Rachel Alexandra Retired

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

The irony, of course, is that if Shirreffs hadn't sent Zardana to the Fair Grounds, the $5 Million Apple Blossom would have taken place.

He did Jackson a favor by sending Zardana. Jackson did not want to face Zenyatta in April. Jackson declined the Apple Blossom at first before Cella painted him in a corner by moving the race back a week. When Jackson did the calculus, a loss to Zardana after a long layoff would be easier to dismiss than a loss to Zenyatta in her second start back.

The most logical early season targets for Rachel were the La Troienne and the Fleur de Lis. Moss could have had some fun by shipping Zenyatta to CD after the Apple Blossom to await Rachel. Instead she returned to SoCal and all this foolishness about the Rockies started.