Rachel, Zenyatta, Commentator and Quality Road in Woodward

[Moyers Pond]

This is the race I would like to see. I would give Commentator the edge because it is at Saratoga but the 3yr olds could be tough and Zenyatta never loses.

Hopefully the people at Saratoga can make it happen. Just put up a $3 million purse and they will show up.

[OTM Al]

Why not make it $5m as long as you are going to spend other people's money? Commentator will not be able to turn around that quickly after the Whitney. Quality Road will be in the Travers the week before if his feet stay ok and Zenyatta will not be coming to NY. Maybe Einstein would be able to turn around for it after the Million, but even that is a stretch.

[Imriledup]

I'd like to see Rachel with at least 6 weeks off minimum.

[Irish Boy]

One of these things is not like the other...

One of these things just doesn't belong...

[RockHardTen1985]

This is the race I would like to see. I would give Commentator the edge because it is at Saratoga but the 3yr olds could be tough and Zenyatta never loses.

Hopefully the people at Saratoga can make it happen. Just put up a $3 million purse and they will show up.


I am the biggest Commentator fan ever, go over to Derbytrail.com and check it out. He would be the least likely winner if those 4 hooked up.

[DanG]

This makes good sense for both ladies imo…

New York is clearly the best opportunity for Rachel and Zenyatta to meet. The Woodward gives both an extra weeks rest / or a week later the Ruffian at Belmont would exclude the boys and just let them shoot it out.

Both camps have made it clear they desire horse of the year and Rachel is holding 4/5ths of a royal flush right now. If you own Zenyatta you understand the ONLY way you can sway voters is to ship into NY / beat her on the square and then close out the BC by dominating.

In addition; from a purely practical point of view. If you own Rachel you love the 5-6 week rest off her 7th very fast race of the year; while you sit back and watch the extremely talented Quality Road heat up those brittle feet in the Travers without having to deal with that fresh monster…yet.

[plainolebill]

I think RA can safely stay in her own division and barring something really unlikely happening she'll be HOTY. Something unlikely being Rail Trip running the table in the Pacific Classic, Goodwood, BC Classic or one of the leading 3 year old colts doing something comparable. I think RA would still be favored to be HOTY.

[depalma113]

This makes good sense for both ladies imo…

New York is clearly the best opportunity for Rachel and Zenyatta to meet. The Woodward gives both an extra weeks rest / or a week later the Ruffian at Belmont would exclude the boys and just let them shoot it out.

Both camps have made it clear they desire horse of the year and Rachel is holding 4/5ths of a royal flush right now. If you own Zenyatta you understand the ONLY way you can sway voters is to ship into NY / beat her on the square and then close out the BC by dominating.

In addition; from a purely practical point of view. If you own Rachel you love the 5-6 week rest off her 7th very fast race of the year; while you sit back and watch the extremely talented Quality Road heat up those brittle feet in the Travers without having to deal with that fresh monster…yet.

All Zenyatta's camp has to do is announce: "We will send Zenyatta to the Clark Handicap after she runs in the Breeders Cup. Not only will she take on the best horses in the world, but we are so confident in our mare that we will come back in three weeks and race again. If Jess Jackson wants to race us, he now has two opportunities."

[DanG]

All Zenyatta's camp has to do is announce: "We will send Zenyatta to the Clark Handicap after she runs in the Breeders Cup. Not only will she take on the best horses in the world, but we are so confident in our mare that we will come back in three weeks and race again. If Jess Jackson wants to race us, he now has two opportunities."
True; and in fairness all Jackson has to say is he will meet Zenyatta in the race designed to match up division leaders…The Breeders Cup. He said…knowing full well 49,000 synthetic hollow points were being loaded. :eek:

I just hope it happens and it could be on Mars for that matter. But then again we have the challenge of making figures with 38% less gravity; so that’s out. :D

[jonnielu]

This makes good sense for both ladies imo…

New York is clearly the best opportunity for Rachel and Zenyatta to meet. The Woodward gives both an extra weeks rest / or a week later the Ruffian at Belmont would exclude the boys and just let them shoot it out.

Both camps have made it clear they desire horse of the year and Rachel is holding 4/5ths of a royal flush right now. If you own Zenyatta you understand the ONLY way you can sway voters is to ship into NY / beat her on the square and then close out the BC by dominating.

