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.

Weekend Beyer Speed Figures

It was a great weekend of racing in which we saw many of the best take to the track.

Headlining that was Horse of Year Rachel Alexandra returning to form with a huge win in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs on Saturday and Zenyatta's gutsy win Hollywood's Vanity Handicap on Sunday.

Thanks to my friends at the Daily Racing Form, here are the key Beyer Speed Figures from those races.

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

Vanity Handicap

Zenyatta                     103 (winning margin - 1/2 length)

St. Trinians                102

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

Californian

Rail Trip                       108 (winning margin - 2 3/4 lengths)

Sangaree                       103

Who Saw Zenyatta Run?

Everytime you see Zenyatta run, it is hard not to remain in awe of one of the greatest thoroughbreds in history, regardless of gender.

The six-year-old mare ran her record to a perfect 17-for-17 with a gusty performance as she wore down St. Trinians in the final furlong to capture her third straight Vanity Handicap. Her win was even more impressive for a litany of reasons which included the fact she was giving a lot of weight to the rest of the seven horse field and her jockey, Mike Smith, kept her wide on both turns.

The one part that is a little disturbing to me is that only around 12,000 fans saw her awesome performance. That attendance figure is becoming more accepted as a good day but for a horse like Zenyatta in a market like Los Angeles, it is actually pretty sad.

What makes that attendance figure even worse is the fact that Hollywood Park offered a Zenyatta Bobblehead Giveaway. Those gimmicks used to help bring in a handful of extra people but even the allure of a "freebie" wasn't enough to catapult the crowd figures.

This sort of racing ambivalence in big city racing markets is becoming very commonplace. Huge markets like New York, LA, Chicago and Miami are drawing a fraction of the racing crowds they used to. Even in Louisville, home of the greatest race, getting people to the track has been an ongoing struggle. (Big exceptions, of course, are Derby Week, Friday night racing and the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.)

Big city sports fans only seem to come out to the track when it's a big day (i.e. Belmont Stakes, Big Cap, etc.) but today should have qualified as one of those days. And those people who didn't make it out to Hollywood, missed out on a great race and an even greater horse.

For years, racing has been crying out for stars and we have two genuine ones in Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta yet why don't people come out to see them run on a consistent basis? Promoting the stars has been a challenge and the fact that Daily Newspapers have cut back their racing coverage significantly is a hindrance. But it's also incumbent upon the individual racetracks and the sport to promote when it's top notch stars run.

I don't know how much Hollywood Park promoted Zenyatta's appearance outside of the Bobblehead giveaway but you have to think it wasn't enough.

We are simply running out of time before both Rachel and Zenyatta are retired and racing loses another golden opportunity to win over new fans. We are very lucky that Zenyatta is still racing but the window is about to close as you have to assume that she only has three more races left before she is done.

And for those that didn't see her run, you have missed out. We may not see anyone like her for sometime.

Photo courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire - www.eclipsesportswire.com

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

Zenyatta - Queen For Only One Day

In the midst of the building anticipation of the Kentucky Derby, one of the greatest Equine athletes we've seen in years returns to the stage on Friday.

Zenyatta, (left) the equine version of the UConn Women's basketball team, will put her 15-for-15 record on the line in Oaklawn Park's Apple Blossom.

Seeing her run is always a treat and those in Hot Springs, Ark. will be a witness to what should be another victory.

The sad part though is that this race was supposed to the "Race of the Century" between Zenyatta and 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

It is debatable why Rachel and her connections elected to skip the Apple Blossom but after suffering her first defeat last month to Zardana (Zenyatta's stablemate), there was little doubt she wasn't ready to face Zenyatta and pursue the $5,000,000 purse that Oaklawn Park owner Charles Cella was offering.

One can only hope that the two will meet this year because it is a near certainty that their racing careers will be over at the end of the year. (This debate will be left for another article.)

Rachel's defection from the Apple Blossom left only four other competitors who are nowhere close to the ability of Zenayatta.

Zenyatta is an imposing figure and her presence in just about any race will scare off most of the competition. But with $500,000 on the line, it is surprising that only four others volunteered to step in the ring with racing's heavyweight.

Plus, her seemingly inevitable victory will be quickly overshadowed Saturday by the $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby, one of the last major Kentucky Derby preps on the calendar.

Racing needs a star like Zenyatta and the only way she will ever get the attention she deserves is if she faces Rachel. An added bonus would be for Zenyatta to run at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week. That's the only place all year where over 1,600 members of the media and over 100,000 people will attend the races.

Zenyatta was supposed to run there last year but trainer John Shirreffs decided that the morning rains on Derby Day made the track unsuitable for his star pupil. Let's hope they make a return trip to the Twin Spires in a couple of weeks.

And, a little horse named Rachel Alexandra happens to be stabled there so might the "Race of the Century" be on again? That might be a longshot but at the very worst, the largest crowd in person and on TV for a racing during the year might get a chance to gaze upon an incredible athlete.

Photos courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire - http://www.eclipsesportswire.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.

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.

Rachel's Connections In Tough Spot?

