Rachel Alexandra to Woodward

[johnny pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Gander

Do you really think all the money bet on Mine that Bird is dumb money and based on just 1 race?

I mean its not like he ran horrible in the Preakness or Belmont. And one can argue that he didnt get the best of rides (timing wise) in either race.

I'm not a huge fan of MTB but I think hes backed up his Derby win with at the very least some very competitive efforts and shown that he really does have a nice late kick.

Is he the worst play in the world given the fact that QR has run only once since March, and that was in a sprint?

i agree, how is that dumb money? QR at some ridiculous short price is the dumb money! did anyone see dirge yesterday? bet low, up the track, one race in like 2 years or something. next race, bafferts horse, under serviced, second choice , up the track. no races since november! saratoga is not exactly the place to try and "comeback", the waters are very deep! QR looked great at 6 1/2 but now hes going to stretch out with one race in 6 months. he will almost surely be a short price. shorter than it should be! its obvious he has problems too. i would not be calling myself a genius with a bet like that !

[Smooth Operator]

Is this really the smartest thing to do with a 3yo filly ... throw her in there with a bunch of mature males?


Which was the last 3yo filly to take on older males?



Seems to me that the risk of injury could be magnified by asking her to compete with stronger, more mature animals...

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Is this really the smartest thing to do with a 3yo filly ... throw her in there with a bunch of mature males?


Which was the last 3yo filly to take on older males?



Seems to me that the risk of injury could be magnified by asking her to compete with stronger, more mature animals...

I know the races are on turf, but several outstanding 3YO fillies such as Zarkava, Six Perfections and Goldikova have whipped "mature males" in recent years.

[cakes44]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Is this really the smartest thing to do with a 3yo filly ... throw her in there with a bunch of mature males?


Which was the last 3yo filly to take on older males?



Seems to me that the risk of injury could be magnified by asking her to compete with stronger, more mature animals...

By stronger, more mature animals, do you mean slower, less competitive animals? They aren't in a cage fight, they are racing for crying out loud. I don't ever remember being scared of getting hurt running sprints after practice because there were some older, stronger kids in there.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Is this really the smartest thing to do with a 3yo filly ... throw her in there with a bunch of mature males?


Which was the last 3yo filly to take on older males?



Seems to me that the risk of injury could be magnified by asking her to compete with stronger, more mature animals...

Smarter than putting her in the Travers against real stakes horses. Without RA the Woodward looks more like an Allowance Optional Claimer than a G1...

[CSC]

I don't doubt Jess Jackson's business acumen in making the 'best' business decision by putting Kensai in the Travers, but there is a part of me that tells me he wanted to put RA in the easier race, rather than the other way around. No one has mentioned this but wouldn't Kensai's chances be better against that mediocre group assembled in the Woodward than the Travers? If he truly wanted to up his stud value.

Something smells...

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by CSC

wouldn't Kensai's chances be better against that mediocre group assembled in the Woodward than the Travers?

I think he would get beat in either spot.

[Indian Charlie]

Wow.

The day is still young and the promise for more such retardation is great!

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Wow.

The day is still young and the promise for more such retardation is great!

Great call dude, and it's not even been another two full hours!

[CSC]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I think he would get beat in either spot.

That is why I think his reasoning of not having RA in the Travers is...well bullcrap.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by CSC

I don't doubt Jess Jackson's business acumen in making the 'best' business decision by putting Kensai in the Travers, but there is a part of me that tells me he wanted to put RA in the easier race, rather than the other way around. No one has mentioned this but wouldn't Kensai's chances be better against that mediocre group assembled in the Woodward than the Travers? If he truly wanted to up his stud value.

Something smells...

I think it is pretty simple. Kensei is training well and with wins in the Dwyer, Dandy, and Travers will have a shot at champion 3yo male especially beating Quality Road and Mine that Bird head to head. Winning the Woodward with Kensei wouldn't have helped him in that regard.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

I think it is pretty simple. Kensei is training well and with wins in the Dwyer, Dandy, and Travers will have a shot at champion 3yo male especially beating Quality Road and Mine that Bird head to head. Winning the Woodward with Kensei wouldn't have helped him in that regard.

I think he will need alot of help to win top 3 yr old colt this year.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by CSC

I think he will need alot of help for him to win top 3 yr old colt this year.

Well I don't think he wins the Travers but if he does wouldn't he have as good a shot as anyone? He'd have a head to head win over Quality Road, Mine that Bird, and Summer Bird.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

I think it is pretty simple. Kensei is training well and with wins in the Dwyer, Dandy, and Travers will have a shot at champion 3yo male especially beating Quality Road and Mine that Bird head to head. Winning the Woodward with Kensei wouldn't have helped him in that regard.

Him winning the Woodward with RA winning the Travers wouldn't help him be three year old of the year? Perhaps if one of those other horses were to defeat her it would raise their stature but their is no way that Jackson believes she will lose to anyone, right or wrong.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Him winning the Woodward with RA winning the Travers wouldn't help him be three year old of the year? Perhaps if one of those other horses were to defeat her it would raise their stature but their is no way that Jackson believes she will lose to anyone, right or wrong.

I think the head to head win over both Quality Road and Mine that Bird is far more important than which race he wins.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Him winning the Woodward with RA winning the Travers wouldn't help him be three year old of the year? Perhaps if one of those other horses were to defeat her it would raise their stature but their is no way that Jackson believes she will lose to anyone, right or wrong.

he's hoping to get her to win a race that no female has won, with the added bonus of beating older males in a gr 1, as well as having a shot at winning the travers with a possible top 3 yo colt contender.

and i agree, he thinks no one can beat her.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

I think it is pretty simple. Kensei is training well and with wins in the Dwyer, Dandy, and Travers will have a shot at champion 3yo male especially beating Quality Road and Mine that Bird head to head. Winning the Woodward with Kensei wouldn't have helped him in that regard.

like jackson said, rachel can't win 3 yo colt-and that competition is wide open. kensei has a shot at it..hell, it's probably why pletcher is risking bringing quality road back off one sprint effort.

also, the woodward has never been won by a female...

[cakes44]

I see what you are saying CSC, but I think Travers winner on a stallion register probably does a bit more for the horse's stud value than winning the Woodward because of the whole 3-year-old success thing. I could be wrong.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by cakes44

I see what you are saying CSC, but I think Travers winner on a stallion register probably does a bit more for the horse's stud value than winning the Woodward because of the whole 3-year-old success thing. I could be wrong.

Not really a difference

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by CSC

I don't doubt Jess Jackson's business acumen in making the 'best' business decision by putting Kensai in the Travers, but there is a part of me that tells me he wanted to put RA in the easier race, rather than the other way around. No one has mentioned this but wouldn't Kensai's chances be better against that mediocre group assembled in the Woodward than the Travers? If he truly wanted to up his stud value.

Something smells...

He's running his 3yo filly in a historically top Grade 1 race for older horses (which a female horse of any age has never won) and he's being a chicken?!!?

I second Indian Charlie's post..