Missing Derby Star

The “Run for the Roses” is rapidly approaching and one of the all-time great Kentucky Derby jockeys may well be on the sidelines this year.

Calvin Borel, who is the only rider in Derby history to have won three times in a four year stretch (2007-2010), does not currently have a horse for this year’s renewal. His best chance, Elite Alex, finished a disappointing ninth in the Arkansas Derby. But all may not be lost for Borel as there are potentially three mounts that could open up in the next few days.

One could be J P’s Gusto, who was a well-beaten eighth in the Arkansas Derby. Right now, the connections are deciding if they want to run their colt in the Derby and if they decide it’s a go, then they may well be in the market for a new jockey.

 Borel aboard Rachel Alexandra in '09 Preakness

Another potential spot for Borel, although less likely, is Arkansas Derby runner-up Nehro.  Jockey Corey Nakatani already has one potential Derby ride with Santa Anita Derby runner-up Comma To The Top and if he sticks to that colt, then trainer Steve Asmussen would need a new jockey. Borel does not ride for Asmussen much but they did team up to win the Preakness in 2009 with the great filly Rachel Alexandra. (pictured right).

Another possible open spot for Borel is if Animal Kingdom commits to the Derby over the next few days. The colt, who won the Spiral Stakes last month, will more than likely need another rider as jockey Alan Garcia has already committed to ride Fountain of Youth winner Soldat. Plus, Animal Kingdom has had a different rider in each of his four starts.

The last open slot could be European based Master of Hounds. Jeff Lowe of Thoroughbred Times reported that Borel's agent Jerry Hissam plans to reach out to trainer Aidan O'Brien to see if he can get his client aboard the colt.

If none of those opportunities comes to pass then the Derby will be without a jockey who has had one of the most remarkable runs in racing history.

(Photo courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire)

By The Numbers

It was a sad Tuesday in the world of Thoroughbred Racing as super filly Rachel Alexandra retired and 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet passed away.

Both horses brought racing fans great memories during their racing career including record setting victories and memorable defeats.



I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the well known and not-so-obvoius statistical superlatives each horse achieved. And, the ironic part is that some of their stats are similar.



Rachel Alexandra's record win in the Kentucky Oaks



Rachel Alexandra

Career Record          
19 Starts - 13-5-0

Career Earnings         

$3,506,730

Number of Years Raced
3

Grade 1 Victories      
5 (Kentucky Oaks, Preakness, Mother Goose, Haskell and Woodward)

Number of Graded Stakes Victories
9

Number of Jockeys Used 
2 (Brian Hernandez, Jr. and Calvin Borel)

Number of Times Made Betting Favorite
15 (79% of career starts)

Longest Winning Streak
9 (Golden Rod - Nov. 2008 - Woodward - Sept. 2009)

Longest Losing Streak
2 (New Orleans Ladies - La Troienne - 2010)

Best Beyer Speed Figure
116 - 2009 Haskell Invitational

Number of Races Over 100 Beyer Speed Figure
12

Largest Margin of Victory
20 1/4 lengths - 2009 Kentucky Oaks

Career Debut
May 22, 2008 - Churchill Downs, 9th Race

Number of Tracks Run
8 (Churchill. Keeneland, Fair Grounds, Oaklawn, Pimlico, Belmont, Monmouth and Saratoga)

Number of Trainers
2 (Hal Wiggins and Steve Amussen)

Average Margin of Victory
4.63 lengths

Average Odds
3.16-1
(Note: Her first two races, she was sent off at 26-1 and 12-1)

Average Field Size
7.16

Real Quiet

Career Record

20 Starts - 6-5-6

Career Earnings
$3,271,802

Number of Years Raced
3

Grade 1 Victories
5 (Hollywood Futurity, Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Pimlico Special and Hollywood Gold Cup)

Number of Graded Stakes Victories
5

Number of Jockeys Used
6 (Joe Steiner, David Flores, Scott Stevens, Kent Desormeaux, Gary Stevens and Jerry Bailey)

Number of Times Made Betting Favorite
7 (35% of career starts)

Longest Winning Streak
2 (Kentucky Derby-Preakness, 1998)

