Asmussen: No Rachel for Blossom

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Danzig

from bloodhorse:

There was some doubt from Rachel Alexandra’s camp after the race as to whether she would still be pointed toward the Apple Blossom.
"We'll have to be cautious. We want to do what's right for the mare," Asmussen said. "The filly's lacking fitness. It was my job to have her there, and I didn't do it.
“How tired she is off of that will be established in the coming days. She’s not where I thought she was and if I had thought she’d get beat she wouldn’t run. You take her back, you evaluate her, you see how her mood is, her diet, how she goes back to the racetrack, how she breezes. No crystal ball could see that far ahead."

Rachel unlikely to make Apple Blossom
By Marcus Hersh

http://www.drf.com/news/article/111445.html

NEW ORLEANS - Rachel Alexandra's connections have decided not to ship her from Fair Grounds to Oaklawn Park on Monday morning, as had tentatively been planned before Sunday, and Rachel Alexandra now is unlikely to start in the April 9 Apple Blossom Invitational, trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday afternoon.

Rachel Alexandra, Horse of the Year in 2009, lost her first start of 2010 on Saturday, going down by three-quarters of a length to Zardana in the New Orleans Ladies, her first defeat since 2008. Earlier Sunday morning, Asmussen said that Rachel came out of her race in good health, eating well Saturday night, and appearing to be in good spirits Sunday morning. Nevertheless, he and owner Jess Jackson made the decision sometime Sunday that she would remain at Fair Grounds for now, rather than shipping to Oaklawn to take up her training there later this week.

"She's not going," Asmussen said. "After discussions with Mr. Jackson and the whole crew, we're not going to send her to Hot Springs in the morning. She's not where we want physically. That most likely eliminates the Apple Blossom. We're not comfortable with how she responded to the accelerated program, so we're going to continue to train her at Fair Grounds and see what happens."

Rachel Alexandra's course of training through the winter in New Orleans did not unfold smoothly. She missed time in December and January because of wet and cold weather, and was on a tight schedule to make the New Orleans Ladies, her potential Apple Blossom prep. In Saturday's race, Rachel Alexandra pressed a demanding half-mile pace, took the lead into the far turn, but was worn down by Zardana through the stretch run.

"She's clearly not up to her previous level," Asmussen said. "We're going to regroup and come back again. The disappointment from yesterday continues."