Rachel's workout today

[firstoffclaim]

RACHEL ALEXANDRA prepares for her return
Horse Of The Year RACHEL ALEXANDRA worked 51 seconds for the half and 1:13.3 for 6 furlongs this morning under regular exercise rider Dominic Terry at The Fair Grounds Race Course. She worked in a set with an unknown stablemate ridden by jockey Brian Hernandez. RACHEL ALEXANDRA is preparing for her return to racing on March 13th in the New Orleans Ladies, a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares with a $200,000 purse. It is being used as a prep race to prepare her for the unbeaten Zenyatta in the $5 million Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park in April. RACHEL ALEXANDRA reportedly outworked the chestnut stallion she was paired with by 6 or 7 lengths down the lane and walked off the track without blowing at all.

[letswastemoney]

She will beat Zenyatta by 5 lengths at least

::hides::

[lamboguy]

RACHEL ALEXANDRA prepares for her return
Horse Of The Year RACHEL ALEXANDRA worked 51 seconds for the half and 1:13.3 for 6 furlongs this morning under regular exercise rider Dominic Terry at The Fair Grounds Race Course. She worked in a set with an unknown stablemate ridden by jockey Brian Hernandez. RACHEL ALEXANDRA is preparing for her return to racing on March 13th in the New Orleans Ladies, a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares with a $200,000 purse. It is being used as a prep race to prepare her for the unbeaten Zenyatta in the $5 million Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park in April. RACHEL ALEXANDRA reportedly outworked the chestnut stallion she was paired with by 6 or 7 lengths down the lane and walked off the track without blowing at all.try to find out who she worked with

[mostpost]

I like that she got the last quarter in 22 and 3 and "wasn't blowing at all as she left the track"

[lamboguy]

I like that she got the last quarter in 22 and 3 and "wasn't blowing at all as she left the track"she is going to be tough as nails, what little chance ZENYATTA had is gone with the increase in distance

[FenceBored]

RACHEL ALEXANDRA prepares for her return
Horse Of The Year RACHEL ALEXANDRA worked 51 seconds for the half and 1:13.3 for 6 furlongs this morning under regular exercise rider Dominic Terry at The Fair Grounds Race Course. She worked in a set with an unknown stablemate ridden by jockey Brian Hernandez. RACHEL ALEXANDRA is preparing for her return to racing on March 13th in the New Orleans Ladies, a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares with a $200,000 purse. It is being used as a prep race to prepare her for the unbeaten Zenyatta in the $5 million Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park in April. RACHEL ALEXANDRA reportedly outworked the chestnut stallion she was paired with by 6 or 7 lengths down the lane and walked off the track without blowing at all.

Interesting, DRF this morning had an article (http://www.drf.com/news/article/111152.html) that said they weren't going to work her in the morning due to heavy rains Monday afternoon, but that FG was going to let them work her 6f in the afternoon today. Glad to see they were able to get the work in during normal hours.

DRF lists two 6f works today at FG, RA and Depaul (2007 c. Dixieland Band - Cool Alice)

[lamboguy]

Interesting, DRF this morning had an article (http://www.drf.com/news/article/111152.html) that said they weren't going to work her in the morning due to heavy rains Monday afternoon, but that FG was going to let them work her 6f in the afternoon today. Glad to see they were able to get the work in during normal hours.

DRF lists two 6f works today at FG, RA and Depaul (2007 c. Dixieland Band - Cool Alice)
thank you, De Paul is now an automatic bet

[FenceBored]

thank you, De Paul is now an automatic bet

8th in the LeComte 2 back, last out 4th in an OCNW1X on Feb 15th which had a winning time of 1:47.73 for the 8.5f on a fast track.

Owner (as of 2/15 race) Elite Thoroughbred Racing LLC.

Record: 5-1-0-0 earnings: $16,880

[CincyHorseplayer]

I like that she got the last quarter in 22 and 3 and "wasn't blowing at all as she left the track"

OK.It wasn't just me that that last quarter jumped out at!!