Longest Losing Streak
6 (June 15, 1997-Sept. 5, 1997)
Best Beyer Speed Figure
115 - 1999 Hollywood Gold Cup

Number of Races Over 100 Beyer Speed Figure
11

Largest Margin of Victory
3 - 1997 Maiden Special - Oct. 18, 1997

Career Debut
June 15, 1997 - Churchill Downs, 1st Race - Finished 7th

Number of Tracks Run
11 (Churchill. Hollywood, Santa Fe, Del Mar, Santa Anita, Golden Gate, Pimlico, Belmont, Fair Grounds, Lone Star and Suffolk)

Number of Trainers
1 (Bob Baffert)

Average Margin of Victory
1.25 lengths

Average Odds
3.35-1

Average Field Size
8.6

Now What?

There was a time when it wasn't a matter if Rachel Alexandra would win; it was simply an issue of how badly she would beat her opponents. Now we wonder if she can beat the elite horses in the nation.

On Sunday at Saratoga, Rachel looked like she might capture her first Grade 1 and major race of 2010 as the field came down the home stretch for the final time. But in the final sixteenth of a mile of the Personal Ensign, she began to get very leg weary and a very ordinary horse named Persistently went right by Rachel in the final strides.

"After we put away Life at Ten at the quarter pole, I didn't feel any acceleration and I got worried," jockey Calvin Borel said. "She wasn't really there. I knew if anyone was running behind us, we were in trouble."

If she was defeated by Life at Ten in Sunday's race, it would not have been as big of a disappointment as Life at Ten entered the Personal Ensign with a six race winning streak. But Persistently had only won three times in 13 races and had trouble beating horses that weren't in the same league as Rachel or Life at Ten.

Now, what does the future hold for the defending "Horse of the Year?"

"I'm very disappointed that she lost but I am very happy with Rachel," Rachel's trainer Steve Asmussen said. "It hurts to lose and you're disappointed for it but if that's the case, just think how happy she's made you and all the things has done for us...If she isn't exactly where she was last year, hopefully she can get back there."

As for her next race, Asmussen said  "We want to evaluate who we are and who she is and where she is at. We're just worried about her well being."

One thing about her future is certain, she will not be a two-time Horse of the Year. What is almost as certain is that she will not run in the Breeders' Cup Classic against the best horses in the country. She would have little chance to beat the likes of Blame, Quality Road and the undefeated Zenyatta. The most likely spot for her will be the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic where she will have a chance to salvage a good year.

But a good year is not what everyone expected. We were counting on another great year with the hope that she and Zenyatta would meet to prove who was the best female horse in the country. Now her last shot to be in the spotlight will come in the Breeders' Cup.

Before all the Rachel bashers come out of the "wood works" we need to remember one thing; her 2009 campaign was still one of the greatest ever for a 3-year-old filly. Rachel was 8-for-8 last year including wins over the boys in the Preakness, Haskell and Woodward and a near 20-length victory in the Kentucky Oaks. Truly amazing.

What she has done this year should not take anything away from her accomplishments last year.

Rachel just appears to be a filly who peaked in 2009. That is very common in racing. We all just had reasonable expectations that her greatness would continue into 2010.

Foster Day Beyer Speed Figures

Thanks to my friends at Daily Racing Form, here's a look at some of the key Beyer Speed Figures from today's Stephen Foster Day card at Churchill Downs.

Super filly Rachel Alexandra had the best Beyer of the day after her smashing win in the Fleur de Lis. Meanwhile, Blame continued his great run with a hard fought win over Battle Plan in the Stephen Foster.

Fleur de Lis
Rachel Alexandra       108 (winning margin  - 10 1/2-lengths)

Jefferson Cup
Gleam of Hope            86 (winning margin - 1/2 length)

Northern Dancer
Colizeo                         95 (winning margin - neck)
Worldly                        95

Regret
Caminadora                  84 (winning margin - 3/4 length)

Stephen Foster
Blame                           102 (winning margin - 3/4 length)
Battle Plan                   101
General Quarters         96

Strong Top Tier

Now that the Triple Crown is behind us, we start to turn our attention to the best horses in the country.

