Fleur De Lis or Stephen Foster for Rachel Alexandra?

[WinterTriangle]

I am so excited to see her race. If I owned her, I think I'd get her into a spot where she can win, to get her mind and body back into the track?


According to these 2 nominations, HOY Rachel would get 124 in Fleur De Lis, spotting her competitors 6-12 lbs in a G2 race.

At 118 in the Stephen Foster, she gets 9 pounds from Quality Road who's 127lb highweight in a G1 race.

Which would you choose for her? What will Jackson choose? I can't really decide, I have to think further about it.:confused: Nervous. :eek:


Nominations below:

THE FLEUR DE LIS HANDICAP(Grade II)
Horse Weight Trainer
RACHEL ALEXANDRA 124 Steven M. Asmussen
FUNNY MOON 118 Christophe Clement
MADE FOR MAGIC 117 A. C. Avila
BE FAIR 116 D. Wayne Lukas
JESSICA IS BACK 116 Martin D. Wolfson
MISS SINGHSIX (IRE) 116 Martin D. Wolfson
TAPTAM 116 W. Bret Calhoun
THIRD DAWN 116 John W. Sadler
LUNA VEGA 115 Steven M. Asmussen
MORENA (PER) 115 Michael R. Matz
SUPERIOR STORM 115 Richard D. Jackson
WAR ECHO 115 Steven M. Asmussen
WYNNING RIDE 115 Bob Baffert
DISTINCTIVE DIXIE 114 Wallace A. Dollase
HIGHTAP 114 Steven M. Asmussen
CHERRYBLOSSOMMISS 113 John W. Sadler
MANITOBA MISS 113 George Weaver
MILLION SELLER 113 H. Graham Motion
MULTIPASS 113 Eddie Kenneally
TARHEEL GIRL 112 Philip J. Oliver

THE STEPHEN FOSTER HANDICAP(Grade I)
Horse Weight Trainer
QUALITY ROAD 127 Todd A. Pletcher
RAIL TRIP 122 Ronald W. Ellis
ARSON SQUAD 120 Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.
BLAME 120 Albert M. Stall, Jr.
GENERAL QUARTERS 120 Thomas R. McCarthy
BATTLE PLAN 119 Todd A. Pletcher
MUSKET MAN 118 Derek S. Ryan
RACHEL ALEXANDRA (F) 118 Steven M. Asmussen
NO ADVANTAGE 117 Stephanie S. Beattie
ALCOMO (BRZ) 116 Eduardo Caramori
BULLSBAY 116 H. Graham Motion
DUKE OF MISCHIEF 116 David Fawkes
FLYING PRIVATE 116 D. Wayne Lukas
MACHO AGAIN 116 Dallas Stewart
COOL COAL MAN 115 Nicholas P. Zito
DEMARCATION 115 Paul J. McGee
GIANT OAK 115 Chris M. Block
HONEST MAN 115 Anthony W. Dutrow
A. U. MINER 113 Clark Hanna

[FenceBored]

I'd rather they ran her in the Foster, but think Jennie Rees is right that they'll focus more on getting a win and opt for the Fleur de Lis.

Jennie Rees put's the odds for the 4 potential races like this:

Here's my morning line on where Rachel runs (and thanks to New York Daily News turf writer and handicapper Jerry Bossart for his assistance in helping me balance the line):

Fleur de Lis: 2-5

Ogden Phipps: 2-1

Stephen Foster: 10-1

Obeah: 20-1

She doesn't run Saturday: 30-1

-- http://racing.courier-journal.com/2010/06/weighting-chances-of-where-rachel-runs.html

[ghostyapper]

Have they finally narrowed it down to these 2 races now? I'd say that's progress even considering we are only 5 days away.

What a joke of a weight assignment in both races for the defending HOY. 118 lbs in the foster???? Ponies carry more than that.

They've gotta take a shot in the foster. A 3rd straight loss to her own sex would mean retirement.

[Hedevar]

Have they finally narrowed it down to these 2 races now? I'd say that's progress even considering we are only 5 days away.

What a joke of a weight assignment in both races for the defending HOY. 118 lbs in the foster???? Ponies carry more than that.

They've gotta take a shot in the foster. A 3rd straight loss to her own sex would mean retirement.

There is no way Quality Road goes in the Foster. The Foster is for both genders, thus the weight. I wouldn't talk about weight assignments as jokes with the hometown impost Zenyatta was assigned. By the way do any Zenyatta supporters know how to capitalize the name of a race?

[slew101]

I doubt they are seriously considering the Foster off her last two races. I think the 1-turn race at Belmont would be a better spot for her.

[Gorgeous George]

There is no way Quality Road goes in the Foster. The Foster is for both genders, thus the weight. I wouldn't talk about weight assignments as jokes with the hometown impost Zenyatta was assigned. By the way do any Zenyatta supporters know how to capitalize the name of a race?

