Rachel Alexandra Retired

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

The problem was that RA didn't want to race anymore.

This is ridiculous. Go back and watch the fleur de lis again from this year and then explain to me why it is so much worse than most of her races last year, or how it is evidence that she "didn't want to race."
Just because she won the Oaks by a huge margin last year doesn't mean she ran better in that race than she did this year going 9f at CD. In fact, she basically ran the exact same race again except this year she ran a little bit faster while also carrying a couple of extra pounds.
Clearly she didn't turn in performances this year that were quite on par with what she did in the Haskell and Woodward last year, but her races this year stack up pretty well with what she did last year at Oaklawn, and in the Oaks and Preakness, etc. I think the idea that she fell out of form dramatically this year is completely wrong.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by miraja2

This is ridiculous. Go back and watch the fleur de lis again from this year and then explain to me why it is so much worse than most of her races last year, or how it is evidence that she "didn't want to race."
Just because she won the Oaks by a huge margin last year doesn't mean she ran better in that race than she did this year going 9f at CD. In fact, she basically ran the exact same race again except this year she ran a little bit faster while also carrying a couple of extra pounds.
Clearly she didn't turn in performances this year that were quite on par with what she did in the Haskell and Woodward last year, but her races this year stack up pretty well with what she did last year at Oaklawn, and in the Oaks and Preakness, etc. I think the idea that she fell out of form dramatically this year is completely wrong.

I'm not saying she fell out of form, she just failed to do what a filly with her ability and class will do.

WIN as a 4 yo. Some just no longer have a intrest in racing.

Even her trainer expressed concerns about "Keeping her happy" and not wanting to do anything to upset her routine. Hell he was walking on eggs to try and figure out how to get her to use that extra gear. Experianced horse people on this board told us that she was done and most didn't listen.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

I'm not saying she fell out of form, she just failed to do what a filly with her ability and class will do.

WIN as a 4 yo. Some just no longer have a intrest in racing.

So who won the Fleur de Lis and the Lady's Secret?

I still don't understand your point. Can you explain to me how her performance in the Fleur de Lis (in particular) demostrated her lack of interest in racing this year?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by miraja2

So who won the Fleur de Lis and the Lady's Secret?

I still don't understand your point. Can you explain to me how her performance in the Fleur de Lis (in particular) demostrated her lack of interest in racing this year?

SHE WAS SAD DON'T YOU GETS IT !!!!!!!!!!!! That's totally why she ran 2 or 3 Beyer points slower this year than last!!!!

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

SHE WAS SAD DON'T YOU GETS IT !!!!!!!!!!!! That's totally why she ran 2 or 3 Beyer points slower this year than last!!!!

i think it's all because zenyatta came out of retirement. rachel was never the same after....

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by miraja2

So who won the Fleur de Lis and the Lady's Secret?

I still don't understand your point. Can you explain to me how her performance in the Fleur de Lis (in particular) demostrated her lack of interest in racing this year?

I guess Hal wiggins is a fool too, but it seems that he to thought that the Woodward was RAs turning point.

I think Steve did a great job with her in 2009, winning all those races. It was very aggressive and they got what they wanted out of her. But I think they paid the price. I think the Woodward gutted her.
JS: So you think the Woodward took that much out of her. What makes you say that?

HW: Just watching the race. She was all out and I think sometimes when a filly has to do that she has a hard time coming back, even with rest. It might have quit being fun for her. When she was running against 3-year-old fillies she was never extended; she did it so easily. After races, she was dragging the rider around the track. After you give everything you have a couple times, it takes something away from them.

But then what does he know.

[Thunder Gulch]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

I guess Hal wiggins is a fool too, but it seems that he to thought that the Woodward was RAs turning point.

I think Steve did a great job with her in 2009, winning all those races. It was very aggressive and they got what they wanted out of her. But I think they paid the price. I think the Woodward gutted her.
JS: So you think the Woodward took that much out of her. What makes you say that?

HW: Just watching the race. She was all out and I think sometimes when a filly has to do that she has a hard time coming back, even with rest. It might have quit being fun for her. When she was running against 3-year-old fillies she was never extended; she did it so easily. After races, she was dragging the rider around the track. After you give everything you have a couple times, it takes something away from them.

But then what does he know.

I don't agree, but if the Woodward on top of the others took too much out of her, it was absolutely worth it to see it happen. Every outing was something new that I've never witnessed in the sport.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

I don't agree.

You can't disagree with 2Hot4TV! He knows everything!

He knows what horses think when they get hit with the whip.
He knows that horses who win graded stakes races by a huge margin with a 109 Beyer Speed figure ran that poorly because racing wasn't fun for them anymore.
He knows when people say things whether they are only saying them to be "politically correct" (even when the term "politically correct" has no relevance to the things being said).
And he knows when people are too afraid to look Jess Jackson in the eye.

These sorts of psychic powers shouldn't be ignored.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by miraja2

You can't disagree with 2Hot4TV! He knows everything!

He knows what horses think when they get hit with the whip.
He knows that horses who win graded stakes races by a huge margin with a 109 Beyer Speed figure ran that poorly because racing wasn't fun for them anymore.
He knows when people say things whether they are only saying them to be "politically correct" (even when the term "politically correct" has no relevance to the things being said).
And he knows when people are too afraid to look Jess Jackson in the eye.

These sorts of psychic powers shouldn't be ignored.

You dont have to get mad. I'm not and you have really called me S T u p i d.

[Princess Doreen]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

I think the Woodward gutted her.[/b]

Gutsy, yes - gutted? I doubt it. The gallop out was pretty good, but adrenalin may have been rushing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysO_Fhc8Fpw

I saw Rachel the next day and several times after that. She didn't look like she was in any trouble as a result of that race.

I think that long layoff stuck in a stall at a track with abomindable weather was the biggest factor in her not coming back better in her 4 year old year.

The PE took a toll on her despite the bullet works at near deserted Oklahoma track.