That's not a sleight against the top sophomores like Lookin at Lucky, Super Saver and Drosselmeyer. But the Triple Crown race winners are still growing and developing while the older horses are in their prime.

On Saturday, we saw some of those stars in action in Kentucky and California.

Blame stamped himself as one of the elite when he wore down the regally bred Battle Plan in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. The win was Blame's fourth in a row and now has seven wins in 10 starts.

Battle Plan meanwhile suffered his first loss in his last five tries but should still be a force in the second half of the season.

Earlier in the day at Churchill Downs, defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (right) reminded everyone she's still a super filly as she obliterated the Fleur de Lis by 10 1/2 lengths.

Her 108 Beyer Speed Figure from Saturday is identical to her record victory in last year's Kentucky Oaks and Preakness. Her record now stands at 12 wins from 17 starts. Not too shabby.

At Hollywood Park, Rail Trip pronoucned himself as the top male on the West Coast as he easily captured the California Handicap. He's now 2-for-2 this year and has won eight of 11 career starts. His only question mark for later in the year is will he duplicate his fantastic form on traditional dirt as all his victories have come in California.

On Sunday, Zenyatta, the undefeated superwoman, will likely stay perfect when she runs in the Vanity at Hollywood Park. (Post time - 7:37 EDT)

The only other horse to watch might be the best of them all. Quality Road, who captured the Met Mile on Memorial Day, has been super since he turned four. He is unbeaten in three starts this year and his win in the Donn Handicap produced the highest Beyer Speed Figure of the year - 121. In fact, Quality Road has two of the four best Beyers of 2010.

And, by the way, Todd Pletcher trains Quality Road, Battle Plan and Super Saver. Talk about a loaded barn.

The summer racing season should be fantastic and culminating with the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs in November.

Photo courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire - www.eclispsesportswire.com

Labor Day Weekend Highlights

Here's a few quick snippets and stats from the big racing weekend that just wrapped up:

• The weekend, of course, was highlighted by Rachel Alexandra's incredible victory over older males in Saturday's Woodward at Saratoga. Although she may not run again the rest of the year, she gave everyone great thrills in 2009 and is a lock for Horse of the Year.
• Meanwhile, "across the pond" another superstar cemented himself as the King of European racing. Sea the Stars won the Irish Champion Stakes to earn his seventh straight victory. The John Oxx trained colt is slated to make his next start in the Arc de Triomphe next month.
• It was like the good ol' days for the 2-year-old colts as trainer D. Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert each captured the big freshman stakes. Lukas sent out Dublin to a nice victory in Monday's Hopeful at Saratoga while Baffert captured the Del Mar Futurity with Lookin At Lucky. Both trainers are pointing toward the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with Baffert looking for his second straight victory (Midshipman won in 2008).
• Not to be outdone, the 2-year-old filly races on both coasts went as planned for the favorites. Hot Dixie Chick remained the top young filly with an impressive victory in the Spinaway at Saratoga. That victory gave trainer Steve Asmussen a dream weekend as he won both with Rachel and "The Chick." While at Del Mar, Mi Sueno won the Del Mar Debutante. Both will move on the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
• Baffert had a banner weekend at Del Mar as he pulled a huge upset in the Pacific Classic with Richard's Kid and has the likely favorite for the Breeders' Cup Sprint after Zensational won the Pat O'Brien. Baffert will be seeking his third straight Sprint victory after Midnight Lute won the 2007 and 2008 renewals.
  
• It was good to see 7-year-old Einstein regain some of his old form as he was runner-up in the Pacific Classic.

En Fuego

Her name says it all - Hot Dixie Chick.

The Steve Asmussen-trained 2-year-old filly sat just off the early pace and then rolled up the inside and cruised to home a 1 3/4-length score over Beautician in the $300,000 Spinaway at Saratoga.

Now Asmussen has two of the top fillies in the country. Horse of the Year "lock" Rachel Alexandra and "The Chick."

"Today she was very professional and maintained her margin to the wire," Asmussen said. "Obviously, today she reached a new level. I don’t know if we look past this at all. It’s a Grade 1, the Spinaway. She’s got a mind that’s spooky. She’s extremely laid back. (Assistant trainer) Scott (Blasi) said she was laying down in the holding barn. Her demeanor is why she’s stabled next to Rachel (Alexandra). You can’t have a better demeanor than that.”