Rachel Alexandra is now in racing's all-time elite. After her stirring victory in the Woodward on Saturday, it left little doubt as to her stature.

She has a mortal lock on champion 3-year-old filly and a padlock on Horse of the Year unless something crazy happens in the next three months. Now her connections have a tough choice - do they race her again this year and if so, where?

The racing fan in me, as well as scores of others, wants to see her take on unbeaten Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic in two months. It's probably the only matchup left this year that would have any significance for her.

Owner Jess Jackson has said on many occasions that running on the "plastic" artificial dirt of Santa Anita is out of the question. But he is in a no-win situation with her next step.

The Woodward was undoubtedly a tough race on Rachel and since she went wire-to-wire and hold to dig deep to hold off Macho Again. It was her toughest race since she held of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the Preakness.

Jackson can easily keep Rachel on the sidelines the rest of the year and you couldn't fault him for doing so. And if you read between the lines of his quotes, that appears to be the most likely scenario. If that happens, you can only hope that we will indeed see her as a four-year-old.

“I can’t honestly say (if she'll run again this year," he said. "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.”

Racing so badly needs Rachel to run as often as possible and she's had eight starts this year already. There may not be another horse like her for some time. Jackson knows that, but he will undoubtedly air on the side of caution. As a result, he's in a great but tough spot.

If he were to run her again, the options are:

Beldame - A proposed purse boost to $1 million for the Beldame at Belmont was an attempt to lure Zenyatta east and keep Rachel in New York. That would be a huge shock if that came to fruition, especially since the race is only a month after the Woodward.

Breeders' Cup - This would give Rachel two months to recover from the Woodward and her presence would add a sensational and needed boost to a championship event. She could either run in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic against the boys or more likely the $2 million Ladies Classic. The excuse of not running her because of the "artificial dirt" is a weak one though. (Jackson needs to forget about Curlin's moderate performance in last year's Classic.) She has a win at Keeneland on the Polytrack and there's no reason to think that a different surface would stunt her abilities. It would be a great way to cap off an undefeated and all-time great year.

Clark Handicap - Churchill Downs put on a great Thanksgiving weekend of racing and the Clark has always attracted good horses over the year. There is also precedent for Rachel to run in this 1 1/8 mile race. Surfside, a regally bred 3-year-old filly, went wire-to-wire to capture the 2000 renweal. Churchill is also Rachel's home base and CD might even throw in a purse boost to help lure her into race. But their connections indicated it would be too late in the year.

Match Race - The only other spot that might make sense is a staged match race with Zenyatta. Belmont and Sam Houston Park have offered inducements to bring the two together and there might be more to offer those incentives now. Jackson didn't appear to close the door on that after the Woodward.

"It depends on both horses coming out and what both camps would be willing to do," he said. "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.”

No matter what happens, for those who have seen her this year have witnessed greatness. Let's just hope it's not the last time.

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.)

Calvin Borel - Pre-Race

I walked with Calvin Borel after he ran third in the Forego with Ready's Echo and he seemed relaxed, ready for Rachel Alexandra's big race, the Woodward which is just moments away.

I asked him for a quick though about the race.

"I am ready and looking forward to it," Borel said. "She is ready to run."

He then sprinted back to the jocks room to change his silks and climb aboard the big filly.

Rachel's Biggest Foes

With the minutes ticking away until Rachel Alexandra goes for the biggest win of her career, I've been looking to see which horse has the best chance to beat the "big girl."

Every one of them would have to run their career best in order to knock off Rachel but here's a quick look in my preference order of who I think can beat Rachel.

Macho Again (Overall record 18-6-5-0) - The gray colt will be last in the early part of the race but will make his patented closing move on the turn for him. If the speed up front is quick enough, he'll have a great shot wear down Rachel inside the final furlong. Trainer Dallas Stewart has said that his horse was training great at his home base at Churchill which prompted him to bring the colt back to Saratoga.

Asiatic Boy (Overall record 17-7-5-2) - The 6-year-old horse has made a lot of money is his international career - $3.27 million. He finished second to Curlin in the 2008 Dubai World Cup but was 12th in the same race this year. He's only been in the U.S. for two starts and has finished second each time. He will eventually break through for a big win and he should be clear of any trouble in today's race. Jockey Alan Garcia and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin have teamed up to win 31% of the time at Saratoga.

It's a Bird (Overall record 31-10-4-2) - South Florida based trainer Marty Wolfson is ALWAYS dangerous when he ships a horse from his home turf. (He sent Icon Project to Saratoga last week in the Personal Ensign and she won by nearly 14 lengths.) It's a Bird's worst race of the race came last time at Belmont which means he's due for a good outing. He should right near the front the whole way around.

Bullsbay (Overall record 18-7-5-1) - The Graham Motion-trained horse finally broke through for a big win last time when he won the prestigious Whitney at Saratoga last month. He's won three of his last five and rarely finishes off the board. Expect him to make his move on the far turn. Also, Motion and jockey Jeremy Rose have teamed up to win 3 of 4 at Saratoga.

