Although my new favorite filly of all time, Rachel Alexandra, easily won her third Stakes race in a row in last Saturday's $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks, her time was finally eclipsed by her male counterparts as Friesan Fire stopped the clock 10/100ths of a second faster a few races later. However, an asterisk could be placed next to her finishing time since jockey Calvin Borel was more interested pointing to his homies in the grandstand in the last furlong than guiding Rachel to the wire. It nearly cost him as longshot Flying Spur and Patrick Valenzuela stormed through the stretch to get within 2 lengths of "throttled down" Rachel at the finish line. Not only do I admire Rachel for her take no prisoners running style after seeing her twice, but she also sparked a decent trifecta ticket (for a chalk favorite, anyway) for me with the long-shot running second, so now I'm a resolute fan. By the way, thanks also to Macho Again in the New Orleans Handicap I've hit exotics paying over $100 on my last two track visits in 2009, so this may FINALLY be my year!
Co-owner and breeder Dolphus Morrison then added more rain on the New Orleans parade of those hoping for Rachel to jump on the Triple Crown trail. "No, no, no, no," he said, as he labeled the performance "awesome." "We have too good a filly to risk her future in a 20-horse field of brutal, man-macho colts," said Morrison. "It's not where she needs to be. If we could win the Kentucky Oaks, it would be a wonderful thing." You have to admire the humility and sensible nature of Morrison, who clearly wants to do right by his pride and joy. Not to mention the East vs. West showdown the Kentucky Oaks would create against Juvenile Fillies champion and IEAH Stables "star" purchase, Stardom Bound. By the way, if you're curious about Rachel Alexandra's name, it comes form Morrison's eldest grand-daughter, who is probably the most famous kid in pre-school these days.
Happy Racing!
Showing posts with label Stardom Bound. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stardom Bound. Show all posts
March 19, 2009
February 16, 2009
Girls Gone Wild
Sorry for the marketing ploy, but now that I have your attention let's talk about some damn fast fillies, shall we? Historically, I seldom bet fillies or mares in "open" contests, particularly in races greater than one mile (only due to statistical analysis and not because of chauvinism). But these fillies' numbers are talking out loud! Let's start at Oaklawn Park where the veteran conditioner Hal Wiggins stables Rachel Alexandra, who dominated nine fillies in The Martha Washington Stakes while finishing a full second faster than Old Fashioned in Monday's Southwest Stakes. Even more impressive is how Rachel Alexandra's split times compared, as she was fastest at the end of the race while winning "under wraps" according to the Equibase race chart. As I watched the filly run past the grandstand it appeared that jockey Calvin Borel was flashing thumbs ups half-way down the stretch the race was that out of reach.
This may be the first time many of you have heard the name Rachel Alexandra, who has taken time off since capturing the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs last November. On that day, her winning time at 1 1/16 miles was also over a second faster than Derby trail colts Beethoven and Giant Oak. On the other hand, Old Fashioned - trained by Larry Jones, who knows a thing or two about tough fillies with Eight Belles - is at the top of most Kentucky Derby future books as well as the official favorite (other than the "field" bet) in Derby Futures Pool #1 that closed even before Old Fashioned's easy score in the Southwest. But if not for the (f) designation on the program next to Rachel Alexandra, the racing media might be all over this bay daughter of a former Oaklawn great, Medaglia d'Oro.
Meanwhile on the "left" coast, Evita Argentina is already shaking her tailfeathers at the boys, swooping from last to first in the most prestigious race of her career; the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita. Not to mention impressive Juvenile filly champion from last year, Stardom Bound, who last weekend kicked off her campaign with a victory in the Las Virgenes (G1) and is scheduled to tackle the boys soon to warrant her shot at The Kentucky Derby. Like Cyndi Lauper sang, Girls just wanna have fun!
This may be the first time many of you have heard the name Rachel Alexandra, who has taken time off since capturing the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs last November. On that day, her winning time at 1 1/16 miles was also over a second faster than Derby trail colts Beethoven and Giant Oak. On the other hand, Old Fashioned - trained by Larry Jones, who knows a thing or two about tough fillies with Eight Belles - is at the top of most Kentucky Derby future books as well as the official favorite (other than the "field" bet) in Derby Futures Pool #1 that closed even before Old Fashioned's easy score in the Southwest. But if not for the (f) designation on the program next to Rachel Alexandra, the racing media might be all over this bay daughter of a former Oaklawn great, Medaglia d'Oro.
Meanwhile on the "left" coast, Evita Argentina is already shaking her tailfeathers at the boys, swooping from last to first in the most prestigious race of her career; the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita. Not to mention impressive Juvenile filly champion from last year, Stardom Bound, who last weekend kicked off her campaign with a victory in the Las Virgenes (G1) and is scheduled to tackle the boys soon to warrant her shot at The Kentucky Derby. Like Cyndi Lauper sang, Girls just wanna have fun!
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