Rachel is Rachel

Somebody asked me recently how I could call Rachel Alexandra my favorite horse of all time when I have been following the horses my entire life. He thought surely a horse of yesteryear brought me more joy than my current favorite. He asked me why I saw her as so special to place her closer to my heart than hundreds of other wonderful horses that I have loved over the years. A myriad of reasons crossed my mind, but I really had to think of the very best and most honest answer I could give my inquisitor. My first thought was just to say, “Well, have you seen her???” Too simple an answer I decided, but everyone out there who loves Rachel like I do, knows exactly what I mean. I considered what Rachel Alexandra means to the people closest to her. You can see it in what they say, how they act, and their expressions of pure joy simply being around her. No person embodies this more than her jockey, Calvin Borel. Here is a man who has been in the business for 30 years and is at the summit of what he does. One of the best riders in the world, he is closing in on 5,000 career wins. He has ridden many first-rate horses, including Street Sense a champion who won the BC Juvenile, Kentucky Derby and Travers, but Calvin Borel, for all his accomplishments, has never loved a racehorse like he does Rachel. It was so important to him to keep the mount on Rachel when she changed hands, even though he could have ridden the Derby winner. His emotions bubble to the surface whenever he gets a chance to see, talk about, or be on his horse. For him, nothing compares to Rachel Alexandra. I thought about her sheer brilliance. The way she wins race after race, nine in a row now. Her winning streak has coincided with Borel being named to ride her. Last year she finished off the season with the most impressive race any 2-year-old filly ran, in easily winning the Golden Rod over the classy Sara Louise. In that race she ran much faster than the stakes colts ran the same day. Rachel Alexandra began this year with an 8 length score in the Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park. On to New Orleans and a win in the Fair Grounds Oaks in which Borel was so confident that he wrapped her up at the 16th pole, she could have won by 20! Back to Oaklawn, and a romping win in the Fantasy. By now everyone in the industry knew about her, but she was about to make herself known to the world. The Kentucky Oaks is arguably the most important race for 3-year-old fillies and all Rachel did was win by over 20 lengths…incredible! This race would lead to a very expensive sale, sending her to new owners and a new trainer. With the new handlers, came tougher competition, but no less brilliance. Her win in the Preakness was amazing as she broke from the 13 hole and battled on the lead. This is something that Preakness winners just don’t do. Yet Rachel Alexandra overcame and beat the boys in a classic race at a classic distance. Next for her was the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont where she scared off the other 3-year-old fillies. It was a three horse race in which she remarkably ran 1:46 and 1, winning by 19 lengths while being geared down late. After that it was back to the boys. Rachel destroyed the Haskell field, winning off by 6 lengths over 2nd place Summer Bird. Through with 3-year-olds, Rachel looked for new worlds to conquer. She found that test in the prestigious Woodward Stakes at Saratoga. Proving that no test was too great, she was run at by horse after horse. The older boys pressured her every step and she was still able to hold off the perfect trip closer, Macho Again. She was the first female ever to win the Woodward. What a streak, the greatest that I have ever seen a female horse run, brilliant! I reflected on her beauty. She is a stunningly gorgeous bay filly. Sculpted by a higher power, Rachel Alexandra is everything a thoroughbred racehorse is supposed to be within her 16 hands. Her chiseled body is both feminine and powerful at the same time. She exudes her pure class from the look in her eye, to the way she holds her head, to her perfectly braided mane. Her stride is elegant, efficient and effortless. Rachel’s interrupted blaze further sets her apart from the rest. To be close to her is to know that you are around something truly special. I recalled the thrill of watching her races. She makes my heart beat out loud every time she enters the starting gate. Maybe the best way for me to describe it is through the exclamations made by the professionals calling her races: “Rachel Alexandra, one of the greatest fillies ever to race at Oaklawn is giving us a spectacular performance in the Fantasy!” “Oh a tour-de-force by the super filly!” “Oh, super filly, you bet!” “Un-be-lievable!” “And the filly did it!” “Rachel Alexandra has defeated the Kentucky Derby winner!” “She’s pouring it on in a dazzling display!“ “Her march to greatness continues!” “Here‘s a filly for the ages, a Haskell legend, Rachel Alexandra did it!” “She is indeed Rachel Alexandra the great!” “Rachel Alexandra raises the rafters here at the Spa!” Pretty well said, don’t you think? I thought of all those things and more, but in the end, I gave him this simple answer: Rachel Alexandra is the first horse to truly make me feel like a little kid again. What could be better than that?

