Saturday, September 5, 2009

How Good is Rachel? The Jocks Weigh In.

The win by Rachel Alexandra in Saturday's Woodward at Saratoga was simply breathtaking. For any horse to go wire-to-wire in a fast time in a race like the Woodward isn't easy. But the fact that a 3-year-old filly accomplished that feat against older males is simply remarkable.

Don't just take my word for it. The jockeys who were beaten by the "Superfreak" put it best.

“Champions show different dimension.," said jockey Robby Albarado, who was aboard runner-up Macho Again and rode two-time of Horse of the Year Curlin. "She is in a league of her own. She has beaten every top division we have in racing. Older horses, her age, it doesn’t matter. No matter what they throw at her, she’ll beat them.”

“My horse left everything on the track," Bullsbay jockey Jeremy Rose said. "He did everything he could to get by her. She just isn’t giving up. She’s awesome; there’s no two ways about it."

"I've never seen a filly like her," Edgar Prado said, who rode Past the Point. "She is spectacular."
(Note: Prado also stood in the winner's circle after the race to watch Rachel walk back.)

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