This talk about RA being better than...

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Go for Wand won the 7f Test in 1:21, which equalled Very Subtle's stakes record.

She came back nine days later and won the 10f Alabama in 2:00 4/5, setting a stakes record. To put it in perspective, the record for the Travers is 2:00 and her time has only been bettered twice in Travers history, by General Assembly (2:00) and Honest Pleasure (2:00 1/5) and equalled (Easy Goer and Thunder Rumble). Again, she did that nine days after that Test win.

She came back to beat older in the Maskette Mile then came back to win the Beldame in a stakes record 1:45 4/5, only 2/5 off of Secretariat's track record. Keep in mind this was a 3yo filly doing that.

Though she broke down in the BC Distaff (I thought she was going to win but we'll never know), let's not forget how good that horse was she was running nose and nose with. Bayakoa was a 12-time grade one winner (along with three grade two wins). She won grade ones in NY, California, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Florida. She was as good a filly as you'd want to see and was the defending Distaff and Eclipse winner.

Rachel is good. She's special. She could do things to surpass Go for Wand. But she's got a long way to go for that and I doubt she ever will. There's good and then there's great. Then there's the true superstars. Go for Wand is at that highest level to me.

I agree with everything you say, but I think your points are exactly why Byk made the point of comparing the two only up to this point in their careers.

That didn't hold water for me anyways, as I thought GFW was a much more accomplished two year old and probably lost the Oaks due to the awful track condition.

[Thunder Gulch]

There's something unsettling about starting to compare Rachael to Ruffian and Go For Wand when you think about what happened with those.....let's get her safely through the year before we do that.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

I agree with everything you say, but I think your points are exactly why Byk made the point of comparing the two only up to this point in their careers.

That didn't hold water for me anyways, as I thought GFW was a much more accomplished two year old and probably lost the Oaks due to the awful track condition.

Yeah.. exactly.

But while track conditions are viable as explanations for beats, they aren't a free pass. Round Table is my favorite horse of history, and he was continually vulnerable in wet conditions. If he hadn't been, he'd be one of the Top 8-10 horses of all time instead of one the Top 15-20.

Go for Wand did do more as a two year old than Rachel Alexandra, but Rachel Alexandra has made up the difference with this dominating series of performances.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I believe Go For Wand ran numbers in the summer and fall of her 3yo season that RA will have a very difficult time reaching. At least from a Beyer fig standpoint.

With the way the sheets scales - TG especially - tend to trend faster and faster every year ... I'm sure they have Rachel Alexandra about 12 lengths faster than Go For Wand right now.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Yeah.. exactly.

But while track conditions are viable as explanations for beats, they aren't a free pass. Round Table is my favorite horse of history, and he was continually vulnerable in wet conditions. If he hadn't been, he'd be one of the Top 8-10 horses of all time instead of one the Top 15-20.

Go for Wand did do more as a two year old than Rachel Alexandra, but Rachel Alexandra has made up the difference with this dominating series of performances.

a fave of mine as well, and imo the best u.s. turf horse ever.