Remembering ... Five Star Flight

I will forever remember the Haskell Invitational of 1981. It was the 1st of August and it was a showdown at the Jersey shore. In one corner you had the defending 2-year-old champion Lord Avie and in the other corner was the challenger and my favorite horse, Five Star Flight. The crowd was divided in their loyalties as they made Lord Avie a slight favorite over the 8-5 challenger. The stretch-running Lord Avie was the best juvenile of 1980 and he looked every bit the champion in winning the Florida Derby earlier in the year. Unfortunately, he came out of that race with an injury, and the early Derby favorite was off the Triple Crown trail. Returning to the races, Lord Avie had won an easy prep a few weeks before the Haskell. Five Star Flight meanwhile was a speedy Florida bred trained by Ben Perkins who had not yet fulfilled the potential that he had flashed several times in his short career. He had looked ready to take it to the next level in the aforementioned Florida Derby, but he dueled on the lead that day and backed out, he too came out of the race an injured horse. Five Star Flight’s return to the races came sooner than Lord Avie as he reappeared in an allowance race at Monmouth Park less than three months after his Florida Derby injury. One minute and eight seconds after the race began, it was clear that Five Star Flight was still a horse on a path for stardom. Next came one of the greatest allowance race matchups I have ever seen as Five Star Flight and Noble Nashua ding-donged all the way down the Belmont stretch. 1:21 and change was the time as Noble Nashua defended his turf by a short head. Noble Nashua loved Belmont and went on to impressive scores in the Dwyer, Jerome, and Marlboro Cup over this surface later in the season. Five Star Flight was as impressive as a losing horse could be and now it would be time to stretch him back out. The Jersey Derby at Atlantic City would be the site for his first major stakes win as he easily handled the two-turn assignment. Left to chase his tail that day were such fine runners as Tap Shoes, Silver Express, and Willow Hour. It was in that race that yours truly, all of 12 years young and watching from the rail, officially fell in love with the bay son of Top Command. So now the big day had come, Five Star Flight vs. Lord Avie. I went to the races with all the enthusiasm you would expect from a giddy schoolboy. This was my Christmas. Since I was a child prodigy with the Daily Racing Form, my father had instituted a wonderful financial plan for me. In lieu of a more structured allowance, my father would finance a $2 bet for me on every race, each time we went to the track. Some cynics may see this as contributing to the delinquency of a minor…to me it was a wonderful tradition that I will be proud to carry on with my children. On Haskell Day in 1981 I did something different, something I had never done before. As each race went by, my father asked me how I wanted to bet my $2 and each time I said “No, I will wait for Five Star Flight.” Nine races, so the $2 wagers had accumulated to $18 and I had waited patiently to put it on my favorite horse’s nose. $18 to win for me was about $16 more than my previous biggest wager. The race finally begun and Craig Perret did a masterful job of harnessing the speed of Five Star Flight. His speed was not taxed and as Lord Avie began to roll from the back of the pack of the six-horse affair, it was clear that Five Star Flight was just waiting to sprint home. As Lord Avie easily passed the other runners, Perret let out a notch on Five Star Flight and I was as happy as anyone in attendance as he steadily drew away from the champion for a five length win. My favorite horse had just won New Jersey’s biggest race and my bet returned fifty two dollars… My father had been impressed with my discipline and made the bet an even $20. What a day! That day would prove to be Five Star Flight’s greatest moment. Injury issues continued to plague him and he would run only three more times. He was injured in his next race, the Travers, another race I witnessed. After five more months off, he returned in January in California and in his second race back, he impressively won the San Pasqual Handicap in racehorse time. But that would be that, another injury and the well bred grandson of Bold Ruler out of the multiple stakes producer, Sweeping Beauty, was off to stud. He raced only 12 times in his career and won 7. I was lucky enough to see several of his races in person. Five Star Flight has long since passed away, but every time I think of him, I am swept away to my childhood and that special day at Monmouth Park. I remember you Five Star Flight.