They're training her to linger and finish.

[Reezy]

http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/sites/fairgroundsracecourse.com/files/imagecache/thickbox_fullsize/sites/fairgroundsracecourse.com/files/100302%20Rachel%20breeze%203%20Web_1.jpg

[johnhannibalsmith]

thank you, De Paul is now an automatic bet

DePaul got outworked by many... not sure if that changes your mind on the "auto" part... he was just a target to pass... not my favorite angle.

[Hanover1]

she is going to be tough as nails, what little chance ZENYATTA had is gone with the increase in distance
I want to agree with you on this in the best way. How would you feel at 10 panels? Zs tremendously long stride brings to mind an old school thought-run all day.......

[born2ride]

TT has a link to a video of Rachel's work

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2010/March/02/Rachel-Alexandra-takes-another-step-forward.aspx

[Saratoga_Mike]

she is going to be tough as nails, what little chance ZENYATTA had is gone with the increase in distance

I've seen you say this before. You believe RA is more assured of winning at the longer distance - what makes you say that?

[only11]

She will beat Zenyatta by 5 lengths at least

::hides::
You cant be serious? :lol:

[Saratoga_Mike]

You cant be serious? :lol:

You think even more? You could be right!

[joanied]

Well, she looks awesome, and on the muscle...bet she's pissed off that she had such a long vacation:D ...this mare needs to run!! They said her gallop yesterday was incredible....my question is...what is all that right hand stuff her rider is doing? She does toss her head to the right alot...he was kinda slapping her neck, bringing the reins way out, even tapped with his whip...I wish they'd get Calvin to work her a couple of times, even gallop her a few times, before her prep race.I think she's going to bust outta the gate in her prep and never look back!!

[johnhannibalsmith]

Well, she looks awesome, and on the muscle...bet she's pissed off that she had such a long vacation:D ...this mare needs to run!! They said her gallop yesterday was incredible....my question is...what is all that right hand stuff her rider is doing? She does toss her head to the right alot...he was kinda slapping her neck, bringing the reins way out, even tapped with his whip...I wish they'd get Calvin to work her a couple of times, even gallop her a few times, before her prep race.I think she's going to bust outta the gate in her prep and never look back!!

In my buddy Dominic's defense - he's a pretty talented kid. If he wasn't quite so big and hadn't been quite so "youthful" when he began riding, he probably could have done pretty well as a jock. With all of his ups and downs throughout his days riding, it's awfully nice to see him achieving success and having this kind of relationship with this amazing filly and finally for once seeming like a kid that's really truly happy doing what he does. :) :)

[born2ride]

Well, she looks awesome, and on the muscle...bet she's pissed off that she had such a long vacation:D ...this mare needs to run!! They said her gallop yesterday was incredible....my question is...what is all that right hand stuff her rider is doing? She does toss her head to the right alot...he was kinda slapping her neck, bringing the reins way out, even tapped with his whip...I wish they'd get Calvin to work her a couple of times, even gallop her a few times, before her prep race.I think she's going to bust outta the gate in her prep and never look back!!
It's Rachel's second work with the figure 8 bridle on, plus this was her first work with another horse as she usually works solo. I'm not going to read too much into the head tossing, it could just be that she was ready to work faster than what Asmussen wanted. Asmussen said yesterday that the figure 8 made her more relaxed, so maybe today she was just feeling good and wanted to put in a faster work. She's been working slower under Asmussen than she did under Wiggins, but that is Asmussen's style. She really looks fantastic. Her final 1/4 was what 22 and change?

[mel4600]

She will beat Zenyatta by 5 lengths at least

::hides::

Wanna bet? Zenyatta is going to blow by her in the lane like she was standing still! :lol:

[bisket]

http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/sites/fairgroundsracecourse.com/files/imagecache/thickbox_fullsize/sites/fairgroundsracecourse.com/files/100302%20Rachel%20breeze%203%20Web_1.jpg
her head is high

[bisket]

zen will pass her in the stretch because she's faster than rachel.