Cool Coal Man (Overall record 20-8-3-1) - This is one of two Nick Zito-trained entrants and the biggest threat he will pose if the speed up front. He can ran both on and off the lead but best chance will be if he's close to the front. Zito and jockey John Velazquez have been a great combo at the Spa (winning % - 37). Zito also has a history of pulling big upsets and this would rank right up there.

Past the Point (Overall record 15-4-4-2) - The west coast based son of Indian Charlie has a great record at Saratoga. He's never been worse than second in four starts (2-2-0) and the Middle East powerhouse ownership group of Darley/Godolphin has been on fire during the Saratoga racing season. It would take his lifetime best effort to knock off Rachel however.

Da'Tara (Overall record 16-2-5-2) - Can lighting strike twice? Da'Tara knocked off Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown in last year's Belmont Stakes when he went wire-to-wire but has not won a race since. His best hope would have to be another front running effort.

Horse of Year Candidates

With a dwindling list of big races before the Breeders' Cup championshp in early November, now is a good time to speculate as to the favorites for Horse of the Year.

It appears that there will be five horses competing for year end honors and the chase is led by superfilly Rachel Alexandra. By the end of Saturday's races, the chase could either be over or a little more wide open.

Here are the contenders and some quick facts:

Rachel Alexandra (2009 Record - 7-7-0-0) - Simply put, she's the odds-on favorite to win Horse of the Year. Her string of impressive wins in 2009 add up to a 65-length margin and include the Kentucky Oaks, Preakness, Mother Goose and Haskell. The breathtaking victories in the Oaks and Mother Goose were some of the more impressive you'll ever see but the fact she has beaten the boys twice is equally as amazing. A win in the Woodward would secure her place as one of the best fillies of all-time and basically guarantee HOY.

Zenyatta (2009 Record 3-3-0-0) - The other "big girl" in racing has a career perfect record (12-for-12) but has only raced outside of her home base in Southern California once. Her best chance of winning Horse of the Year is if she beats Rachel in the Breeders' Cup (which is highly unlikely as Rachel's owner has said she is not running in the BC), or if some sort of match race is agreed to. If she does finish her career unbeaten, she still would rank as one of the best fillies of all-time but a notch below Rachel.

Gio Ponti (2009 Record 5-4-0-0) - The four-year-old colt has quietly had a great 2009 as he's rattled off four straight wins, all Grade 1's. The highlight came last month when he beat an international field in the the Arlington Million. The big knock against Gio Ponti is that he's a turf horse and there has only been one grass horse to be named Horse of the Year in the last 25 years. The only chance he has for HOY is if he switches to (artificial) dirt in the Breeders' Cup and wins the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Summer Bird (2009 Record 7-3-1-1) - The winner of the Belmont and Travers has gotten better with each start. His only hiccup this year was a 6th place finish in the Kentucky De

rby which is forgiveable considering he only had three outings before the "Run for the Roses." His best chance to capture HOY will be if he wins the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont and Breeders' Cup Classic plus a Rachel loss. (Remember: Rachel did beat Summer Bird in t

he Haskell).

Einstein - (2009 Record 5-2-0-2) - He is the longest shot of the group. In early summer, the venerable 7-year-old looked to have climbed back as the top older horse after winning the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day. But since then, he's run third and fifth. He'll need to win the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Saturday and the Breeders' Cup Classic if he has any chance combined with a Rachel loss. Either way, he's a great story and will probably head off to stud at the end of the year.

Honorable Mentions: Mine That Bird, Macho Again, Rail Trip

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

Another Bad Ride Costs The Bird

In Saturday's West Virginia Derby, Mine That Bird was looking to regain some of his star status but a self-admitted bad ride by Mike Smith cost the Kentucky Derby winner that chance.

For the second time this year, I begin to wonder if Calvin Borel's absence on Mine That Bird cost the gelding a victory.

In the Preakness, Smith was unable to keep Mine That Bird out of trouble and then was forced to go seven wide on the final turn. He lost to Rachel Alexandra by just a length.

Fast forward to Saturday and Smith watched Big Drama jump out to a huge early lead and the Hall of Fame jockey grew impatient and began to ask the Derby winner for run on the backstretch to close the gap between himself and Big Drama. The move backfired as Mine That Bird was out of gas in the stretch and could not pass Big Drama and eventual winner Soul Warrior.

"It was just total rider error," Smith said. "I don't like the way I rode him at all....He needs that one short run and I used too much of him on the backstretch."

Kudos for Smith to owning up to his mistake. It's a breath of fresh air.

But now what next for "Team Bird?" Do they stick with Smith, who they have a two-race commitment from? Or do they search for another rider? (Garrett Gomez is available with the injury to Pioneerof the Nile.)

Apparently, Mine That Bird has to be ridden in a very specific way. Keep him along the inside with another horse to his outside in the back half of the field. Then, when the time is right, cut him loose for his one big run. Borel executed the plan perfectly in the Derby but no one has since.

The Travers is the next race on Bird's docket but it appears that only a near perfect ride will lead him back to the winner's circle.

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