And Now for Something Completely Different …

The Top 10 Performances of the weekend. Let’s count it down. 10) Tie - Varenar and Interpatation both pulled off shocking upsets over a couple of the best turf horses in the world yesterday. Varenar upset Goldikova in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp and Interpatation outlasted Gio Ponti in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Probably the biggest win that either horse will attain but worth a mention for the best of the weekend. 9) Kodiak Kowboy is one tough sprinter when he runs his best and yesterday in the slop of the Vosburgh he ran his best. With the timing of a fine Swiss watch, Kodiak Kowboy unleashed his powerful rally late to run by one of the best sprinters of recent years, Fabulous Strike, for a gritty victory. 8) Mastercraftsman did not beat much in his runaway victory in the Diamond Stakes Friday night in Ireland, but what he did do, was prep effectively for the Breeders' Cup. In his first try on a synthetic surface, Mastercraftsman said “yes” to his connections for a shot at the Classic 7) Awesome Gem was due. If ever a good horse was due for a stakes win, this was the horse. Awesome Gem had run so many good races with no ultimate reward, that you just had to root for him to finally break through for his first stakes win in more than two and a half years. I say good for the old boy, congratulations on your Hawthorne Gold Cup score. 6) Music Note did what she needed to do in a Grade 1 race that was decimated by defections. Her win in the Beldame against an overmatched field, was effortless and it sets her up perfectly for another try in the BC Ladies Classic. 5) Gone Astray is a horse I have been watching for some time and I am confident he is better than most people realize. Yesterday in the Ohio Derby, he met few horses of consequence, but he won authoritatively after chasing down a leader loose on the lead. Big things are in this colt’s future. 4) Pure Clan is pure class. After a tough pace scenario in her last start, the Beverly D, she was primed for her best effort and it was produced over the boggish turf course yesterday at Belmont in the Flower Bowl. She will see different turf conditions in the Breeders’ Cup, but she will be a major factor. 3) Careless Jewel was fantastic yet again as she absolutely toyed with her filly counterparts in the rich Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park. She is now ready to step up and take on the big girls next because she is making a mockery of these 3-year-old races. 2) Summer Bird has taken a stranglehold on the 3-year-old male eclipse award with another huge win in the state of New York. His Jockey Club Gold Cup win was a workmanlike display of consistency and class as he methodically wore down Quality Road. This win places him firmly in the upper echelon of American horses in only his first year of racing. Drum roll please…and the number 1 performance of the weekend was… 1) Sea the Stars was absolutely spect-Arc-ular in winning the world’s most important race on the grass. He traveled to France and met his largest and toughest field yet, but it made little matter as he verified his greatness with an electrifying two length victory. Stuck down on the rail and a little keen early on, Sea the Stars easily shifted out to get a clear run and then turned on the afterburners to easily dispatch the world class field. If this proves to be his final career race, he certainly leaves the world of racing on a tremendous note.

Belmont’s Grade 1 Day

Now if we could just have Grade 1 weather. Yes, I wake up a little disappointed this morning as much like Travers Day, it looks like another big day for NYRA is going to be wet. You never know with the weather, but right now Belmont looks likely to have a sloppy day. This changes things of course for the horses, jockeys, fans, and from my standpoint on the handicapping front. The horses that would have won on a fast track and a firm turf, may very well not win in the wet conditions. It is not often that one racetrack has five Grade 1 races in succession, so let’s still enjoy the quality horses running in big races, but…was a nice sunny day too much to ask? Oh well, at least Woodward Day was a beauty. The Grade 1 Beldame - Music Note on dirt. Music Note on mud. Music Note in the slop. No odds here, so let’s single her in the Pick-3 and if you are really feeling ambitious, the Pick-6. I do not see her losing this one. The Grade 1 Vosburgh - I was all set to try to beat favorite Fabulous Strike with the Belmont loving Munnings, but I have lost confidence in his chances of running down the favorite on a wet track. Fabulous Strike is a monster at 6 furlongs and likes a wet track. He should be able to handle Go Go Shoot, who might not like the slop, pretty early and will be long gone. More chalk, so I am relying heavily on the exotics and getting off to a good start in the Pick-4. The Grade 1 Flower Bowl - I think Pure Clan is the best horse in the race, but I think her advantage actually moves down on a soft turf. Her main rival Dynaforce certainly appreciates plenty of cut to the turf as evidenced by last year’s Flower Bowl and now becomes an even bigger threat. Because of this, I expect bettors to make Dynaforce the favorite and while I fear her, I am sticking with Pure Clan. She is all class, can handle a wet turf and is unlucky to not have an even better record on the grass. All she needs is a reasonable pace, which I think will happen today, to roll in the lane. Today is her day. The Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic - Gio Ponti is well on his way to being named the turf champion. He can run on any type of grass condition, is very consistent, and appears to like the Belmont turf course. Having said this, I do feel like he is vulnerable today. This is the farthest he has ever run and he has to face defending champ Grand Couturier, on a course condition and a distance that he absolutely loves. I will be rooting for Gio Ponti to continue his winning ways as a fan, but on my multi-race tickets, I will include both him and Grand Couturier. The Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup - I was really liking the chances of Quality Road on a fast track. A little more question is now in my mind as his top two rivals (Summer Bird and Macho Again) have more quality off-track form than he does. I still do see the race unfolding with Quality Road getting the perfect stalking trip and pouncing on the turn. Maybe the slop will spread out the horses even more and he will be even more likely to run away from them in the stretch. Today is his day to move to the head of the class of 3-year-old males. No matter the condition of the track, I am going to stick with Quality Road as the final horse on my all Grade 1 Pick-4. Rain or no rain, I am going to enjoy Belmont’s Grade 1 day. I hope you do the same.