Now there should be a great battle between Hot Dixie Chick and Mi Sueno for top freshman filly. Both horses will likely meet in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in early November.

To give you a quick background on Mi Sueno, she's very well bred - A daughter of Pulpit out of the speedy stakes winning mare Madcap Escapade (ironically both were trained by Frank Brothers.) She has three in a row including the Del Mar Debutante on Saturday. Her trainer is also looking for his consecutive two-year-old filly championship. Eric Guillot conditioned Stardom Bound last year.

Mi Sueno will have the advantage of having run over the "artificial dirt" tracks of Southern California and we know that Hot Dixie Chick's owners aren't big fans of those surfaces.

There's obviously plenty of time until the Breeders' Cup but it looks like BC Juvenile Fillies should be a highlight of the event.

The Next Star

The Rachel Alexandra hype will subside for a while but attention paid to the Steve Asmussen barn won't quiet down much as he sends out a young star today at Saratoga.

Hot Dixie Chick, who is owned by Jess Jackson's wife Barbara Banke, started off her career with a runner-up finish at Churchill Downs on May 14. Since then, she has rattled off two straight wins including a blow out win in the Schuylerville last month here at Saratoga.

Today, Hot Dixie Chick will run in one of the higher profile races for 2-year-old fillies, the Spinaway. (Race set to start at 5:56 PM ET.) On paper, the race seems to be a one horse race. Her average winning margin is six and her last two Beyer Speed Figures are 100 and 103.

It's highly unlikely that Hot Dixie Chick will become another Rachel Alexandra. Rachel is frankly a once in a lifetime horse. But it's fun to speculate and dream a bit about how good "The Chick" will be.

Her only competition for best 2-year-old filly is the well-bred Mi Sueno, who captured the Del Mar Debutante Saturday. If they meet in the Breeders' Cup, it should be a wonderful matchup.

Rachel - Day After Thoughts

Some random thoughts after Rachel Alexandra's powerful and historic win in Saturday's Woodward at Saratoga.

• Rachel's final Beyer figure of 109 was probably the only negative of her performance, if you can call it that. It takes nothing away from her effort but you almost might have expected a little faster number. (Thanks to DRF for the Beyer).

• Credit to owner Jess Jackson for not being afraid of any big competition and running Rachel against some of the best handicap horses in the country. Most owners would have taken the safe route and entered her against her own gender but the Woodward gave the 31,000 fans on track plus countless others a trackside seat to history.

• Jockey Calvin Borel, who is one of the nicest guys in racing, didn't give Rachel the best ride by any means. Getting into a speed duel was not optimal against a field of older boys but she was gutsy enough to turn back every challenge. And as jockey Robby Albarado told me after the race, that's what makes a champion. Could not have said it any better myself.

• The scene yesterday at Saratoga was incredible. A lot of the fans that were in attendance came out specifically to see Rachel run. There is rarely anticipation to see any one horse so to walk in the crowd and feel "the buzz" was a nice change of pace.

• We should not forget about the tremendous job Rachel's former trainer Hal Wiggins did. Wiggins trained the superfilly up until early May when Jackson purchased her for a reported $5 million (but that number was never officially disclosed.) Wiggins sent Rachel postward for the most impressive and decisive Kentucky Oaks victory ever.

• Speaking of $5 million, Rachel could well have been the biggest multi-million bargain in history. Even if she never runs again, you have to figure she's worth at least $10 million.

• Let's hope Jackson is a man of his word and does bring her back to the races next year. If she runs again this year, it's likely only one more time but racing would a well needed "shot in the arm" if she runs in 2010. He did bring his star of 2007-08, Curlin, back as a 4-year-old and was rewarded with another banner year.

Sampling of Quotes from the Winning Connections

I thought you might enjoy reading a few snippets of what trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Jess Jackson had to say after Rachel Alexandra won the Woodward. Jackson said the most relative to if and when we will see Rachel again this year.