[PaceAdvantage]

You cant be serious? :lol:Dude...Rachel is going to SMOKE Zenyatta...Zenyatta will finally feel what it's like to lose to a superior racehorse...

Jackson wants this one very badly...those laid back Californians ain't going to know what hit them....

It ain't going to be pretty for Zenyatta fanboys...:lol:

[joanied]

In my buddy Dominic's defense - he's a pretty talented kid. If he wasn't quite so big and hadn't been quite so "youthful" when he began riding, he probably could have done pretty well as a jock. With all of his ups and downs throughout his days riding, it's awfully nice to see him achieving success and having this kind of relationship with this amazing filly and finally for once seeming like a kid that's really truly happy doing what he does. :) :)

Hell, you don't have to defend Dominic...he didn't do anything wrong...I think he was doing his best to keep her straight...she really looked like a handful and IMO, I know Assmussen likes the slower works, but seems to me she needs to be blown out an 1/8th...or let her work faster, period...she's just reqlly feeling good!!

[joanied]

It's Rachel's second work with the figure 8 bridle on, plus this was her first work with another horse as she usually works solo. I'm not going to read too much into the head tossing, it could just be that she was ready to work faster than what Asmussen wanted. Asmussen said yesterday that the figure 8 made her more relaxed, so maybe today she was just feeling good and wanted to put in a faster work. She's been working slower under Asmussen than she did under Wiggins, but that is Asmussen's style. She really looks fantastic. Her final 1/4 was what 22 and change?

I wasn't 'reading' anything into her head tossing...but I re read my post...and I think I just didn't say everything right:bang: ...guess I was having a 'duh' moment...
I'll clarify...Dominic is no doubt an excellent ex. boy...he didn't do anything wrong...I wasn't saying he caused her head tossing...and my mention of Calvin getting on her, I should have added, it's getting close to her first race back, and I would think it'd be a good idea to get her and Calvin re-acquainted.
I am sure her tossing is because she is just so full of herself..her gallop the day before was very, very strong...I just didn't use the correct words when I said 'what's the right handed stuff all about'...I didn't mean anything is wrong with her, or that her rider was doing something wrong...it's just that as far as I know, she has never done that before and I wondered about it....my bad:faint:

phew:)

[johnhannibalsmith]

Hell, you don't have to defend Dominic...he didn't do anything wrong...I think he was doing his best to keep her straight...she really looked like a handful and IMO, I know Assmussen likes the slower works, but seems to me she needs to be blown out an 1/8th...or let her work faster, period...she's just reqlly feeling good!!

I actually just watched the video a little while ago... she was quite a handful and it seemed like they were making a real effort to get her to relax and pay attention and she wasn't going for it... sloppy in her leads and wanting to roll by that other horse throughout... I imagine if they decide to work with a target again going that far, they'll probably break the other horse off quite a bit farther in front of her and see if she'll settle a bit more early in the work and pay more attention to the rider and not pay so much attention to the other horse.

I really just wanted to pontificate about the pride I take in seeing Dom being productive and having a relationship on the track that gets him there every morning eager to do his job. ;)

[joanied]

[QUOTE=johnhannibalsmith]I actually just watched the video a little while ago... she was quite a handful and it seemed like they were making a real effort to get her to relax and pay attention and she wasn't going for it... sloppy in her leads and wanting to roll by that other horse throughout... I imagine if they decide to work with a target again going that far, they'll probably break the other horse off quite a bit farther in front of her and see if she'll settle a bit more early in the work and pay more attention to the rider and not pay so much attention to the other horse.
Agreed...sometimes a trainer really needs to adjust HIS way of training to the individual horse...when they get so full of it, all they can think about is go, go, go...and when they can't, they sometimes get real pissy, which is what I beleive Rachel was...just being pissy because she couldn't get her way.
I really just wanted to pontificate about the pride I take in seeing Dom being productive and having a relationship on the track that gets him there every morning eager to do his job. ;)
Sounds like you have a very good relationship with Dominic...and that he has had his share of 'problems'...and has overcome them...and there is no better medicine than to get up in the moring with a purpose and heading out the door to do something that you love and are very good at doing.:ThmbUp:
Be proud...that's a good thing!!

