Rachel to Monmouth on July 24...
 

Interesting move. No detention barn for Big Z...

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...ing-news/57723

Lots of irony here with the "Zenyatta" stakes run out West formerly being named the Lady's Secret.

Anyone have good excuses to get out of going to a wedding? :o

Her connections do know that speeds not holding the way it did at MTH, right?

THis article confuses me for a couple reasons:

1. The Lady's Secret is listed on Monmouth's website as being run on August 1st.

2. The Lady's Secret is listed on Monmouth's website as having a purse of $150k.

Did they move it and not tell anybody?

3. It's also listed as being run at 8.5f, not 9. Something is amiss here.

these horses are more important to me than [___YOU____]...

the article answers those questions. MTH bumped the purse and the date to lure Rachel.

cant tell you about the distance thing tho

Looks like some accommodations were made.

A-ha! When I originally opened the article, it made no mention of the date or purse change, only that she was running that day.

Uh huh.

The truth never works!

Say that you've got a chance to hook up with this guy you've been chatting with online, who's going to be somewhere near you on that date and that you won't get another chance for a long time.

You'll look desperate and pathetic, but you will be believed.

“It’s the perfect place to start what we hope will be another championship run.”
This BS is a laugher. What's she been doing the rest of the year. Wasn't the Fleur De Lis enough of a "launchpad"?

They run 2 Grade 1s in the month of August at Saratoga, the first of which is the 9f Ruffian. That race is August 1st.

Over at Delaware, on July 17th, they run the historic 10f Delaware Handicap.

But Rachel Alexandra needs to run on July 24th. So they need some track to augment a race scheduled for a different weekend, carded for a different distance, and carrying a different purse.

The sad thing is, the main horses in the Eastern distaff division appear to be Life At Ten, Funny Moon, and Unrivaled Belle. I assume anywhere from 1 to all 3 could show up in the Delaware Handicap, which essentially eliminates them from starting in the Ruffian. Seems like the latter is a more than appropriate spot to run in, especially considering she'll be training there.

Furthermore, whatever takes place in her next start, what is the likelihood she shows up for the Personal Ensign at 10f? I don't think it's very good, especially if this steroid enhanced Lady's Secret doesn't affect the Grade 2 $300,000 Molly Pitcher run in late August at Monmouth at 9f.

You know what's going to be an even bigger debate than last year's battle between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra for HOY?

This year's battle between Jess Jackson and Jerry Moss for the Big Sport Of Wussdom Award.

Nice to see Jess Jackson get exactly what he wants. Move the race...bump the purse...and change the distance of the race to make him happy. The guy is such a f'kn goober.

Tell them you caught equine flu. It's an off shoot of swine flu. ;) Or at least it is for the purposes of this fib.

I steadfastly have believed for months now that neither one will run in the BC Classic ... which is understandable - but the way they've been managed this year is a total joke.

There is no shame at all in losing - no shame at all. These horses are being managed is such a pathetic fashion - solely to reduce chance of defeat - that it's beyond lame.

At this point I'd rather watch Azeri v. Sightseek, Riboletta v. Beautiful Pleasure, or Sky Beauty vs. any number of Phipps fillies replays on a grainy Youtube upload than watch these two tarnished champions square off in a live race.

I hope One Dreamer comes out of retirement and beats them both in the Ladies Classic.

I think you're a bit confused. RA has already lost and lost pretty badly this year. Jackson pretty much had no choice but to duck Z in the AB and might just be aware that his horse of the year caught a speed favoring track last out. You must be just about the only one out who needs to emphasize the belief that RA is not going in the Classic.

As for Z, as long as she shows up for the Classic, her connections have nothing to answer for. Let's face it, the intent is to go after the Horse of the Year award. How exactly does she get this by beating Rail Trip? Exactly.

She will not show up in the BC Classic - nor should she based her on dirt form.

The meeting between the two will eventually take place in the Distaff at least. An entire racing season for the two of highest profile horses pretty much wasted by the both of them.

At least Life Is Sweet got to face Rail Trip.

At least Curlin wasn't given an SEC non-confrence type schedule after he lost his turf race as a 4yo.