What races would you target for Rachel?
 

Do you run her back against fillies with a target on the Ladies' Classic?

Keep trying to beat the boys?

What races would you target if you owned Rachel Alexandra?

Since the consensus seems to be she is the greatest since Ruffian there seems no need to mess around with a horse like Zenyatta, she should go straight to the older colts in the fall.

without any super-talent males at this point, I think you keep her at a peak and try to win one more of the highly regarded male stakes like the Travers.

Breeders Cup is a ways away and it is on synthetic...

I would not go in the Belmont or any BC races. Maybe the Travers

I've give her a rest and then bring her back in the CCA Oaks before heading to Saratoga for the Alabama, keep her against her own kind for now.

I wouldn't even think about the Belmont.

Mother Goose, end of June
Whitney, end of July
Ruffian, early September
Beldame, end of September
BC Distaff

Odd, I know but here's my reasoning. I'd give her a little break now. She's run five races so far and today was a tough effort. No need to come back in the Belmont and no need to come back to face second tier males in the Dwyer. Having an easy prep in the Delaware Oaks would be perfect for her to springboard to her first try against older males. The Whitney is a top race and would showcase her at Saratoga. Why not the Travers? From what I saw today, 10f might be just the limit of what they can get from her and surely some of these egotistical male trainers would really compromise themselves to keep her from beating them again. Plus, she's already beaten the best of the boys and there's no need to prove it again. Beating older males would be a bigger feather in her cap. Now, other than Einstein, there just isn't much of anything in the older male division. Looks like the females will be the tougher bunch this year. I think that Life is Sweet may end up in NY this year and along with Music Note and Cocoa Beach and Seattle Smooth, she'd have more competition there than against the males. The end it by facing Zenyatta in the Distaff.

Delaware Oaks, Whitney, Ruffian, Beldame, BC Distaff or Classic, whichever one Zenyatta is in.

I wouldn't target the Belmont next either..

I'd squeeze the Met Mile on May 25th in there first.. then try an Acorn-Belmont double on June 6th.. Same day? no biggie..
On to the Stephen Foster on June 13th...Mother Goose on June 27th.. give her a break until July 25th for the CCA Oaks... Whitney on August 8th... Alabama on August 22.

all that should set her up nicely for the Travers on August 29th..and Personal Ensign on August 30th.


I think she can handle it.

I'd give her a well deserved rest. Then I'd target the Haskell.

I dont care where she goes next. I want her to have a match race with Zenyatta

I'd love to see it.. on the dirt.

I would target all the major races for her sex, all the way to BC Distaff. I wouldnt even think about running her against the males until next year. Just get the job done in her own sex and rack up the wins, awards, accolades. Cement that status, then bring her back next year to target the males, and who knows the Dubai World Cup could be in the cards. But as this year goes, keep her on track for HOY, because you already have that TC win over the boys in the books.

Also stay away from Zenyatta until the Distaff, which shouldnt be hard

Rachel would beat her in a match race given her style of running vs Zenyatta's.

I'm not sure what race she will be in, but I do see a Curlin-Rachel Alexandra meeting in the barn when she is done with racing.

Yeah but they are from the same family. Jackson owns both of them wouldn't that be weird?;)

rachel was the bomb today. so glad she won.

we just got back from a jr auxiliary fundraiser...i'm a bit off right now. :D got to watch the race before going to dinner, and i am thrilled. well, except for douchebag assman in the limelight, eff him.


way to go girl, you did great rachel. i'd take her to the travers.

picked up two dumped dogs tonite on the way home. hope their dumpers burn in whatever hell awaits dog dumpers. at least they go to bed tonite with full bellies.
one's a boy, one's a girl. if they elect to stay, one is rachel, the other is alexander. i go by a sign quite often that says 'ouachita river-pine island access'....every time i see it, i remember pine island. races like today erase that pain-i am taking my buzzed ass to bed now, this post has taken me forever to write.

way to to rachel, congrats to calvin...oh, and to that jackass jess jackson.



as for assman.....pfft.

I would target the Travers, as I have said, I don't think I have seen a filly even try it in my lifetime, but some of the NY guys could clarify that....

