :rolleyes:

Ok that was weird. delete?

I didn't think my response was that cryptic

"The Woodward, a far better indicator of genuine quality than races on experimental surfaces where championship form is highly suspect..."- Crist

There simply wasn't a better race in North America than the Classic last year. Championship form couldn't have held up better in the race. 3 of world's best thoroughbreds ran their best race of the year. How great is that?

"Experimental" actually applies to Dubai's surface, as we haven't run on it yet. However for 6Million on a surface that most of the world's best horses can handle, we should expect one of the best DWCs in years.

The field for the woodward has 1 true Grade1 horse in Rachel, and the rest are uninspiring older division runners. No world's best in here to battle rachel. [please nobody find a race listed as grade1 that one of these pigs won, that isn't what i mean].

Honestly the Woodward isn't an alternative to the Classic or Dubai, so i don't really know why it is being compared, other than for HOY voting...

finally, yes the Travers was worse. After the fact it is pretty easy to acknowledge. None of the good horses besides Summer Bird got the distance and we saw an uncontested race. Kensei looked like a pumped up star miler, but he wasn't born to win the Travers. Nobody with a clue is really arguing that the Travers is better, at least not after the fact.

ok i have a date with a noisy MRI

I think you posted on the wrong site... Did you meant to post here
http://www.sympathy.com/

My first Ignore addition in 6 months.

--Dunbar

Very much. But I'm willing to cut Jackson a lot of slack considering the spots he's already put Rachel in this year. Running her back on 2 weeks rest in the Preakness--many thought that was foolish. Then the Haskell and the Woodward.

Dare I say...he's done enough.

--Dunbar

1. Suggesting that Summer Bird could beat Rachel if they meet in the JCGC.
2. Wishing that Rachel will run in the BC.
3. Wishing that Rachel would run in the JCGC.
4. Saying that Zenyatta has atleast won dual stakes on both poly and dirt and RA hasn't.

This makes me a fanantic?