Steve Asmussen:

“I thought she truly showed she was a champion today. I can’t say enough, first of all, about Jess and the guts they’ve shown by continuously putting out there and raising the bar with a tremendous filly. I’m just extremely proud to be associated with her. I’m proud of the whole team, (assistant trainer) Scott Blasi, (exercise rider) Dominic Terry, it was a very emotional win.”

(What will he look for in the coming days?) “I’ll watch her appetite, I rely heavily on Scott and Dominic … every single little nuance about her, how she acts in her stall, exactly how long it takes her to eat, the whole nine yards. The filly has been tremendously consistent and we’ve been blessed with her consistency as well as her greatness.”

Jess Jackson:

“She’s been tested early two or three times now, and she’s had the courage and fortitude to finish, and with an attitude to hang in there and win. That’s a very exceptional horse, male or female, and for her to do that with six giant males racing with her was something special. I don’t know if you saw it, but she looked like she was only a 3-year-old with those horses. And yet she held in there with her spirit. I want to thank Saratoga. It’s always been a special place for me and my family and racing. And Curlin won this same race last year so it has special meaning for me and our team and I hope for Steve as well. What we need now are more stars, and I think she is one. I hope we can see her come out healthy, give her a nice race and give you a campaign in 2010.”

(On Zenyatta) “I can’t predict. It depends on both horses coming out and what both camps would be willing to do. I’ve indicated Rachel’s had a full race year already. It might be that they get together, but I can’t predict that. It takes two to [tango], but it better be a good venue or neither one will come.”

(On Horse of the Year) “Somebody else will decide that, but I hope so. I think she’s something for the ages and she’s certainly proven her mettle. On the earlier question about her attitude, she is a fighter. After blazing those fractions and in the Haskell, she still won. And maybe this wasn’t a pull-away victory, but if we run her again, the next one will be. She was, in my opinion, a little down today, but she still won and that’s the courage and fight she has.”

(on another race in 2009?) “I can’t honestly say. Hal (Harold McCormick) and I will have to talk about it and Steve’s going to have to bless her coming out and what her condition is. She’s run more races than Zenyatta’s run, and Zenyatta’s 5 years old. You can’t expect a young youngster – she’s only 3 – running against older horses, running against older mares – you can’t expect them to keep going all the time. You have to give them a break, and we’ll talk that over very seriously.”

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.)

Overhyped Rachel?

Rachel Alexandra. What does that name mean to you?

For those who have seen her run whether live or on TV, words such as "incredible" "unbelieveable" have no doubt been uttered.

There are countless analogies, superlatives, and comparisons to other great horses (fair or otherwise) that have been made ever since she burst onto racing's big stage after her Kentucky Oaks victory heard "round the world" in early May.

Now she has a chance to join an elite club on Saturday at Saratoga when she takes on older males in the Woodward.

Racing insiders have been following Rachel closely for months but ever since she captured the Preakness, a mainstream crowd has begun to follow her. Since last week when her connections announced she would take on the "big boys" in the Woodward, Rachel attracted even more mainstream attention.

So much so that Sports Illustrated is sending one of its reporters to Saratoga despite the College Football season kicking off. In addition, the race is being broadcast on a regional cable sportschannel (MSG Network). You can also expect a large crowd on hand Saturday. Everyone wants to see what could be one of the greatest horses of all-time add another feather in her cap.

But is all of this growing attention overhype or well deserved?

In my mind, it's a bit of both. Racing never gets enough good coverage and when there is a potential superhorse, you want as much publicity as can be. It might be a bit over hyped but if she is able to win on Saturday, then it's no longer over hype. (Perhaps an SI cover will be in the offing?)

With a victory, what will undoubtedly happen is a growing call to run Rachel in the Breeders' Cup, racing's year end championship. Her owner, Jess Jackson, has continually said that he doesn't want to run his star on the artificial dirt of Santa Anita.

Racing will be done a disservice if Rachel is kept out of the Breeders' Cup but that's a debate that will rage out of control if she wins on Saturday.

In the meantime, let all the over hype and hyperbole continue. It's just what racing needs.

Rachel Does it Again

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

Top Two-Year-Olds

With two of Saratoga's big freshman stakes in the books (Schuylerville and Sanford) you might be asking yourself did I see a rising star in the game?

