Zen, RA, QR in the Stephen Foster?

[horses4courses]

How about a June 12th showdown at Churchill Downs?

Stephen Foster H'cap - 9 furlongs on the MT

Shouldn't be hard to get a sponsor to bump up the $600k purse.

It's a longshot, but a nice prospect...... :)

[bisket]

i think there is a chance both qa and zen will be there. i don't think you'll be seeing rachel running at this level any time soon.

[FenceBored]

i think there is a chance both qa and zen will be there. i don't think you'll be seeing rachel running at this level any time soon.

Quality Road is being pointed to the Met Mile on May 31st. The Stephen Foster is June 12th.

[bisket]

thanks fenceboard. you know i remember reading that now. its a shame top horses can avoid each other all the time, but its a fact of the game in these day and times. there's definately to many graded races.

[sandpit]

Rachel is being pointed to a race on Oaks day at CD, called the La Troienne I think, so she could easily make the Foster a month and a half later.

[PaceAdvantage]

i don't think you'll be seeing rachel running at this level any time soon.We get it. How many times do you think we need to hear you state this opinion?

What level, per chance, do you think we're going to see her at? Allowance Optional Claimers?

[bisket]

We get it. How many times do you think we need to hear you state this opinion?

What level, per chance, do you think we're going to see her at? Allowance Optional Claimers?
just repeating what assmussen stated in hovdey's blog

[PaceAdvantage]

just repeating what assmussen stated in hovdey's blogHovdey's blog states no such thing. Nowhere in his blog of 4/10/10 does it even speculate at what level Rachel will appear next.

All it states is that "while Rachel Alexandra is in fine fettle physically, his crew has been so far 'unsuccessful' in returning her to what Asmussen defines as her competitive level of last year."

Meaning, her head isn't screwed on right.

[bisket]

Hovdey's blog states no such thing. Nowhere in his blog of 4/10/10 does it even speculate at what level Rachel will appear next.

All it states is that "while Rachel Alexandra is in fine fettle physically, his crew has been so far 'unsuccessful' in returning her to what Asmussen defines as her competitive level of last year."

Meaning, her head isn't screwed on right.
thats what i said, but not in so many words.

[BluegrassProf]

i think there is a chance both qa and zen will be there. i don't think you'll be seeing rachel running at this level any time soon. :D

Gah...even with the 30-second memory, this sentence makes so little sense. :bang:

Please, man. It's time to take off the "I HEART ZZZZZ!" tshirt.

The way you refer to Steve A.'s comments speaks volumes as to your objectivity (or lack thereof) in looking at the game at the moment. As PA says, perhaps it's hit saturation.

[miesque]

Rachel is being pointed to a race on Oaks day at CD, called the La Troienne I think, so she could easily make the Foster a month and a half later.



I am not posting this directed at you but because I keep seeing different people posting/commenting that Rachel is being pointed to the La Troienne stakes. However, I have yet to see anything definitive from the Rachel camp regarding that race. All the remarks about Rachel's status froom her connections even just a recent as Asmussen on Saturday have been very vague and non-commital, not even giving a potential forecast of when she will return to the races and which races they are going to target. I know it has been referenced in the press a few times but its in a couched, speculative manner.

[Fager Fan]

thanks fenceboard. you know i remember reading that now. its a shame top horses can avoid each other all the time, but its a fact of the game in these day and times. there's definately to many graded races.

They announced this race for Quality Road a long time ago. Shirreffs is certainly free to enter Zenyatta.

[Show Me the Wire]

...... I know it has been referenced in the press a few times but its in a couched, speculative manner.

Very speculative, based on the conjecture of the CD communications director. Sort of prod to the connections as CD would like to host a rematch of Zardana and Rachel.

Personally, I don't think it will happen.

[FenceBored]

Shirreffs said the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap over 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs on June 12 is a possibility. ...

