Rachel Alexandra is BACK in a Big Way

[elnutsmalljaws]

Grant it, she beat NOBODY in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs today but take a closer look at the race versus the Stephen F Foster. Rachel sets all the fractions and runs 1 1/8 in 1:48 and 3/5 winning by 10 1/2 lengths against older Fillies and Mares (geared down and could have ran 3/5 of a second quicker if needed and more) versus the Foster was ran at the same distance in 1:49 1/5 a few races later and the winner did not set the fractions. Put Rachel on the Churchill Strip in shape with proper training and she is UNBEATABLE. Zenyatta better win all she can because if she comes east in November for the Breeders Cup Classic, she better bring her A game. With Zenyatta and Rachel plus Rail Trip and Quality Road (best older horses running) all in top form it will be a very good classic. I will take Rachel at about 4-1 in the Classic against these horses ALL DAY LONG.

[Chubminnow]

Rachel's a big ol' horse and she runs strong....Even though I lost money when she ran at Churchill this year, I think anytime she's running you almost always gotta include her in your exotics. In her Churchill race this year all I did was bet her across the board.

[Grumpy]

Too bad they couldn't get some decent horses to run agaisht her. Still she did better than I expected.

Grumpy

[RoadToad]

BTW, I guess you guys saw the announcement that the Breeders' Cup will be back at Churchill again next year? Awesome!

[Tim_T]

You might get some of my money, I have yet to see anything out of that horse that makes me think she can beat Zenyatta! Plus, Zenyatta already has a Breeders Cup Classic win. Did you see what she did today? Cigar's record goes by the wayside.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=10905106

[Grumpy]

Well said, Tim, I was just gettting on to say the same thing.

Grumpy

[Tim_T]

Well said, Tim, I was just gettting on to say the same thing.

Grumpy

I am not trying to be argumentive with Elwood. He has forgotten more about horse racing than I will ever know. All that being said, when I watch both horses, it just looks to me that Zenyatta is the better horse.

I am no expert, but I did sleep at Kenlake Resort three nights in a row! LOL

[elnutsmalljaws]

Zenyatta won the Classic against a WEAK field on her favorite surface, Synthetic, in her back yard, Southern California. She has won 2 races on conventional dirt surface and both of them are at Oaklawn, which is a far different surface than Churchill. Rachel is a dirt surface horse and will NEVER run on Synthetic, this is why they did not meet in last years Classic. My bet is they won't meet in this years Classic either, because Churchill is not only a dirt surface, it is a surface that horses either LOVE or HATE and it is already proven that Rachel LOVES it. I don't see the Mosses bringing Zenyatta all the way to a track that she has never raced on, on a surface that is not her favorite, the first week of November when the weather is no telling to take a chance at losing against Rachel, Quality Road, Rail Trip or any other horse. Zenyatta will keep on beating up on the Southern California girls and boys the rest of the year to get the record that she well deserves and thenn will give it up before the Classic. No dis-respect to Zenyatta because she is in the top 10 of ALL TIME Fillies and Mares that I have ever saw but so is Rachel Alexandra (Ruffian, Genuine Risk, Azeri, Bayakoa and Personal Ensign as well). I just think Rachel is a better Mare than Zenyatta. You have to also consider ages, with Rachel last year being 3 and Zenyatta being 4, this year 4 and 5. There is so much of a gap in ability in a 4 year old versus a 3 year old that it is amazing. The simple fact that Rachel not only was mentioned in the same breath as Zenyatta in ability last year is one thing and the fact that Rachel won Horse of the Year, without winning the Classic like Zenyatta, and this award is voted on by those really in the know in the horse racing industry speaks VOLUMES in the work that Rachel did last year. When they do meet, if they do meet, the Loser will have an excuse because they both like different racing surfaces and with Southern California being all Synthetic surfaces Rachel will never travel to Zenyatta's back yard and Z will not travel to R back yard. Too bad for different surfaces because I don't think it makes horse racing "fair and equal". Make it all dirt and turf or all synthetic and turf with only one type of synthetic surface and then there will not be any excuse for anyone not to race to see who is the best.

[Grumpy]

Rachel Alexandra 17 12 4 0

Zenyatta 17 17 0 0

Nuf said,

Grumpy

[elnutsmalljaws]

Rachel Alexandra 17 12 4 0

Zenyatta 17 17 0 0

Nuf said,

Grumpy

Look at who Rachel has beat and look at who Zenyatta has beat. Z keeps beating up on the same group of females in Southern California (Lethal Heat, Tough Tizs Sis and such over and over). Z wins the Classic in a WEAK field, proven by Gio Ponti that ran second in the classic is a TURF horse and had never won anything on dirt or synthetic and the horse that ran 3rd is extremely WEAK as well. Basically splitting hairs between the two but 2009 Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra proves she was the best in 2009 and Saturdays 108 Beyer Speed Figure under wraps winning by 10 1/2 in times faster in a 1 1/8 mile race versus her previous 2 starts that were at 1 1/16 mile, Rachel is right back where she belongs in the same sentence with Zenyatta. We will never find out who is actually who is best. It may be Quality Road that spoils all the fun, 4 yr old Male who ran a 121 Beyer in the Met Mile on Memorial Day weekend and has the top 4 Beyer Speed figures of 2010. Quality Road will be at Churchill for the Classic as will Rail Trip and Rachel Alexandra but not Zenyatta.

[Grumpy]

Woody, You can make excuses all day long but its still 17 for 17 and a new record.

Grumpy

[redneckshadrap]

She still has 3 more to go to break it don't she???