Yes and no.

Hot Dixie Chick, who won the Schuylerville on Wednesday by 6 1/2 lengths, earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. She's undoubtedly the best 2-year-old in the country. And, oh by the way, she's trained by Steve Asmussen who has superstar Rachel Alexandra set to run in Sunday's Haskell at Monmouth.

The next day, Backtalk earned a hard fought neck victory in the Sanford. His Beyer - 82. Not nearly as impressive.

What makes Backtalk's race even more unimpressive is the fact that a maiden race for fillies earlier on Thursday's card saw a faster time and faster Beyer figures (Kinsey - 86). What's worse is both 2-year-old maiden race winners on Wednesday also had faster Beyers with one of those races being restricted to New York State breds (Come From Behind - 85).

This doesn't mean that Backtalk will not develop into a really nice horse but despite his unbeaten record, you can't be overly impressed with him.

Meanwhile, Hot Dixie Chick is the best freshman in the country. Will she take a similar path to her superstar stablemate and run against the boys? Right now, looks like she could beat her male counterparts.

Isn't this a great time of year?

Beyer Speed Figures are courtesy of Daily Racing Form
Photos courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire

Rachel Smokes Mother Goose

For a brief second, it looked like Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra might be in for a tough race, but on the far turn jockey Calvin Borel asked his filly for run and with an explosive move she quickly opened up for an authoritative 19 1/4-length win in the Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose.

The Steve Asmussen-trained daughter of Medaglia d’Oro shattered two Mother Goose records – the margin of victory and final time, 1:46.33. The previous record for time was held by Lakeway (1994, 1:46.40) and the margin belonged to the great Ruffian (13 ½ lengths, 1975).

In front of a crowd of 13,352, Malibu Prayer and Flashing dueled through torrid fractions of :22.57 for the quarter and :44.66 for the half while Rachel Alexandra waited patiently three lengths off the lead. As the field moved around the far turn, Borel called on his filly, split horses and made the lead at the top of the stretch. Then under minimal urging from Borel, the bay filly rolled to the easy victory.

“I can’t say enough about Calvin Borel’s ride,” said Asmussen, who saw his star filly pay $2.10 for the $2 win. “They took it right to her with 44 and change, the 1/9 shot, and all the pressure in the world. He just let them go about their business and did what’s best for her and he needs to keep doing that.”

Rachel Alexandra’s record now stands at 9-2-0 in 12 career starts and has rattled off seven straight victories, all stakes races. Her career earnings now stand at $1,798,354.

“She's a racehorse, this is a racehorse,” Borel said. “Believe me, she's not normal, I'm telling you, she's unbelievable. I nudged (her) on the turn for home around the quarter pole but that was it. To make sure she'd get something out of it and do something for me. She is, I don’t know, like a Secretariat or a Seattle Slew. I’ve never been on one like that in my life. ”

Malibu Prayer finished second and Flashing was third. With the late scratches of Don’t Forget Gil and Hopeful Image, it left a field of three.

Belmont News....What there is of it....

Jockey Calvin Borel continues to spend lots of time in the national spotlight this week as he has done a slew of television interviews from his home base in Louisville, including the Today Show this morning.

However the picture is still fuzzy about who he might ride in the Belmont Stakes. Borel's first choice is still super filly Rachel Alexandra but there has been no decision made yet about her next start.

Meanwhile, the connections for Derby winner Mine That Bird insist that they will make a decision in the "next couple of days." If they are true to their word, that may keep Borel off Mine That Bird.

Of course, there is still the possibility that the "Bird Crew" could follow the same scenario as they did before the Preakness; give Borel the chance to ride Mine That Bird while waiting out Rachel Alexandra's fate. At the same time, they would have a "backup rider" ready if Rachel does try the one-mile-and-a-half "Test of Champions."

Mine That Bird was back on the Churchill Downs oval training for the first time since the Preakness and Rachel will follow suit tomorrow morning.

The only other news was a definite decision for Belmont contender Charitable Man will come on Wednesday. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin indicated that his colt is likely to run but would confer with the owners again to make their final choice.

