Rachel faces full field on Saturday...haha!! - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

joanied · 03-08-2010, 04:46 PM

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/rac...ns-Ladies.aspx

Should provide her with her best 'work' to date

born2ride · 03-08-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joanied

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/rac...ns-Ladies.aspx

Should provide her with her best 'work' to date

Not sure if you've seen this already joanied, a few days back the Fair Grounds posted a video of her work on 2/24...
http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/video

Dominic has a heck of a lot of horse under him!

tzipi · 03-08-2010, 06:29 PM

Todays NY Daily News:
Asmussen: "I'm very concerned about her fitness level. Her gallops have been very strong. She's not 100% fit for this and we're aware of this"

I'm not too worried. It's not much of a field. It's just a light race tightner trainers use for top horses to get their legs back. Don't think she needs to be 100% running wise here.

The Paddock Room · 03-08-2010, 06:33 PM

Why do we even have Handicap races in the United States any more?

RA at 123..are you kidding?

Uh..I thought the idea behind handicap races was to make it so each contestant has an even chance of winning?

The 4 glorifed allowance runners RA is facing should be given 12-15 pounds, if not more, from the 2009 Horse of the Year Proxy Champ..

Hanover1 · 03-08-2010, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzipi

Todays NY Daily News:
Asmussen: "I'm very concerned about her fitness level. Her gallops have been very strong. She's not 100% fit for this and we're aware of this"

I'm not too worried. It's not much of a field. It's just a light race tightner trainers use for top horses to get their legs back. Don't think she needs to be 100% running wise here.

A case of CYA if she loses perhaps? A poster mentioned earlier that if she loses anytime this year, this race would be a good time to look for a price against, and it warrants a look? From a training perspective, I would be more concerned with her the few days after this race rather than its outcome. Want her at her best next out, not this one.......Many believe that even at 80% fitness level, she should prevail, and perhaps they are right. I still would shop around for above reasons.....

born2ride · 03-08-2010, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Paddock Room

Why do we even have Handicap races in the United States any more?

RA at 123..are you kidding?

Uh..I thought the idea behind handicap races was to make it so each contestant has an even chance of winning?

The 4 glorifed allowance runners RA is facing should be given 12-15 pounds, if not more, from the 2009 Horse of the Year Proxy Champ..

The New Orleans Ladies is NOT a handicap. Here are the race conditions:

Weight : 123 Lbs. Non-winners of a Grade I stakes at a mile or over since August 13th, 2009 allowed 2 lbs, of a Grade I or II stakes at a mile or over since June 13th, 2009 allowed 4 lbs, $50,000 twice at a mile or over since April 13th, 2009 allowed 6 Lbs

On the other hand, the Santa Margarita IS a handicap, and the 127lb Zen will carry is a joke. She started last year carrying 126lb, wins 5 in a row extending her unbeaten streak to 14 and they only add 1 additional lb to her first start back this year compared to last year.

Robert Goren · 03-08-2010, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzipi

Todays NY Daily News:
Asmussen: "I'm very concerned about her fitness level. Her gallops have been very strong. She's not 100% fit for this and we're aware of this"

Give me a break. Don't start making excuses until you know whether or not that you are going to need them.

joanied · 03-08-2010, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by born2ride

Not sure if you've seen this already joanied, a few days back the Fair Grounds posted a video of her work on 2/24...
http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/video

Dominic has a heck of a lot of horse under him!

Yes, I did see that...and yes, he did have a lot of horse...thanks for posting the link.

I can't wait

until Saturday...just in case those of us that will be watching on TV... HRTV will air both races in a live 1 hour telecast. Check your local listings for time.

tzipi · 03-08-2010, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

Give me a break. Don't start making excuses until you know whether or not that you are going to need them.

I just think it's a routine statement by trainers when a top horse goes into a light tightner race off a long layoff.
I remember Shug McGaughey used to always say this same statement about his top charges when they came off a long layoff.

Stillriledup · 03-08-2010, 07:15 PM

Hopefully FG has show betting. I could use the 5% return on my money.

joanied · 03-08-2010, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

Hopefully FG has show betting. I could use the 5% return on my money.

Did you read the story...here is some of it...
Zardana (Brz) and Unforgotten have the top credentials among Rachel Alexandra’s four opponents.

Zardana won the Bayakoa Handicap (G2) on December 5 at Hollywood Park for owner Arnold Zetcher (video). She shares the same trainer, John Shirreffs, as Zenyatta, who also will return on Saturday in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park as a prep for a scheduled showdown with Rachel Alexandra in the $5-million Apple Blossom Invitational Stakes (G1) on April 9 at Oaklawn Park.

In her most recent start, Zardana finished fourth in the Santa Maria Handicap (G2) on February 13 at Santa Anita. She has not raced on a conventional dirt track since she departed Brazil after winning all three of her starts there by a combined 39 lengths.

Unforgotten is a multiple stakes winner, and she has earned $548,563 for owner Robert Adams. She finished seventh in the Sunshine Millions Distaff Stakes on January 30 at Gulfstream Park after finishing second to Rachel Alexandra’s stablemate, War Echo, in the Daily Racing Form Distaff Stakes on December 19 at Fair Grounds (video).

Clear Sailing and Fighter Wing, the top two finishers in the Pelleteri Stakes on February 13 at Fair Grounds (video), round out the field. Clear Sailing has pieced together three straight wins at Fair Grounds this winter after being sidelined for more than 1 1/2 years following her June 2008 debut.

Fighter Wing finished second by a neck in the Pelleteri and fourth in the Daily Racing Form Distaf

At least these are a step above allowance company...if Rachel really isn't 100%...these 4 should at least give her a good race...I think we know they won't make RA work unless she has to...and that, I doubt will happen.

born2ride · 03-08-2010, 08:21 PM

Here's Rachel's work from this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BZ_y8yYAF8

Stillriledup · 03-08-2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by born2ride

Here's Rachel's work from this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BZ_y8yYAF8

Awesome.

joanied · 03-08-2010, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by born2ride

Here's Rachel's work from this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BZ_y8yYAF8

Thanks for the link

All that head movment she does just bugs me...I don't know why. I know they changed her bit, they say it's relaxing her...so she is either too eager or she doesn't like the change...IMHO. At this point, IMO, they need to allow her a really good 1/8th blowout.

the Bid · 03-08-2010, 09:06 PM

I watched RA train last summer and she does the head shaking when she's about to be set loose. I think it's just her way of expressing that she's ready to go. Like other "light on their feet" horses, she doesn't seem to like having her mouth handled via the bit. It doesn't look like the actions of an uncomfortable horse, just one that prefers something else.
I was a bit concerned about her constant changes of lead while still with the pony in her previous work. She kept swapping behind and then swapped again in the lane during the work. Dominic did say that she feels terrific though, just like her usual self.