What Was Rachel's Best '09 Race?
 

Wondering which race you felt was her best this year? Not an easy question. Much harder than HOY.

No..this is just as easy.

Really, not for me.

To run on the engine with fast fractions and a contentious pace, then subsequently put away each and every speed horse as they wilt backwards and then fend-off a legit closer who had the race tailormade for him is pretty extraordinary. Woodward hands down.

I voted for the Haskell myself.

A very strong argument, but I voted for the Haskell because RA had to pass Summer Bird during the race.

I picked the Preakness because thats the race that I won the most $$ with her on. However, it was probably her 2nd best race next to the Woodward as Travis explained.

Beating Mine That Bird and Musketman on a clear lead does little for me, its nice but if she was a male horse everyone would have thought "nice win"

It was a better effort in the Woodward because the race dynamics were more difficult and even though Macho Again is not much horse he drowns the likes of Mine That Bird.

i agree, they threw everything at her to make her stop and she didn't. great horses win when the going is tough. forget about those 20 length romps against inferior horses. when it was on the line this horse showed tremendous class. face it, that whole field was focused on beating her and they were all older too. she fought it off like the champions do.

When you take into account who she beat and how easy she done it, I think the Haskell is a no brainer.... She crushed the best MALE dirt horse we have in the U.S.
Borel made the Woodward a very demanding race for her...He was afraid the big boys would race ride her and keep her pinned down inside if he tried to rate her...so he sent her.

To me, the Moment of the Year was when Rachel, Summer Bird and Munnings got to the top of the stretch and Rachel absolutely broke their hearts.

I agree...Only race all year that made my mouth drop open.

Her race to the barn when the rest of the TB world went to contest the championships.

fiction

She was the ONLY one of the NTRA's top ten to not be there.

And that list truly is the be all end all of horse racing.

If you don't have anything to say about Rachel's best race, find a new thread.

I voted for the Haskell. It helped that I was there but she was really amazing that afternoon.

NT

I'll second that... on both counts.

Preakness for me, for the simple reason that it was one of the few races this year that you can actually say the result was in doubt before the gate opened.

so?

the fiction is that the bc card is a championship. it's a big day of racing, but should have no more bearing on the year than any other gr 1 race/card.

I guess Sea the Stars was ducking it too.