ruffian and rachel

[prudery]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

It's funny to me that this group of 3yo males and older horses can be thoroughly maligned as among the worst in memory but then when she beats them, it's said that she's done something great. Nobody is calling Summer Bird an all-time great for beating the same horses. Is it beating Summer Bird that makes her an all-time great? If she wasn't in that Woodward, nobody would have cared about the race or those horses but now because she beat them, it's special? I don't see it. Just because it's not an American tradition to run a 3yo filly against older males doesn't mean that itsomething extra special. If I've watched Zarkava, Goldikova, Miesque, Ridgewood Pearl and others do it, and beat better horses while doing it, why would I be overwhelmed by Rachel doing it? Zarkava dominated the top grass runners in the world in the top grass race in the world. She dominated Goldikova and you know how good that one is. I'd rate beating Goldikova higher than beating Macho Again. But maybe that's just me.

Not just you ...

The novelty of running out of her sex group has over elevated her ...

She is a terrific horse, but has done nothing to leapfrog her over some on your list, Ruffian, or to be mentioned elsewhere in the same breath as Man O' War ...

So true that this year's 3 year old males were exactly as you described them until Rachel beat them, and the older, pretty similar thoughts there ...

It is ironic, however, that she has been beaten by fillies, though not this year--and the horse that got closest to her until Macho Again, won one race this year, albeit a big one ...

Summer Bird seems to be at best staying--or what is now considered staying,-- and he has the best chance of the 3 year olds to catch her at 10 furlongs if this scenario develops ...

I have immense respect for any horse that actually runs a solid campaign and performs as flawlessly as she has, but to elevate her to Olympia--leapfrogging over the greats of the past--is blatant goo-gooism ...

With all the brouhaha about the " grueling " first quarter she ran in the Woodward, long forgotten is the identical LAST quarter run by another girl ...

Blatherskate ...