Whats this thread got to do with Zenyatta???

It's a jealous infatuation that breeds hatred...sad really.

[SoCalCircuit]

Definitely gotta go with one of the Churchill races so Bo-Rail doesnt screw it up

[Hedevar]

Whats this thread got to do with Zenyatta???

It's a jealous infatuation that breeds hatred...sad really.

What is sad is that most Zenyatta supporters cannot punctuate or capitalize.

Additionally. if weight is raised as an issue, it is fair game for both horses. No jealousy or hatred.

[Gorgeous George]

What is sad is that most Zenyatta supporters cannot punctuate or capitalize.

Additionally. if weight is raised as an issue, it is fair game for both horses. No jealousy or hatred.

A coma should follow 'Additionally' ;) and the 'if' should be capitalized ;)

Why does any weight issue have to relate to Zenyatta when she wasnt mentioned in the thread?

[Hedevar]

A coma should follow 'Additionally' ;) and the 'if' should be capitalized ;)

Why does any weight issue have to relate to Zenyatta when she wasnt mentioned in the thread?

You are correct I hit the period rather than the comma after additionally. Perhaps I was lapsing into a coma. The light weight assigned to Rachel Alexandra was mentioned, with the ongoing rivalry the hometown impost assigned to Zenyatta became fair game.

[FenceBored]

Have they finally narrowed it down to these 2 races now? I'd say that's progress even considering we are only 5 days away.

What a joke of a weight assignment in both races for the defending HOY. 118 lbs in the foster???? Ponies carry more than that.


Gee, maybe you missed it, having to work late again and all, but she's lost twice this year at 123-124. Take 3 pounds off for distaff allowance (Jennie got me mixed up earlier) and you're looking at 120-121. With the losses, and stepping up from a G2(f) to an open G1 give the horse another 2lbs off, and you're looking at 118-119. Simple, logical, right.


They've gotta take a shot in the foster. A 3rd straight loss to her own sex would mean retirement.

I'm so glad the connections didn't listen to you when Skip Away came back as a 4yo with 4 straight losses, or had another 3 race losing streak later in the year. :rolleyes:

[Gorgeous George]

You are correct I hit the period rather than the comma after additionally. Perhaps I was lapsing into a coma. The light weight assigned to Rachel Alexandra was mentioned, with the ongoing rivalry the hometown impost assigned to Zenyatta became fair game.

Well then you shouldn't mouth about other people’s errors when you make them as well. Yes the light weight assigned to Rachel Alexandra was mentioned but after reading the previous posts again I still can’t see anything mentioned regarding Zenyatta so either your seeing something we are not or you’re infatuated with her.



By the way a semi-colon should have come after 'mentioned' not a comma or a simple 'and' would have sufficed. You already knew that though ;)

[Hedevar]

Well then you shouldn't mouth about other people’s errors when you make them as well. Yes the light weight assigned to Rachel Alexandra was mentioned but after reading the previous posts again I still can’t see anything mentioned regarding Zenyatta so either your seeing something we are not or you’re infatuated with her.



By the way a semi-colon should have come after 'mentioned' not a comma or a simple 'and' would have sufficed. You already knew that though ;)



Perhaps you were lapsing into a coma when you had your mouth open.

[Robert Goren]

There is no way that she will run against QR at this time. She has to prove that she can beat the tomato cans this year before they go after him. JMO

[Gorgeous George]

Perhaps you were lapsing into a coma when you had your mouth open.

Tuck your tail between your legs and move on

try http://www.grammar-monster.com/ :ThmbUp:

[Hedevar]

Tuck your tail between your legs and move on

try http://www.grammar-monster.com/ :ThmbUp:

It may save your life or that of a loved one to know the difference between a comma and a coma.

[andymays]

'Very smooth' work for Rachel Alexandra

http://www.drf.com/news/article/113667.html

Excerpt:

"She looked pretty, she looked good," said Asmussen. "Very smooth. That's what we were looking for, something nice and smooth like that."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm on record as saying they should have retired her after her first comeback race and I'll stick by it. When he says "very smooth" I'm thinking I hope so. Then I'm thinking... is he saying that her other works have not been smooth? That's what clockers were reporting prior to her first comeback race.

Having said all that I hope she proves me wrong.

[Robert Goren]

It may save your life or that of a loved one to know the difference between a comma and a coma.:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Gorgeous George]

It may save your life or that of a loved one to know the difference between a comma and a coma.

very witty:lol:

[Gorgeous George]

I would be very surprised if Rachel’s connections didn't choose the Fleur De Lis over the Foster. She has been beaten twice by lower calibre horses and throwing her into the Foster would be suicide.