[born2ride]

I wasn't 'reading' anything into her head tossing...but I re read my post...and I think I just didn't say everything right:bang: ...guess I was having a 'duh' moment...
I'll clarify...Dominic is no doubt an excellent ex. boy...he didn't do anything wrong...I wasn't saying he caused her head tossing...and my mention of Calvin getting on her, I should have added, it's getting close to her first race back, and I would think it'd be a good idea to get her and Calvin re-acquainted.
I am sure her tossing is because she is just so full of herself..her gallop the day before was very, very strong...I just didn't use the correct words when I said 'what's the right handed stuff all about'...I didn't mean anything is wrong with her, or that her rider was doing something wrong...it's just that as far as I know, she has never done that before and I wondered about it....my bad:faint:

phew:)
I agree with your post above and this post. I don't think I took it as anything is wrong, or that anybody did anything wrong, just that Rachel is feeling so good and that showed in how Dominic had to hold her back! And yep, I attribute the had tossing to just feeling good. My mare does the head tossing as if she's telling my trainer to not restrain her and just let her go! Though I'd like another work or two before her first race to get her closer to 100%, her first race back will do her wonders.

[born2ride]

her head is high
I checked out yesterday's work video and ran it side by side with one from last year, when full out galloping her head is slightly lower. Her head when restrained is as it was last year - high. Her stride also looks a tad bit longer, but it's hard to tell for sure as yesterday's video is at an angle.

[letswastemoney]

Wanna bet? Zenyatta is going to blow by her in the lane like she was standing still! :lol:
Lethal Heat begs to differ :cool:

[mel4600]

Lethal Heat begs to differ :cool:

Zenyatta is much faster than Rachel. Break down their fractions and you will see that no horse in the history of racing can run a final quarter in 22 and change in a 1 1/16+ mile race. Never in the history of racing has there ever been a horse go last to first and be undefeated after 14 starts. Zenyatta is truly special. ;)

[bisket]

Zenyatta is much faster than Rachel. Break down their fractions and you will see that no horse in the history of racing can run a final quarter in 22 and change in a 1 1/16+ mile race. Never in the history of racing has there ever been a horse go last to first and be undefeated after 14 starts. Zenyatta is truly special. ;)
as stated the winning horseplayer by andy beyer ON PAGE 24 THE WORD THAT FITS ZENYATTA'S ACCELERATION IS ZOOM!!!! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL WHETHER ZENYATTA IS FASTER OR NOT BY LOOKING AT A SPEED FIGURE. EVEN THE ONES THEIR PUSHING ON THIS WEBSITE!! you can get an idea of zenyatta's acceleration by looking at splits in her races and by watching tapes of her races.

[Mineshaft]

Dude...Rachel is going to SMOKE Zenyatta...Zenyatta will finally feel what it's like to lose to a superior racehorse...

Jackson wants this one very badly...those laid back Californians ain't going to know what hit them....

It ain't going to be pretty for Zenyatta fanboys...:lol:





ur joking right?

[PaceAdvantage]

ur joking right?Not in the least. You may want to keep to the first floor on April 9th just to resist temptation once the race is over...

[born2ride]

I mentioned previously that HRTV showed a short piece on Rachel's February 18th work - here is the youtube link - http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePixiePoet#p/u/13/RfLsgiL34_g

[letswastemoney]

Zenyatta is much faster than Rachel. Break down their fractions and you will see that no horse in the history of racing can run a final quarter in 22 and change in a 1 1/16+ mile race. Never in the history of racing has there ever been a horse go last to first and be undefeated after 14 starts. Zenyatta is truly special. ;)
Yes, Zenyatta may be able to run the final quarter that fast.