The son of 1999 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid has won 3 of 4 starts including the Peter Pan Stakes two weeks at Belmont. His only loss came on the "artificial dirt" at Keeneland in April and is a perfect 2-for-2 at Belmont.

What Now For Mine That Bird?

Will they bring Calvin Borel back or won't they?

That's the question now left to Mine That Bird's owners and trainer after Mike Smith (left) announced he was vacating the Belmont mount on the Derby winner for a race in California.

After arriving back in Kentucky Monday night and setting up back in their familiar surroundings, trainer Chip Woolley said he's made no decision as to who will fill the void left by Smith.

The wild card, of course, is super filly Rachel Alexandra (right). Her trainer, Steve Asmussen, has been non-committal about their plans for the Belmont. That decision leaves Borel in the lurch until the Rachel crew makes up their mind.

“I don’t know,” Woolley said. “It’s kinda funny. You’d think if you get a horse this good, you’d keep one, but apparently not. So we’ll deal with that here in a couple of days and we’ll see what happens.”

There could be a huge list of great riders available and based on Woolley's comments, there are a lot of agents that have called him looking to pitch their clients to take the mount on Mine That Bird.

Racing would benefit greatly from having Borel back in the saddle on Mine That Bird but it's a tough call for the Bird Crew.

Let's see if Woolley (left) sticks by his word and makes a quick decision. The longer he waits, the more chances that we will get to see Borel back.

We can only hope that the Woolley and company will give enough time to Asmussen and Borel to make their decision because if Woolley is worried about the other riders being available - don't. There are still many jockeys who would love a shot at riding a Derby winner and Preakness runner-up.

Photos courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire

What Next for Rachel & Bird?

Fans of horse racing could not have asked for a lot more from the Preakness Stakes. Super filly Rachel Alexandra wins the Middle Jewel of Triple Crown and holds off a late charge from Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

Will this be a new budding rivalry?

What makes this potential new great rivalry it is not just two great horses. It is two stars of different genders which rarely cross paths.

There have been races where males and females have met but not often during the Triple Crown. The last time the rivarly lasted more than one race was in 1988 when Winning Colors, a filly, and Forty Niner went head-to-head twice. The two ran first and second in the Derby. But the rivarly spilled over in the Preakness when the two dueled each other into defeat as the filly finished third and Forty Niner was seventh.

Chances are Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird won't face each other much more in their careers, but the Belmont Stakes does remain a possibility for both. Mine That Bird's trainer, Chip Woolley, has already committed to run in the 1 1/2 miles "Test of Champions" but what of the filly?

Neither trainer Steve Asmussen nor majority owner Jess Jackson committed to the Belmont but how much fun would it be to see the Derby winner and Preakness winner slug it out in New York?

The temptation for the "Rachel crew" will be great. Jackson, who scored points among racing fans when he kept two-time Horse of the Year Curlin in training after his 3-year-old season. The chestnut colt ammased wins in the Preakness and the Breeders' Cup Classic and earned Horse of the Year honors; then came back and won the Dubai World Cup among others and notched his second Horse of the Year honor.

For those that might be worried about Rachel getting "burned up" early in the Belmont by some other speed horses, there aren't many left in the potential field who could push her early. Quality Road and Chartiable Man could be those obstacles but neither trainer has committed to the 1 1/2 mile race yet.

Racing, as always, needs some good news and attention. What happened today at the Preakness was a huge help but it will be very short lived if it's the last time we see the Derby and Preakness square off.

But Jackson has to do what is right by the horse and if she comes back feeling good, then he oughto to run Rachel in the Belmont. Rags to Riches proved a filly can win the "Test of Champions" and it would certainly cement Rachel's place as the one of the best horses of all-time with a Belmont victory.

Stay tuned over the next few days but we might just have a new rivaly we haven't seen in racing for some time.

Calvin The King

It's seem like Deja Vu all over again. We just finished running a Triple Crown race and we are again singing the praises of jockey Calvin Borel after an incredible win in Saturday's Preakness Stakes.

Rachel Alexandra was brilliant as Borel kept the filly out of potential trouble the whole way. She dueled with Big Drama through the first half of the race and then she started to open up. Borel kept plenty in the tank and held off a late charge of Derby winner Mine That Bird for the victory.