[ghostyapper]

There is no way that she will run against QR at this time. She has to prove that she can beat the tomato cans this year before they go after him. JMO

Quality Road won't be running in the foster so that's why they're still considering it. He'll probably run next in the whitney.

[PhantomOnTour]

A coma should follow 'Additionally' ;) and the 'if' should be capitalized ;)

Why does any weight issue have to relate to Zenyatta when she wasnt mentioned in the thread?
An apostrophe should have been used in the above word in bold....wasn't, not wasnt, right?
Love it when folks make grammatical errors while correcting the grammar of other folks :rolleyes: ...twaaaaaaaaa.

(now let me proofread this thoroughly before it hit 'submit' :) )

P.S.-Neither Rachel nor Quality Road are going in the Foster. Pletcher stated he will run 2 or 3 more times this year, and that race isn't on the schedule.

[ghostyapper]

Gee, maybe you missed it, having to work late again and all, but she's lost twice this year at 123-124. Take 3 pounds off for distaff allowance (Jennie got me mixed up earlier) and you're looking at 120-121. With the losses, and stepping up from a G2(f) to an open G1 give the horse another 2lbs off, and you're looking at 118-119. Simple, logical, right.


I'm so glad the connections didn't listen to you when Skip Away came back as a 4yo with 4 straight losses, or had another 3 race losing streak later in the year. :rolleyes:

I never said they should retire her but I think they definitely will if she were to lose again to her own sex. Look how they've been scrambling and looking for answers after each of her 2 loses. With a 3rd one what else will they do or try? And how lame can you be with defending the joke of 118 lbs? 2 lbs for stepping up to a G1? This is the HOY we're talking about here. Supposedly she ran "better" in her second start right? 118 is a joke and you know it.

[OntheRail]

I never said they should retire her but I think they definitely will if she were to lose again to her own sex. Look how they've been scrambling and looking for answers after each of her 2 loses. With a 3rd one what else will they do or try? And how lame can you be with defending the joke of 118 lbs? 2 lbs for stepping up to a G1? This is the HOY we're talking about here. Supposedly she ran "better" in her second start right? 118 is a joke and you know it.

Well I think the non weight assigned to Zenyatta is weak... 129 lbs for her against those runners is a joke. Why are you not poking your finger in the air screaming about that? Cause your bias... and we all know it. ;)

[Robert Goren]

Well I think the non weight assigned to Zenyatta is weak... 129 lbs for her against those runners is a joke. Why are you not poking your finger in the air screaming about that? Cause your bias... and we all know it. ;) They don't put weight on horses like they use to. The upper limit seems to be 129-130 these days. It is not like it matters anyway.

[wisconsin]

Well I think the non weight assigned to Zenyatta is weak... 129 lbs for her against those runners is a joke. Why are you not poking your finger in the air screaming about that? Cause your bias... and we all know it. ;)

What champions have actually carried 129 lbs in recent memory? I sure can't recall. 129 is 129. It's quite an impost in today's racing scene. In fact, it's a compliment.

[ghostyapper]

Well I think the non weight assigned to Zenyatta is weak... 129 lbs for her against those runners is a joke. Why are you not poking your finger in the air screaming about that? Cause your bias... and we all know it. ;)

What's interesting is people are screaming about zenyatta only being assigned 129 and are defending rachel being assigned 118 and I'm the one that's biased :lol:

[OntheRail]

They don't put weight on horses like they use to. The upper limit seems to be 129-130 these days. It is not like it matters anyway.
Oh I know that... that's why we have some many 115 lbs +2 after lunch if the Jockey's eat more then a pickel without a BM. :lol:

Still kinda sad though and really does not help the game a bit... ;)

[Black Ruby]

I bet Asmussen and Jackson are wishing Borel's eye infection would return this week.

[OntheRail]

What's interesting is people are screaming about zenyatta only being assigned 129 and are defending rachel being assigned 118.

One is OPEN COMPANY and the other is the Restricted to F.M.'s. :rolleyes:

Do you think Zenyatta was assigned honest weight against this group of runners?

and I'm the one that's biased :lol:

Yes... YOU ARE. :lol:

[tbwinner]

Fleur de Lis for Rachel, no doubts about it. They just want a win for her after that last performance.

[ghostyapper]

One is OPEN COMPANY and the other is the Restricted to F.M.'s. :rolleyes:

Do you think Zenyatta was assigned honest weight against this group of runners?

Yes... YOU ARE. :lol:

First off open company does not make up 11 lbs. And 2nd her weight assignment in the restricted race is still 5 lbs LESS than that supposedly terrible 129 assignment that everyone is outraged over. Where's the outrage here? Oh that's right, it's for the adored rachel so she gets a pass.

Did I mention we're 5 days away and her connections have still not committed to a race yet? Another pass.