I agree with all of you. I would definitely skip the Belmont. She ran hard today. She deserves a little break. I'd give her a little break and have her ready for the summer.

Mother Goose......6/27
Haskell................8/2
Travers..............8/29
Beldame.............10/1?

The last one I remember was Davona Dale in probably the stupidest move any trainer has ever made. John Vietch ran her in the Alabama a week before and finished second to It's In The Air. Then the idiot brought her back a week later for the Travers on the sloppiest track in the history of the Spa. Only General Assembly liked it, winning by 15 setting the track record which still stands today. Smarten was second and Private Account was third. Davona was 4th, at least 25 lengths back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ok1e0Yez_s

I would probably point towards keeping her with Fillies & Mares for the remainder of the year, but would like to see how she would take to the turf.

I would target these races (all grade 1) with that in mind:

Acorn 3 YO Fillies 9 furlongs 6/27

Coaching Club American Oaks 3 YO Fillies 10 furlongs 7/25

Alabama 3 YO Fillies 10 furlongs 8/22

Garden City BC 3 YO fillies 9 furlongs (Turf) 9/12

Beldame F & M # & Up 9 furlongs 10/3 or
Flower Bowl F & M 3 & Up 10 furlongs Turf 10/3

Breeders Cup either Distaff (I just refuse to call it the ladies classic) or F & M Turf.

I would then give her a well deserved freshening and bring her back for a 4 YO campaign.

i'd give her the time off. skip belmont all together and try the haskill and the travers. as long as there is at least 3 weeks between.
there is no point putting her against the fillies for public workouts. unless you just want to collect $$ and hardware from the big filly races.

Same here. I hope they don't ruin her trying the Belmont. I don't know the schedule, but maybe run her against fillies the Acorn, then to the Haskell, then on to the Travers. I'd think about trying older fillies on synthetic before deciding whether to point to the BC Distaff or the Classic.

It doesn't matter what race she goes to. Her owner has played this perfectly and will be rewarded with some wonderful options and well-deserved attention as this team goes forward.

She can be rested up before charting a course for an ultimate head-to-head match-up against Zenyatta in the fall.

She could continue onto Belmont. A victory would give her a legitimate claim to being a triple crown champion, especially if she tops the Bird again. A win here sets the stage for a run in the classic against all comers.

The Rachel/Zenyatta angle sets up to be Ali/Frazier. If you go with the Rachel/Bird races you'll have Ali/Foreman. Horseracing could be in the limelight again in the next few months with some good luck and some compelling stories.

IMO, she needs a big win in New York against the boys or older horses to become a horse for the ages.

Its surprising to see many say to keep her with the girls... after she just beat the boys and supposedly didnt handle the racing surface.

I'd give her a break, run her in the Whitney, Travers, JcGc and the Stephen Foster... no way I'd go to the breeders cup on synthetics.

I'd love, love, love for her to run in the JCGC. :tro:

after they ran curlin and he lost, i wonder if they do in fact skip it this year... if they run her in a couple of those other top east coast races, i would see no point in taking her there. she can accomplish quite a bit without going west.
i'd like to see her vs zenyatta...but not on syn.

The thing is that Curlin had never run on it. She has and she's won on it.

Probably the Haskell because it's a speed favoring track .

rachel has? hmm, didn't know that.

I would run her in the Belmont and then retire her.

why would the belmont 'ruin' her? the acorn is the same day as the belmont....

That CT race that Commentator ran in. I like her in that spot.

do you know what race/track? i just looked up her info on pedigreequery, and the only tracks i see are dirt.

I agree. She's clearly bred for 4 turns.

Keeneland 4th start I think, won over 6f!

She would love to run under the lights. However it might be tougher than you think since all the jocks will be riding with helpers instead of just one...

ok, thanks.

My route would be Belmont, Ruffian, Beldame, BC Classic, Donn, Dubai World Cup, Queen Anne Stakes, Ruffian, Beldame, BC Classic and if they are feeling great Hong Kong Vase..

Jackson said he'd like to win Horse of the Year for Rachel . She'll have to get past Mine That Bird who looks very tough for the Belmont if he comes out of the Preakness ok . These are 2 very exciting candidates and it should be very interesting . May they stay healthy and run well .

at Oaklawn