On the local front at Hollywood Park, the $250,000 Vanity Handicap for fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles on June 13 or the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup over 1 1/4 miles against males on July 10 are also possibilities. Shirreffs expressed concern about the Hollywood Park races, worried that Zenyatta would be burdened with a high weight in those handicaps. She carried a career-high assignment of 129 pounds in the 2009 Vanity Handicap.
-- http://www.drf.com/news/article/112109.html
Why just worry about the weights at Hollywood? It's not like the Stephen Foster is weight for age.

[born2ride]

just repeating what assmussen stated in hovdey's blog
Hovdey's blog is fantasy. Had you taken the time to listen to what Asmussen actually said, what Hovdey writes is not what Asmussen said. Hovdey is using creative license to link two different statements to form his opinion of where Rachel is training wise.

[born2ride]

Hovdey's blog states no such thing. Nowhere in his blog of 4/10/10 does it even speculate at what level Rachel will appear next.

All it states is that "while Rachel Alexandra is in fine fettle physically, his crew has been so far 'unsuccessful' in returning her to what Asmussen defines as her competitive level of last year."

Meaning, her head isn't screwed on right.
Hovdey is in outer space.

What Asmussen said was "[they were] very unsuccessful trying to adjust her system", "[we're] trying to get back in a rhythm that we've had success with last year".

At no time did Asmussen say they have been so far unsuccessful in returning Rachel to her competitive level of last year. That's a concoction of Hovdey's to twist together two separate statements from Asmussen.

[born2ride]

I am not posting this directed at you but because I keep seeing different people posting/commenting that Rachel is being pointed to the La Troienne stakes. However, I have yet to see anything definitive from the Rachel camp regarding that race. All the remarks about Rachel's status froom her connections even just a recent as Asmussen on Saturday have been very vague and non-commital, not even giving a potential forecast of when she will return to the races and which races they are going to target. I know it has been referenced in the press a few times but its in a couched, speculative manner.
There may not be anything in the press, but my friend talked to Blasi at the Fair Grounds and he said the LT is what they're aiming for but it all depends on how well Rachel is coming along with training. I believe they may be giving up on trying the figure 8 and getting Rachel to rate, and going back to getting her natural rhythm back.

[bisket]

as usual they'll wait to see the probable starters and won't say anything until about 2 weeks before the race. they did this repeatedly last year. avoiding any race that has any early speed with class in it. last year it was quality road that they avoided with their schedule. i'm curious to see if they enter a race with careless jewel in it. i know she faded badly, but her ladies classic did impress me last year. if that was on dirt we would have been saying wow!! after that race in my opinion.

[PaceAdvantage]

as usual they'll wait to see the probable starters and won't say anything until about 2 weeks before the race. they did this repeatedly last year. avoiding any race that has any early speed with class in it. last year it was quality road that they avoided with their schedule. i'm curious to see if they enter a race with careless jewel in it. i know she faded badly, but her ladies classic did impress me last year. if that was on dirt we would have been saying wow!! after that race in my opinion.I'm thinking they're going to go for a nice $50,000 claimer going 6f at Saratoga for their next start. What do you think bisket?

[hazzardm]

There may not be anything in the press, but my friend talked to Blasi at the Fair Grounds and he said the LT is what they're aiming for but it all depends on how well Rachel is coming along with training. I believe they may be giving up on trying the figure 8 and getting Rachel to rate, and going back to getting her natural rhythm back.

CD has the La Troienne at 8.5f this year on Oaks Day. I thought it was previously a 7.5f race always held on Thurday?????

[statik27]

CD has the La Troienne at 8.5f this year on Oaks Day. I thought it was previously a 7.5f race always held on Thurday?????

I believe that became the Eight Belles. The La Troienne used to be the Louisville Distaff, I think.

[hazzardm]

I believe that became the Eight Belles. The La Troienne used to be the Louisville Distaff, I think.

thanks

[bisket]

I'm thinking they're going to go for a nice $50,000 claimer going 6f at Saratoga for their next start. What do you think bisket?
i think she'll probably be up to it :D, but i hope she only runs just fast enough to win ;)

[Pick6]

I'm thinking they're going to go for a nice $50,000 claimer going 6f at Saratoga for their next start. What do you think bisket?
Optional, I hope.

[PaceAdvantage]

Optional, I hope.Why risk finishing off the board?