The Preakness win was not as dramatic as the Derby win but Borel stayed cool throughout the entire race and knew he was sitting on the best horse. He kept as much in reserve as he could when he asked for additional run, she gladly responded and held on for the victory.

"She is the best horse in the country, bar none," Borel said. "My filly struggled the last quarter of mile and I had to reach up and pick her in the last quarter. She has so much determination, it's unbelievable. Turning home I knew I was home free."

Now Borel has a place in racing history. He is the first jockey ever to win the Derby and Preakness on two different horses. and he helped make Rachel the first horse to win from the 13 post position. And he could conceivably become the first rider to win the Triple Crown on two different horses.

Owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen were non-committal to Rachel's next start but the Belmont is a possibility. If she does run in the 1 1/2 mile "Test of Champions" you can be sure that Borel will be there.

These Are The Days of Our Lives....

This week on the Triple Crown Trail has turned into one of the biggest soap operas in quite a while. In essence, the episode began after Rachel Alexandra won the Oaks in dominating fashion.

The next day, after pulled a huge 50-1 upset in the Derby aboard Mine That Bird, jockey Calvin Borel said if he were confronted with the choice of which horse to ride, he would choose the filly.

Meanwhile, little did almost all of us know that there were secret negotiations ongoing to sell Rachel Alexandra to a consortium headed up by Jess Jackson, best known for owning superstar Curlin and the Kendall-Jackson Vinieries.

On Wednesday, Jackson completed the deal for the superstar filly (the final sales price will probably news be known but it's been reported at $10 million and that sounds about right.) Once the deal was announced, the speculation hit warp speed (that's for you Star Trek fans) about Rachel running in the Preakness. Jackson apparently already gave the idea serious thought but he wasn't tipping his hand quite yet. Entering his filly in the Preakness would cost him $100,000 as she wasn't nominated to the Triple Crown.

On Thursday morning, around 5:15. Rachel Alexandra walked out of trainer Hal Wiggins' barn for the final time and walked into the barn of Steve Asmussen.

“She’s a tremendously fast filly,” Asmussen said. “Hal (Wiggins) and his team did a tremendous job with her. We just got her today and we have no timetable or any plans to announce at this time.” Asmussen kept his mouth shut about the future for his new star pupil but that didn't the rest of us from talking about it. Through all of this, no one quite knew where this put Borel. The jockey who had been aboard for so many of Rachel Alexandra's victories could suddenly be left out in the cold. Borel and Asmussen have not teamed up much over their lengthy careers - just 52 times.

A lot of people assumed that Asmussen and Jackson would choose the jockey that delivered so many times aboard Curlin - Robby Albarado. But, there was no news all day on Thursday. That all changed on Friday when Jackson announced he would all but enter Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness and her regular pilot would remain in the saddle.

“It came down the fact that he knows and loves this horse, that he knows how to get the most from her and he knows how to win,” Jackson said “We think this is a perfect match of rider and horse.” Borel, who has called Rachel Alexandra the best horse he's ever ridden, could not have been happier with the news.

“We’re very happy to have the opportunity to continue to ride Rachel Alexandra,” said Borel. “I’ve had the chance to ride some great horses, but she is one of the most special horses I’ve ever been around. I appreciate the faith that Mr. Jackson and Mr. McCormick have shown in me, and we can’t wait to be there wherever she runs next.”

So, what about the little ol' Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird? Trainer Chip Woolley had been preparing for the worst all week and had been in touch with other jockeys. Rumors swirled that Mike Smith would take over for Borel but he too was tight lipped about it. Once the news come out on Friday about Rachel Alexandra, Woolley was not giving up on Borel. He said that he will still name Borel on Mine That Bird on Wednesday when he enters the Derby winner into the Preakness. The only thing that could stop him: Jackson ponying up the $100,000 fee.

Preakness Week could turn into racing’s version of sweeps week if Rachel runs: she’s a great story and, though she’d spoil another Triple Crown, a win for her in the Preakness, would bring untold amounts of publicity.

This soap opera will undoubtedly continue over the next few days but all of this attention is a great shot in the arm for racing.