It's too bad Rachel will be so far ahead by that time that it won't matter :cool:

[Steve R]

I haven't seen the chart, but Silky Sullivan won the 1958 Santa Anita Derby by 3 lengths in a good 1:49.2 after trailing the field by as much as 29 lengths. I'm guessing that last quarter was pretty fast. Maybe someone can locate the chart. In an earlier 6 1/2f turf sprint win he ran the second quarter in 20.4 and the last half in :44.1 after trailing by 40 lengths early.

[Steve R]

Zenyatta is much faster than Rachel. Break down their fractions and you will see that no horse in the history of racing can run a final quarter in 22 and change in a 1 1/16+ mile race. Never in the history of racing has there ever been a horse go last to first and be undefeated after 14 starts. Zenyatta is truly special. ;)
Utter nonsense! In her only race on dirt, she got the last quarter in :23.3 or :23.4 after a half in about :49.1 or :49.2. It is only on an AWS that she gets sub-23 last quarters and top class international turf horses often do that going even longer. BTW, Secretariat got his last quarter in the Derby in :23.2 going 10f, not 8 1/2f, after a half in a similar :49.1 or :49.2.

[born2ride]

I haven't seen the chart, but Silky Sullivan won the 1958 Santa Anita Derby by 3 lengths in a good 1:49.2 after trailing the field by as much as 29 lengths. I'm guessing that last quarter was pretty fast. Maybe someone can locate the chart. In an earlier 6 1/2f turf sprint win he ran the second quarter in 20.4 and the last half in :44.1 after trailing by 40 lengths early.
Silky is famous here in California, buried in the infield at GGF. It's been said that Silky ran the last 1/8 in 10 seconds or less. I don't know if that's true or not, though it's probably fairly close to accurate.

[bisket]

Utter nonsense! In her only race on dirt, she got the last quarter in :23.3 or :23.4 after a half in about :49.1 or :49.2. It is only on an AWS that she gets sub-23 last quarters and top class international turf horses often do that going even longer. BTW, Secretariat got his last quarter in the Derby in :23.2 going 10f, not 8 1/2f, after a half in a similar :49.1 or :49.2.
hmmm so now we're comparing zens last 1/4 with secratariate. tells ya something.....

[Lsheker]

If you break down the chart for the SA Oaks, you'll see that Blind Luck ran a sub :23 last quarter in the 8.5f race to lose by a couple of heads. Pretty common for closers to put up fast closing fractions on synthetics - especially off of slow opening fractions.

[Lsheker]

Zenyatta is much faster than Rachel. Break down their fractions and you will see that no horse in the history of racing can run a final quarter in 22 and change in a 1 1/16+ mile race. Never in the history of racing has there ever been a horse go last to first and be undefeated after 14 starts. Zenyatta is truly special. ;)

Blind Luck just ran a sub :23 last quarter in the SA Oaks. Still lost, but it's not that uncommon to see fast closing fractions on synthetics and turf. Surely you don't put Blind Luck on your list of all-time greats.

[atlasaxis]

Interesting, DRF this morning had an article (http://www.drf.com/news/article/111152.html) that said they weren't going to work her in the morning due to heavy rains Monday afternoon, but that FG was going to let them work her 6f in the afternoon today. Glad to see they were able to get the work in during normal hours.

DRF lists two 6f works today at FG, RA and Depaul (2007 c. Dixieland Band - Cool Alice)


thank you, De Paul is now an automatic bet

Results for Race 2

1st 5 DEPAUL $5.40 $2.80 $2.40
2nd 4 FLATTER THAN ME $2.80$2.40
3rd 7 CAMP BRET $4.00
4th 1 REBEL RAIDER

Thanks guys, good call Lamboguy!!

[Mineshaft]

ur joking right?






do you still feel Rachael will SMOKE Zenyatta? whenever they meet up i might add.

[PaceAdvantage]

do you still feel Rachael will SMOKE Zenyatta? whenever they meet up i might add.I certainly do.