Rachel Alexandra's two-turn campaign

TropicalStorm · #1 09-29-2009, 11:37 AM

Rachel is much like her daddy. An exceptional horse up to 9f but just like her daddy she is vulnerable at 10f.

I don't think Rachel would have finished ahead of Icon Project or CJ this weekend in the 10f Beldame and her connections know it. There really was no excuse to not run her this weekend. It is a dirt race. Fans want to see the best against the best and clearly Icon Project is the best 10f dirt animal in the country. Rachel's connections did racing no favors by ending her racing season before the best racing begins.

NTamm1215 · #2 09-29-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrossfireHurricane

Rachel is much like her daddy. An exceptional horse up to 9f but just like her daddy she is vulnerable at 10f.

I don't think Rachel would have finished ahead of Icon Project or CJ this weekend in the 10f Beldame and her connections know it. There really was no excuse to not run her this weekend. It is a dirt race. Fans want to see the best against the best and clearly Icon Project is the best 10f dirt animal in the country. Rachel's connections did racing no favors by ending her racing season before the best racing begins.

First of all, Careless Jewel isn't even running in the Beldame and it's not even 10 furlongs! Second of all, if you had any ability to judge pace you'd have an entirely different opinion of Rachel Alexandra's ability to get 10 furlongs. It's very easy to take 9f and 9.5f races that were run in a very peculiar way where she was understandably tired late and say that she wouldn't get the extra furlong.

NT

P.S. Here's a video of MDO getting vulnerable at 10fs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDl6LmeQgiY

King Glorious · #3 09-29-2009, 11:59 AM

Yeah, I was wondering when the Beldame got switched back to 10f. Didn't see any press releases on that.

I have always thought it was one of the silliest things ever to read that Medaglia d'Oro was vulnerable at 10f. He happened to lose to Pleasantly Perfect in the BC in one of the best efforts you'll see from a horse. He was beaten by Candy Ride while setting a track record for the distance at DM. There's a difference between losing to better horses at a distance than being vulnerable at it. Medaglia d'Oro was probably better at 10f than 90% of all horses that have run it on the dirt in this country since this decade began. Maybe 95%.

Travis Stone · #4 09-29-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Yeah, I was wondering when the Beldame got switched back to 10f. Didn't see any press releases on that.

I have always thought it was one of the silliest things ever to read that Medaglia d'Oro was vulnerable at 10f. He happened to lose to Pleasantly Perfect in the BC in one of the best efforts you'll see from a horse. He was beaten by Candy Ride while setting a track record for the distance at DM. There's a difference between losing to better horses at a distance than being vulnerable at it. Medaglia d'Oro was probably better at 10f than 90% of all horses that have run it on the dirt in this country since this decade began. Maybe 95%.

I don't get it... so in this case there's no such thing as vulnerable, there's only better horses.

Medaglia d'Oro was a good horse, but he was all-out to hold Repent going 10f who if I remember correctly was coming off a big layoff. Medaglia d'Oro was a good horse, but he certainly didn't excel at 10f, which I suppose makes him vulnerable compared to how he was at 9f, right?

King Glorious · #5 09-29-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

I don't get it... so in this case there's no such thing as vulnerable, there's only better horses.

Medaglia d'Oro was a good horse, but he was all-out to hold Repent going 10f who if I remember correctly was coming off a big layoff. Medaglia d'Oro was a good horse, but he certainly didn't excel at 10f, which I suppose makes him vulnerable compared to how he was at 9f, right?

He'd have lost to Secretariat, Affirmed, and Spectacular Bid at 9f. Does that mean that he was vulnerable at that distance too? I will say that I don't think he was as good at 10f as he was at 9f but he was still damn good at it. If he's running today, he would be dominating these goats out there and nobody would be suggesting that he is vulnerable at 10f. Timing does a whole lot when it comes to public perception.

philcski · #6 09-29-2009, 03:41 PM

Meanwhile, he got beat a head in the Belmont Stakes. But he couldn't go 10F. LOL

Indian Charlie · #7 09-29-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philcski

Meanwhile, he got beat a head in the Belmont Stakes. But he couldn't go 10F. LOL

Well, yeah!

What makes you think that if he can't get 10, he'd get 12?

The Indomitable DrugS · #8 09-29-2009, 04:07 PM

He got beat by Sarava .. which might only further undermine things.

I think he was marginally a little better horse at 9fs .. the actual record is misleading though.

Here's who ran 2nd to him in his 7 wins short of 10fs...

* Tallest Timber

* U S S Tinosa

* Quest

* Olmodavor

* Slider

* Volponi (that was the year he went 0-for-8)

* Seattle Fitz

In his final 3 tries at 10fs ... he ran 2nd's with Beyers of 117 and 118 against outstanding horses in Candy Ride and Pleasantly Perfect ... than he missed by less than a length when 2nd in the Dubai World Cup to PP.

In his 9f races - he dined on cupcakes.

If Medaglia D' Oro was around right now ... the current handicap division would be in a world of trouble at any distance.

johnny pinwheel · #9 09-30-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrossfireHurricane

Rachel is much like her daddy. An exceptional horse up to 9f but just like her daddy she is vulnerable at 10f.

I don't think Rachel would have finished ahead of Icon Project or CJ this weekend in the 10f Beldame and her connections know it. There really was no excuse to not run her this weekend. It is a dirt race. Fans want to see the best against the best and clearly Icon Project is the best 10f dirt animal in the country. Rachel's connections did racing no favors by ending her racing season before the best racing begins.

i kind of agree about the rachel part. her daddy was good at 10f. they seem to not want to run her 10f. after the preakness i can see why. shes a great horse no doubt. but shes not the icon some make her out to be. she was in trouble in the woodward and still won ,like a good horse should. my guess is that took alot out of her and she would not be ready this weekend. even if she runs again i don't think she will ever take on the boys at 10 f. and the way that horse looked at saratoga the girls would be no cinch either.

robfla · #10 09-30-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnny pinwheel

i kind of agree about the rachel part. her daddy was good at 10f. they seem to not want to run her 10f. after the preakness i can see why. shes a great horse no doubt. but shes not the icon some make her out to be. she was in trouble in the woodward and still won ,like a good horse should. my guess is that took alot out of her and she would not be ready this weekend. even if she runs again i don't think she will ever take on the boys at 10 f. and the way that horse looked at saratoga the girls would be no cinch either.

Thanks, I need a good laugh this morning