What more can you say? Rachel Alexandra continues to amaze the world with her brilliance and put on a display with her 6-length win in the Haskell. And her Beyer Speed Figure was 116, a career high.
The two questions everyone is now asking are 1) Does she belong with the all-time greats? 2) Where is she running next?
The debate over the first question will rage on for quite a while. The 3-year-olds (boys & girls) are not a strong group this year.
The top 3-year-old colts are Mine That Bird and Summer Bird. Kensei is improving but still needs to show he's in the top group (and he'll get his shot in the Travers.)
The girls, on the other hand, have fallen apart as the year has progressed. Stardom Bound, the 2-year-old filly champion, got hurt and a group of other nice fillies just never panned out.
Bottom line Rachel is the best 3-year-old in the country. But to compare her to Secretariat is premature and not warranted yet.
She is moving up the list of the best females of all-time but let's see her beat older fillies first before we put her near the top of that list.
As for the second question, Team Rachel will have a lot to think about. The Personal Ensign against older fillies and mares is a logical next race. But facing the boys in her next start again is also a possibility. The Travers, nicknamed the Mid-Summer Derby, will be her last chance to face only 3-year-old colts while the Woodward Stakes, against older males, could be an intriguing option.
She has already beaten likely Travers runners Mine That Bird and Summer Bird.
The challenge will be does her connections want to run 1 1/4 miles against boys or girls. Both the Personal Ensign and Travers are at that classic distance. But, the Woodward is run at 1 1/8 miles.
The Woodward could be appealing as the field would not expected to be strong as the top East Coast handicap horses typically run in the Whitney or wait for the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont.
If she pulls off another victory next time out, she will continue to increase her star status.
But a Travers win would put her in a class by herself. No filly (to my knowledge) has swept both summertime 3-year-old colt races.
Looking further down the road, racing would be shortchanged if we don't see a Rachel versus Zenyatta matchup.
Rachel's owner, Jess Jackson, reiterated after the Haskell that the matchup would have to be on a neutral site which means no Breeders' Cup.
Let's hope he changes his mind and maybe a win in the Travers or Woodward would.
It would certainly settle a couple of potential debates including Horse of the Year.
Late summer will be fun because that's when she will run next and the debate will rage on.
Photo Courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire
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