In addition; from a purely practical point of view. If you own Rachel you love the 5-6 week rest off her 7th very fast race of the year; while you sit back and watch the extremely talented Quality Road heat up those brittle feet in the Travers without having to deal with that fresh monster…yet.

It's a sensible scenario, but the horseplayer learns nothing when he/she so quickly forgets those lessons that fall on him/her like a piano out of the sky.

We have a situation where there will be several more bugle calls to be well answered before HOTY could be handed over to a single competitor.

It doesn't make any sense at all to simply dismiss Mine That Bird at this point in consideration of HOTY. He is a sound contender at this point, all the way through to the BC.

jdl

[DanG]

It doesn't make any sense at all to simply dismiss Mine That Bird at this point in consideration of HOTY.

Without any disrespect to an honest horse, it does in my mind. Having said that; I don’t really get all wrapped up in Eclipse voting because it’s incredibly political and very, very provincial.

I mentioned it because with both camps desiring HOY honors it can be the leverage needed to force what the racing public wants and our sport deserves.

[depalma113]

It's a sensible scenario, but the horseplayer learns nothing when he/she so quickly forgets those lessons that fall on him/her like a piano out of the sky.

We have a situation where there will be several more bugle calls to be well answered before HOTY could be handed over to a single competitor.

It doesn't make any sense at all to simply dismiss Mine That Bird at this point in consideration of HOTY. He is a sound contender at this point, all the way through to the BC.

jdl


Unless Mine That Bird runs that table, Travers, JCGC and Breeders Cup Classic, he has no shot at horse HOY and even than he needs Rachel Alexandra to either face him in one of those races, or lose the rest of the season.

[jonnielu]

Unless Mine That Bird runs that table, Travers, JCGC and Breeders Cup Classic, he has no shot at horse HOY and even than he needs Rachel Alexandra to either face him in one of those races, or lose the rest of the season.

Running that table will be more of a challenge for Rachel than it will be for MTB, QR, and Zenyatta. Dunkirk, and Summer Bird can throw a wrench in the gears for any one of those.

jdl

[cj]

Running that table will be more of a challenge for Rachel than it will be for MTB, QR, and Zenyatta. Dunkirk, and Summer Bird can throw a wrench in the gears for any one of those.

jdl

I believe Dunkirk is finished.

[jonnielu]

I believe Dunkirk is finished.

As in retired?

jdl

[Java Gold@TFT]

Since we are talking about Horse of the Year and the year is 2009 let's just compare MTB's record to any other horse at this point.

He has two losses in ungraded races, then a win in the G-I Kentucky Derby presented by YUM! Brands, then 3 more losses in a row including in a 6 horse field in a G-II. By my count that is one graded stakes win to go with 5 losses. Rachel already has won all of her 7 races including 4 G-I's and two of those were outside of her division. Zenyatta has 2 G-I wins in 2 starts and is lined up for a 3rd next week. Einstein has Grade - I's on poly and turf and still has a chance to add a dirt win to that list. If Quality Road wins 2 more G-I's (Travers and another?) then MTB doesn't even get 2 votes for HOY let alone win 3yo Champion.

MTB - HOY? Snowballs chance. JMHO

[Irish Boy]

I think the only male horse with an honest shot at it is Einstein, and he'd need to beat Gio Ponti in the Arlington Million next week and win the BC Classic. Otherwise, it's going to be one of the ladies.

[cj]

As in retired?

jdl

Yes...at the least I know he came out of the Belmont with a serious injury.

[miesque]

I think the only male horse with an honest shot at it is Einstein, and he'd need to beat Gio Ponti in the Arlington Million next week and win the BC Classic. Otherwise, it's going to be one of the ladies.

I agree, in order for Einstein to have any shot at HOY he needs to win the Arlington Million on Saturday beating not only Gio Ponti and Presious Passion, but also the three Euros that are coming over and frankly as of now I don't think that is all that likely.

[Irish Boy]

I don't think it's likely either, but it's at least a road to the award. I suppose MTB has a road in by beating RA in the Travers (if she runs, which it looks like she won't) or the JCGC and the BC Classic, but I guess I just don't see that happening. I can at least plausibly see Einstein winning the Million and the BC Classic, even though I doubt it.

[PaceAdvantage]

MTB - HOY? Snowballs chance. JMHOAgree completely.

[bane]

I wouldn't be surprised if Jackson is planning an invasion of another country. The Japan Cup Dirt might be the big race for her in the early winter before she gets her winter break.