Rachel Alexandra-Zenyatta set for Apple Blossom confrontation
 

http://www.drf.com/news/article/110706.html

Here we go. :rolleyes:

Booth Operator in 5...4...3...2...1

I'll just save him the time.

Big Mama ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:tro: :tro:

Rachel Alexandra :cool: :cool:

Assman said in DRF this past weekend that from a timing standpoint it wouldn't be ideal

go figure:rolleyes:

anyone know her next scheduled race anyways?

-bt-

er, he would have said lucky, not rachel! otherwise, spot on.

belmont

If the earliest she will be ready for a prep is in the middle of March, that puts the 3/13 stakes at FG in play. If she isn't ready then, I imagine FG will work with Asmussen and Jackson to come up with something to get her prep race in before the meet ends. Who knows, it could end up being the NO Hcp at the end of March. Then I guess it is on to the La Troienne.

This is just like when Seabiscuit and War Admiral kept ducking each other

Ducky Alexander :D

According to the movie, it was WA that was doing the ducking.

Unsurprisingly, the genius commenters at the Paulick Report have decided that this is because Rachel's connections will only run her in the best circumstances, where they know absolutely that she'll win. Unlike Zenyatta's connections who are known for taking big risks....

That's pretty funny

Does anybody else have the feeling Jess Jackson's playing his own private version of horse racing Madlibs?

not me but i think the race will happen if rachel runs again. i'm hoping its in open company anyway. its clear that the fillies and mares are no match for either one of these horses. i want to see a real race with a real field. they put that kind of money up (5 mill). you could get a pretty good race not rachel , zenyatta and 4 or 5 scrubs from the female division.

In other news, some snow is anticipated this winter....

"Out of respect for the level of competition and then importance of this race, I have told Mr. Jackson it was not in the bet interest of the horse to race on April 3," Steve Asmussen, trainer of Rachel Alexandra, said in the press release. "Getting to this level of fitness after a six-month layoff takes time. If all goes according to schedule, and we don't have any further weather delays, the earliest we could have a prep race would be the middle of March. It is then not fair to Rachel to ask her to race again three weeks later."


Give me a f*cking break. Now I am a huge fan of Rachel (as PG would say, she's a STUD), but not fair to ask her to race again 3 weeks later??? FFS, just retire her then. What a crock of sh*t.

so off of a 27 week layoff she should go twice in three weeks??

Quality Road just ran in very early February...he's next scheduled to start on Memorial Day. Maybe he gets a prep, maybe he doesn't. Welcome to the modern world.

I am an agnostic on the issue of whether horses are faster now than before (see that thread), but if they are it is just possible they are (in part) because of the way they are raced today. It's like people complaing "pitchers used to have 25% more starts per year, with 300% more complete games!" So? What does that tell me, beyond the numbers themselves? Are teams getting more or less out of their pitchers today by using them the way they do? Do you think every manager is an idiot and you know better?

Everybody fricking relax and be patient. It is just a horse race.

Great horses in the past never did such a thing, did they?:rolleyes:

Great...looking forward to more of the great sportsman Jess Jackson's press releases.

What would we do without the Golden Ages of Yore in every sport.....

no, but they are faster and they probably are for about 5 and half furlongs....then they can't run for months and months......yeah, this is way better.....lol:D

Ive certainly sided with Zenyatta camp on most of these issues but I dont think you can really blame Assmussen for his stance. He is preparing her for an entire campaign not just one race.

Besides, the longer he waits, the money just gets bigger and Zenyatta just gets older. The clock is on his side...Jackson's mortality not withstanding.

not since I've been following racing since 1996 with a few exceptions

regardless of where and how often we want these horses to race, we are at the complete mercy of the connections. hope you get to see them, but other than that, don't waste your time getting up in arms. all it'll do is raise your blood pressure.

True enough, but I kind of resent the implication of some that the connections are being "arbitrary". In every sport people try to get leverage--teams try to get home field advantage, if possible, the "where and when" of boxing bouts are haggled, etc. But I think both camps here want to do right by their animals as well. One frigging race in April is not the whole ball of wax. Seems obvious enough, but....

Ass makes total sense.

I think the absolute worst spot for those two to matchup would be RA's second start back.

I've seen many fast horses come off a long layoff run really well first time back and then regress the next time out.

Bobby would've had her ready...

Pretty funny considering the fact that Z's prep is exactly three weeks before the Blossom … and she's the one doing most of the traveling.

Bobby would have BEAT her already!

haha Z and traveling in the same post!

Hilarious!

Lets see her travel before we come to those conclusions!

I am sure they will. Last year's approach did not work, and there is the genuine prospect of a monster in the handicap ranks. They can't try to play the same hand again.

they only have to travel once out of state. zenyatta can take on tougher than she did last year without leaving california.

any year but last, zenyatta did enough to win HOY. they don't have to alter much of anything.

really so do you suggest just shipping to the Classic at CD or do you think the Apple Blossom and a bunch Poly Races should be enough? Naybe she should go in the Zenyatta?lol

He's a piece of work isn't he. Did he bother the Moss's in his press release?

hey, i'd like to see her ship all over. just don't think they plan to ship out of state other than to cd in the fall.
but i don't think they can keep her only in distaff company all year like last year, and expect any year end awards.

hell, why leave cali-it's the awesomest state ever!! just ask smooth operator, he'll tell you.

Forget about Z for a second … does anyone have a clue as to what the reigning Horse-of-the-Year's schedule is this season???


We know she's gunna duck Z in the AB … and QR in the MM … but does anyone know which big races she actually might be pointing to before the BC????

Actually it's a dead heat … CA and HI. :cool:

I think is obvious, "The Lady Secret/Zenyatta and the other BS races Zenyatta barely won last year.. Then they can run in the BC Classic win and pander for HoY