[classhandicapper]

If I was making decisions for the Rachel camp I would run in the easier race (I assume that means the Fleur de Lis). I see no reason to seek out challenges and tough races when the goal remains the Breeder's Cup. She hasn't even returned to her top form of last year as of her last race.

As to the 129 assigned Zenyatta, I can't believe anyone on earth considers that an easy weight assignment. Even in the glory days of the 70s very few horses were assigned that much weight. When they were it was usually a champion older COLT or GELDING. 129 on the scale is well into the 130s. That's unheard of now.

I think weight is one of the most overrated factors in racing, but even I can see her getting beat by the combination of a slow pace and 129. In fact, if the race comes up paceless and anyone can run at all, it almost seems likely. I may take a shot against her for the first time ever given that she also has not revealed with 100% certainly that she's as good now as her peak performances of the past and is carrying that much.

Some of you guys are comical beyond belief.

If you want to gloat about her defeat so badly, why not just insist she run in the Breeder's Cup Sprint on an inside speed biased dirt track from the 14 post carrying 140 pounds.

[FenceBored]

What's interesting is people are screaming about zenyatta only being assigned 129 and are defending rachel being assigned 118 and I'm the one that's biased :lol:

Glad to see you admit it.

[FenceBored]

First off open company does not make up 11 lbs. And 2nd her weight assignment in the restricted race is still 5 lbs LESS than that supposedly terrible 129 assignment that everyone is outraged over. Where's the outrage here? Oh that's right, it's for the adored rachel so she gets a pass.

Did I mention we're 5 days away and her connections have still not committed to a race yet? Another pass.

Get a grip, yapper, you're losing it.

One the one hand we have a mare who ran in this very same Vanity Handicap last year and was assigned ... ? 129 What has she done since receiving that assignment? She won the G1 Vanity, and then rattled off 5 more G1 wins, for a total of 6 more G1 wins. What does she get assigned this year? 129. There's your joke. What does she have to do to get that extra pound added to make an even 130?

On the other hand you have a filly who has never run in a handicap, therefore you have to start from WFA to make adjustments. While Rachel was an undefeated HOY last year, she has not gotten it on track this year. She's run two races under allowance conditions and lost both (as you're so quick to point out when you aren't trying to avoid the issue, as you are now) against non-top class competition. For the G2 (f) Fleur de Lis her assignment is the same as the G2 (f) La Troienne, 124. For the open company G1 Foster she's is making a step up in class from the level she lost at. At worst she works from the 124 and gets the 3lb break for being female to settle at 121. But, with a class rise after a loss, you should drop a few pounds. You want to argue that she should get 119, not 118 I'll go along with that, okay?

[Hedevar]

First off open company does not make up 11 lbs. And 2nd her weight assignment in the restricted race is still 5 lbs LESS than that supposedly terrible 129 assignment that everyone is outraged over. Where's the outrage here? Oh that's right, it's for the adored rachel so she gets a pass.

Did I mention we're 5 days away and her connections have still not committed to a race yet? Another pass.

Rachel Alexandra has been assigned 124 pounds for the Fleur De Lis. Of the horses nominated to run against her she is giving six pounds to Funny Moon a Grade 1 winner, seven pounds to Made For Magic a Grade 2 winner and eight pounds to Jessica Is Back who ran second in the Sunshine Millions Distaff. Any Grade 1 winners nominated to run against Zenyatta?

[ghostyapper]

Some of you guys are comical beyond belief.

If you want to gloat about her defeat so badly, why not just insist she run in the Breeder's Cup Sprint on an inside speed biased dirt track from the 14 post carrying 140 pounds.

What's even more comical (coward really) is they hide behind the "we just want to see her challenged to prove her greatness" mantra instead of just admitting their true intentions that they want to see her get beat. Of course when it comes to Rachel then the kid gloves come on and 120 is too much.

And by the way I think 140 would be too light for her for a sprint. Since it's a shorter distance they'd argue she should carry around 155lbs.

[FenceBored]

What's even more comical (coward really) is they hide behind the "we just want to see her challenged to prove her greatness" mantra instead of just admitting their true intentions that they want to see her get beat. Of course when it comes to Rachel then the kid gloves come on and 120 is too much.

And by the way I think 140 would be too light for her for a sprint. Since it's a shorter distance they'd argue she should carry around 155lbs.

Projecting again?

[PaceAdvantage]

I know ghostyapper is apoplectic that I didn't jump in and start deleting the off-topic Zenyatta replies and personal dust up between Hedevar and Gorgeous George.

I would have if not for the fact I was MIA for the past 36 hours...sorry I can't be on here 24/7...I try...but I am just one man...

[PaceAdvantage]

I bet Asmussen and Jackson are wishing Borel's eye infection would return this week.Why would they need a reason? All they need to do is think that another jockey would be a better fit at this time, and poof...off he goes...

[sonnyp]

he'll be gone