Queen Z, West Virginia Sexiness, and a Booby Trap

The Queen Z has been buzzing around the Del Mar oval since Wednesday in what is believed to be preparation for a third consecutive victory in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes. Or is she? I don’t know … do you know? As of the writing of this column, it appears nobody knows. Just hours before post time, it seems her connections do not have an answer for millions of Zenyatta followers. The indecision is born from whether the Big Z can handle the synthetic surface of Del Mar, like she does other surfaces, and furthermore, whether or not the surface is safe enough to risk one of the greatest horses ever to set foot on these beautiful grounds. Trainer John Shirreffs has always been hyper-cautious with his big mare, but the cautioness has now been taken to new levels with this last hour waffling. Everyone wants to see Zenyatta run, and everyone wants to see Zenyatta run safely. To Shirreffs I say, make a decision now so your fans know what is going on. ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here

Ten Matchups I Need to See

Quality Road vs. Blame - 2010 offers the best older male set we have had in America in years, and Quality Road and Blame sit proudly on top of the division. The good news: we are only 48 hours away from seeing this clash of titans. Throw in Musket Man, and the Whitney is the race of the year so far. Let’s get it on! Devil May Care vs. Blind Luck - The best two sophomore fillies, one based in the West, the other in the East, missed out on a meeting in the Kentucky Oaks when Devil May Care ran in the Derby. The two giants in the division, with seven graded stakes wins this year between them, are on a collision course for the August 21 Alabama. I can’t wait. Vineyard Haven vs. Discreetly Mine - Yes I know there are at least a dozen interesting sprinters tearing up tracks around the country, but after their recent monster performances at the Spa, these are the two that I want to see face off. With Discreetly Mine likely to run against three-year-olds next out, Belmont’s Vosburgh might be the setting for this showdown. Tuscan Evening vs. Proviso - I am not sure this one will happen, but the records of these two distaff turfers in 2010 is sterling. Mott says the Beverly D against Tuscan Evening is a possibility, which would make the Arlington affair the premier event for girls on the green, and one that would likely decide the Eclipse Award a few months early. Boys at Tosconova vs. Kantharos - It is awfully early to start jumping on the juvenile bandwagons, but these two colts have been so impressive in their first two starts that I would love to see them race soon, even if they are not the best at the end of the year as the distances get longer. How about a showdown closing day at Saratoga in the Hopeful? Lookin at Lucky vs. Rail Trip - This seems like a strange request, but they are two of the best horses in America, and they both have something to prove before the Breeders’ Cup. Can Rail trip excel on dirt? Can Lookin at Lucky handle older horses? Maybe, just maybe, we can answer these questions simultaneously in the September 4, Woodward. Goldikova vs. Canford Cliffs - I venture outside of the borders of the United States for this one. Goldikova is an all-time great and the unquestioned top miler in the world. Canford Cliffs is the upstart on a roll, with three straight major wins. Let’s see the best run again the best; Canford Cliffs is eligible to give Goldi a run for her money. Gio Ponti vs. Paddy O’Prado - Another example of the reigning turf kingpin taking on the new challenger. I have a ton of respect for Gio Ponti, but in this case I am siding with the young gun. Both horses will run on Arlington Million Day, but in different races. The Turf Classic, in the Fall, may be the opportunity for youth to be served. Exhi vs. A Little Warm vs. Trappe Shot - While Lookin at Lucky has taken over the division, I believe it is in the non-Triple Crown participants that will provide him the stiffest competition the rest of the way out. In Exhi, A Little Warm, and Trappe Shot, you have three young colts who are becoming very good. Let’s hope all three put on a show in the Travers. Rachel Alexandra vs. Zenyatta - You didn’t think I would leave this one off the list now did you? Two supreme queens. Two first ballot Hall of Famers. Two of the best I have ever seen. A win would cement the victor’s place in history, a defeat would take nothing away from the loser’s spectacular career. A meeting would be nothing short of the greatest matchup between female horses in the history of racing.

Bold, if not Controversial, Predictions

Prediction #1 – The three-year-old male division remains undecided until the Eclipse Awards announcement in January. In the end, the winner of the race with the strongest field of the season, takes home the hardware. The race is the August 28 Travers, and the winner is Exhi. Prediction #2 – Rachel Alexandra will hustle out on the track and into the starting gate at the last second, before easily winning Saratoga‘s Ruffian Stakes. When her connections were asked why she almost missed the race, they explained that Jess Jackson had not decided where she would run until three minutes before post time. ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here