RACHEL JUNE 12th

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

That doesnt make the race named after her any less laughable for the great Rachael Alexanda's next spot. I recall a certain owner saying that the only races he was interested in were grade 1's. Imagine the answer you would have gotten from him had you asked if the Obeah was on the radar screen for RA a few months back?

Rachel Alexandra hasn't run in Grade 1 yet this year, so at this stage the Obeah isn't as laughable as it might have been at the beginning of the year.

Being a prep for the Delaware Handicap, if Rachel Alexandra were to run and win the Obeah, it might renew interest in the main event as a possible showdown with Zenyatta.

Then we could have at least 3 or 4 good weeks of publicity, posters, trading cards, hotel reservations, ticket scalping, Steve Haskin diaries, etc. before one of them inevitably backs out.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Rachel Alexandra hasn't run in Grade 1 yet this year, so at this stage the Obeah isn't as laughable as it might have been at the beginning of the year.

Being a prep for the Delaware Handicap, if Rachel Alexandra were to run and win the Obeah, it might renew interest in the main event as a possible showdown with Zenyatta.

Then we could have at least 3 or 4 good weeks of publicity, posters, trading cards, hotel reservations, ticket scalping, Steve Haskin diaries, etc. before one of them inevitably backs out.

All of her races this year are seemingly preps

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

All of her races this year are seemingly preps

Strangely enough, both of her races this year were faster than Zenyatta's this year....Who'd have thunk it.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

All of her races this year are seemingly preps

Fair enough, but given her first couple of starts this year, if you were campaigning her would you be looking for tougher competition or the proverbial "confidence builder"?

Anyways, the Obeah is the most "ideal" spot on all fronts (and is the perfect fodder for more "RA is ducking" threads) as its 8.5f I believe (distance possibly being an important consideration for her connections), its technically a drop in class, its a direct prep over the same track for a more important contest, and it avoids Urivaled Belle at CD and Zardana at Belmont both of whom beat her previously.

That said, I presume she'll go for the Fleur De Lis. Do they still run the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth?

[10 pnt move up]

You know you have hit hard times when you are avoiding Zardana.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Fair enough, but given her first couple of starts this year, if you were campaigning her would you be looking for tougher competition or the proverbial "confidence builder"?

Anyways, the Obeah is the most "ideal" spot on all fronts (and is the perfect fodder for more "RA is ducking" threads) as its 8.5f I believe (distance possibly being an important consideration for her connections), its technically a drop in class, its a direct prep over the same track for a more important contest, and it avoids Urivaled Belle at CD and Zardana at Belmont both of whom beat her previously.

That said, I presume she'll go for the Fleur De Lis. Do they still run the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth?

Both Unrivaled Belle and Zardana are going to the Ogden Phipps.

NT

[Merlinsky]

How's Macho Again been looking lately? I forgot he won the Stephen Foster last year. It looks like he's had that one off the board finish this year in the Alysheba (G3) against Arson Squad whom he'll face again. Intuitively I feel like she could take either one of them based on her past couple, her workouts, and what I've seen of those two, but I didn't dig too deeply on that yet, esp. Arson Squad. Not sure how he's been working. If she brings her A game she'd have it and even her B game isn't to be laughed at. Those 2nd place finishes were good ones.

Of course she should've been able to win the first two races, but oh well. What I do feel is another race at 1 1/16 against females just makes me fidget. I'm not enamored with the Obeah unless she's got some legit crisis of confidence or something and they feel she'd knock it outta the park. Are we going to keep doing it til she gets it right? Eh, it's not gonna do her any favors to get beat in the Ogden Phipps, maybe some redemption's possible but if they feel she's back to her old self, it kills two birds with one stone to beat males in a G1. I just really like the idea of a 1 1/8, but that's me. What's the place money in the Stephen Foster? I guess we'll find out just how happy they are with her progress pretty soon.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Rachel Alexandra hasn't run in Grade 1 yet this year, so at this stage the Obeah isn't as laughable as it might have been at the beginning of the year.

Strage comment coming from a critic of Zenyatta, yes Obeah is quite laughbable for the great Rachel Alexandra.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by CSC

Strage comment coming from a critic of Zenyatta, yes Obeah is quite laughbable for the great Rachel Alexandra.

How so? Zenyatta has two facile scores in Grade 1 races this year. There's no reason for her not to maintain that level or (perish the thought) even step it up another notch.

Rachel Alexandra has been beaten on the square as the heavy favorite in two lower level races. Seems fairly sensible to me that another "prep" or drop in class is the most potent tactic to get her back in the winner's circle.

[letswastemoney]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

How so? Zenyatta has two facile scores in Grade 1 races this year. There's no reason for her not to maintain that level or (perish the thought) even step it up another notch.

Rachel Alexandra has been beaten on the square as the heavy favorite in two lower level races. Seems fairly sensible to me that another "prep" or drop in class is the most potent tactic to get her back in the winner's circle.

The dirt version of Unrivaled Belle is G1 quality imo

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

The dirt version of Unrivaled Belle is G1 quality imo

Possibly, but as it stands on paper, her only Grade 1 to date she was beaten by Flashing, who wasn't within 20 lengths of Rachel Alexandra in the Mother Goose.

To be clear, Rachel Alexandra could go in any of those races mentioned and obviously be a contender for the win, but I don't think the Obeah is out of place on that list.

Didn't reigning 3yo champ Skip Away get dusted at odds-on in two races at Gulfstream to start his '97 campaign (having defeated the great Cigar in his final start at 3) and look for relief next out in a listed stakes at Lone Star (coincidentally he lost that race also)?

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

The dirt version of Unrivaled Belle is G1 quality imo

according to a lot of seasoned handicappers on this site so is Zardana.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

How so? Zenyatta has two facile scores in Grade 1 races this year. There's no reason for her not to maintain that level or (perish the thought) even step it up another notch.

Rachel Alexandra has been beaten on the square as the heavy favorite in two lower level races. Seems fairly sensible to me that another "prep" or drop in class is the most potent tactic to get her back in the winner's circle.

Dropping in class from 2 Gr.2's is not what I would call a confident placing for a horse that was facing males last year and ran almost exclusively in Gr.1 races. If she is entered in the Obeah, I would surmise the end is near, however didn't we just read a glowing report of her last work? Believe me, I hope the end isn't near for her, she's great for racing and I do want to see her close to last year so she can make the BC.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by CSC

Dropping in class from 2 Gr.2's is not what I would call a confident placing for a horse that was facing males last year and ran almost exclusively in Gr.1 races. If she is entered in the Obeah, I would surmise the end is near, however didn't we just read a glowing report of her last work? Believe me, I hope the end isn't near for her, she's great for racing and I do want to see her close to last year so she can make the BC.

You should be associated with the Pro-Zenyatta camp that fervently fails to separate 2009 from 2010.

[randallscott35]

http://drf.com/news/article/113667.html

[Smooth Operator]

Can't access the article here, randy

Does it shed any light on the greatest mystery (RA's next start) since the Zodiac killing spree?