Rachel Alexandra Coming Back To Monmouth - Page 2 - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

ArlJim78 · 07-01-2010, 05:52 PM

It looks more like a case of timing dictating the race, of wanting to run on that specific date to set-up the rest of the campaign.

Tom · 07-01-2010, 06:24 PM

Ungraded, inflated purse, tomato can race at Monmouth.

andymays · 07-01-2010, 06:34 PM

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/rac...-Monmouth.aspx

Excerpt:

Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs, racing manager for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and wife of trainer John Shirreffs, said Thursday afternoon that Monmouth contacted Team Zenyatta about running in either the Lady’s Secret Stakes or the Molly Pitcher.

“They had reached out to us, but we graciously declined,” Ingordo-Shirreffs said. “They were nice about it, and they did call, but at this point in time it didn’t fit into what we want to do at this point in time.

“We’re still making a decision [as to Zenyatta’s next start]. We’re waiting to see how the surface is at Del Mar. That’s one of the considerations, to see what the surface is like.”

Kulina would not say what the purse would have been for a race that featured both Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, though he intimated that it would have been substantially more than the $400,000 currently on offer for the Lady’s Secret if Rachel Alexandra starts.

“If both horses had committed, we’d have made it worthy of both horses,” Kulina said. “We knew it was a longshot, and we took it.”

andymays · 07-01-2010, 06:44 PM

http://www.drf.com/news/article/114353.html

Excerpt:

Rachel Alexandra is currently stabled at Saratoga after having shipped from Churchill Downs on Wednesday. The new date of the Lady's Secret corresponds with opening weekend of the Saratoga meet. Saratoga has a Rachel Alexandra hat giveaway scheduled for Aug. 8.

NYRA officials expressed disappointment that Rachel Alexandra would not be running in the Grade 1, $250,000 Ruffian at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on Aug. 1. Rachel Alexandra capped her perfect Horse of the Year campaign in 2009 with a rafter-shaking victory in the Woodward against older males.

"We are puzzled and disappointed that Rachel Alexandra, who performed so well at Saratoga last year, is passing up the Grade 1 Ruffian to run in a non-graded race at Monmouth over the same distance," NYRA president Charles Hayward said in a prepared statement . "We remain hopeful that the Saratoga fans will have the opportunity to see Rachel later in the meet."

Mike Dempsey, the racing secretary at Monmouth Park, said, "There are no appearance fees for anyone involved, and there is not a charity involvement at this time, even though something could come together later on."
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I don't blame NYRA for being pissed. This deal has "strange" written all over it. There has to be more to the story.

Dahoss9698 · 07-01-2010, 07:04 PM

Pretty bush league on Jess Jackson's part. Feels like an appearance fee is driving this.

sandpit · 07-01-2010, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andymays

http://www.drf.com/news/article/114353.html

Excerpt:
Mike Dempsey, the racing secretary at Monmouth Park, said, "There are no appearance fees for anyone involved, and there is not a charity involvement at this time, even though something could come together later on."
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I don't blame NYRA for being pissed. This deal has "strange" written all over it. There has to be more to the story.

No appearance fee...does this guy think the public is full of morons (don't answer that). The purse goes from $150K to $400K if Rachel runs. That sounds like an appearance fee to me, only difference is that everybody running gets a cut. But when she gallops like Oprah going after a baked ham, she's gonna get about $250K, interestingly just about they amount the jacked the purse.

I agree with cjd...run them with some creativity, or put them out to pasture.

cj · 07-01-2010, 07:19 PM

It looks like the duck count is now one to one.

joanied · 07-01-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andymays

Stevie Belmont got tweeted.

He broke the story.

It's a little surprising they did this with Monmouth.

Who knows how the real deal was made and what it took to make it.

Oops...you're right...STEVIE B... YOU beat me to it

Yeah, kinda weird they just got her to Saratoga, then she'll ship down to Monmouth...and we'll never know what kind of deal was made...besides what was published. But...me thinks it doesn't matter.
I will be very interested in how many deals they make to get several other horses to run in there against her.

Jasonm921 · 07-01-2010, 07:22 PM

One good thing is that Monmouth has 3 weeks to put together a promotion for this appearance. Can't hurt their attendance much with this move. They took a shot and Jackson took the bate. Kudos to monmouth for having the drive to not sit on their laurels and try to recruit talent to their track. Good job Monmouth.

Jasonm921 · 07-01-2010, 07:24 PM

Joanied, I think your right. Monmouth is probably not done wheelin and dealing yet. Maybe a Life at Ten invitation and incentive?

Dahoss9698 · 07-01-2010, 07:30 PM

Monmouth is like the racetrack version of Godolphin.

Spalding No! · 07-01-2010, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasonm921

Joanied, I think your right. Monmouth is probably not done wheelin and dealing yet. Maybe a Life at Ten invitation and incentive?

They're gonna have to dig deep if they think Life At Ten is going to forego the $750,000 purse at Delaware to take on Rachel Alexandra.

cj · 07-01-2010, 07:36 PM

I want to know what happens if the Delmar surface sucks (it will!)? Then what for Zenyatta? What happens after Rachel beats a bunch of stiffs for 400k? Maybe they can meet in an allowance race at Canterbury.

Cardus · 07-01-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj

I want to know what happens if the Delmar surface sucks (it will!)? Then what for Zenyatta? What happens after Rachel beats a bunch of stiffs for 400k? Maybe they can meet in an allowance race at Canterbury.

I was at Canterbury earlier this month, and it would be an ideal place at which to meet.

That's all I have to say.

Spalding No! · 07-01-2010, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj

I want to know what happens if the Delmar surface sucks (it will!)? Then what for Zenyatta? What happens after Rachel beats a bunch of stiffs for 400k? Maybe they can meet in an allowance race at Canterbury.

I liked the last couple of quotes from Team Zenyatta regarding her future starts.

Today's classic "we're considering other options...like how the Del Mar surface is playing" response when invited to run in the Monmouth race is the most recent.

Last week, when asked if they had considered any out-of-town races should the Del Mar surface not be to their liking, their response: "Nope."