Bonne Journée Mes Amis

Aujourd'hui, nous allons discuter des grandes courses de ce week-end en France. Le Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe est l'une des courses les plus importantes au monde et se déroulera dimanche à Longchamp…the author now shifts effortlessly into the English language for the benefit of many of his readers…In the Arc, Sea the Stars will be an overwhelming favorite to add this most prestigious race to his effulgent string of accomplishments. The 3-year-old son of Cape Cross out of the amazing mare Urban Sea, is 5 for 5 this year and each of his wins was in Group 1 company. This indubitably will be Sea the Stars’ sternest test yet, though as he travels to France for the first time to take on an international field of worthy candidates. Sea the Stars has proven to be a true champion and is certainly the horse to beat, however this particular racing blogger believes that if he is to lose, Sunday may be the day. A full field of 19 horses could in itself be the downfall of the champion. He will be the horse that all the other jockeys are watching and traffic should be a major factor. If there is indeed an upset, I believe Conduit is the horse with the greatest chance to be the culprit. Last year Conduit improved dramatically and by the Fall, he was one of the best turf horses in the world. His impressive victories in the St. Ledger and Breeders’ Cup Turf proved the now 4-year-old son of Dalakhani is built for a distance. This year his trainer Sir Michael Stoute has raced Conduit lightly, a plan designed specifically to have him peeking in October and November for his most important races. He has only contested three races in 2009, but is improving with each start. Sea the Stars thrashed him two starts ago, but that was a few furlongs shorter than Conduit prefers. In his last start, he delivered a strong stretch run to win the prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Stoute is having another huge year and is very keen on his charges form. Conduit is my pick and will also be a legitimate threat in five weeks to defend his BC Turf title. On an Arc side note, I will rooting for the English mare Dar Re Mi to run a big race after a horrific decision was rendered by the French stewards to take her down last time in the Prix Vermeille and put up the French heroine Stacelita. It would be fitting if she had the last laugh in France’s most important race. The weekend kicks off at Longchamp with an appearance by the unquestioned top miler in the world, Goldikova. The 4-year-old daughter of Anabaa is ready to show off her brilliant turn of foot in the 7 furlong Prix de la Foret. This is a distance unfamiliar to Goldikova, but it likely will be no problem for the brilliant mare to shorten up, as she looks for her fourth straight win and her eighth in nine starts. This race should prime Goldikova’s speed well for a raid of California as she seeks back to back wins in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Also on Saturday, my almost pari-mutual hero, Stotsfold runs his first race since the Arlington Million. He runs in the Group 2 Prix Dollar, and my main interest in the race is to see how the horse, who almost brought me beaucoup wagering dollars, does in his next start. In the Million, he was long odds and I had him along with Gio Ponti boxed in the top two spots on my superfecta ticket. Early in the stretch, it was a matter of 1st or 2nd, 50 yards from the wire, I was begging for him to hold 2nd. At the wire, he was nailed by the classy Just as Well for 2nd. No large superfecta for yours truly. C’est la vie!

Who Am I ???

*I finished first in 12 out of 18 lifetime starts over my three year racing career. *As a 2-year-old, I was winless in three starts. *I was bred in Kentucky and my grandsire, Northern Dancer, is considered one of the greatest sires in thoroughbred racing history. *I was ridden to victory by five different jockeys. *My two biggest victories were in races of at least a million bucks, which was big back in my day. *In my last race on dirt, I won by eight lengths. *In my most important triumph, I was not expected to win despite the fact that it was the final race of my championship season. *I won races at nine different tracks in six different states. *My favorite color is green and my name comes from a place where I‘ve never been. *In my final 17 races, I finished no worse than 2nd place. *I did not receive back-to-back eclipse awards despite my sparkling record of 4 wins and 1 second from 5 starts in my final year. You should know by now … Who Am I ???