Snowmageddon Redux – The Great Debates

11 02 2010

A view of our back deck in the middle of round 2 of "Snwomageddon" on 2/10/10

Well, if you live on the east coast anywhere near the mid-atlantic region, you’ve no doubt seen enough of the white stuff to last you a lifetime.   Here in Hanover, PA we received as much as 28 inches of snow over the weekend, only to receive around 30 more inches yesterday.  Right on schedule, you guessed it, there’s a chance for even more snow this coming Monday.   What on Earth are folks to do being trapped inside their abodes for so long?   Thankfully (or in some cases not-so-thankfully) the racing gods have sent answers to our prayers to help break the monotony  in the form of numerous noteworthy or debatable issues.

  • Curlin’s first foal, the filly from Zophie has passed

I don’t like to start on a down note, but I have to mention this.  The filly from Zophie who was Curlin’s first born has passed in what is described as a “paddock accident” just weeks after causing so much hope and well wishing at the announcement of her birth.  So much for debating what to name the little gal.   I’m taking a glass half full approach with this as we all know how absolutely fragile thoroughbreds can be.  The “good news” is that she is not the only of her kind.  Curln’s got a fabulous looking daughter from Collect Call, a full brother from Smart Strike and Sherrif’s Deputy, and numerous other foals either just born or on their way.   Be sure and check out THIS VIDEO of the foal from Collect Call – it’s a heart warmer, especially in light of the news about Zophie’s filly.

Lost in the hoopla over his direct offspring, it seems many have forgotten the full brother to Curlin who arrived Preakness week in 2009.  As a reminder, here’s the video of this amazing little guy from way back then.

There’s also a foal from Curlin out of Home Court (by Storm Cat) that, if you ask me, is the spitting image of dear old dad.

Filly sired by Curlin out of Home Court (by Storm Cat)

Filly sired by Curlin out of Home Court (by Storm Cat)

  • Road to the Roses challenge

In more uplifiting news,  The Road to the Roses is officially up and running.  that’s right – you can enter up to 3 free stables now (10 horses, 2 trainers, and 2 jockeys).  Tencentcielo has started at least one private league I’m aware of called “A dime on the ten.”  Once you set your stable up, there’s an opportunity to associate it with an existing league.  You won’t see me there quite yet as I’d prefer to watch the Sam F. Davis Stakes this weekend at Tampa Bay before finalizing my top ten – especially since Rule, Tempted to Tapit, and the buzz horse UpTownCharlyBrown are all slated to run.

The launching of the contest each year usually coincides with my initial “Derby watch list”, and while there’s numerous other topics I’d like to get to in this post,  I will share a few quick thoughts here.  My top 5 at this moment in time are listed below (can’t give away the whole stable now, can I?  Although it’s probably not hard to figure out).

  1. Vale of York  (I love his stride and would love to see him on dirt this year)
  2. Lookin at Lucky (debated not including a synthetic horse on this list,  I wouldn’t bet him in the Derby, but he’s in my top 5)
  3. Buddy’s Saint (may wind up surpassing the top two)
  4. William’s Kitten (something about this guy I’ve liked ever since a friend pointed him out)
  5. Ron the Greek (perhaps my most controversial addition – at this point it’s just a hunch off that last effort).

Of course, I’m also a big fan of the Tiznows like Tiz Chrome and American Lion.  You can add Dorsselmeyer to that list of horses I’m also excited about.  If you’re not familiar with Drosselmeyer, then fellow TBA blogger Zipse at the Track has a writeup about him that might interest you.  I’ll leave the final two slots in my stable to the imagination.  Suffice to say Winslow Homer would’ve been there had he not been taken off the Derby trail.

  • Rachel vs Zenyatta redux

Another month, another Rachel vs Zenyatta discussion.  Yesterday Bloodhorse broke the news that Rachel Alexandra will not run against Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom.  Almost immediately, a person posting as “Zenyatta” on Facebook began with the trash talking about “ducking” and being “scared” – and a slew of the most insane commentary I’ve ever witnessed ensued.

Question for folks – did anyone ever think she was going to run there?  It seemed a foregone conclusion to me from the start of the Apple Blossom talk that it wouldn’t happen then and there.  Yes, I’d like to have seen it, but I maintain that these two will meet at Belmont or Saratoga later in the year.  I guess what I find appalling is the amount of hatred people have for one of these horses depending on which they love more.  It makes it very difficult to be a fan of both and seems to bring out the absolute worst characteristics of humanity.   I understand the frustration at not getting what we want – but let’s be careful what we ask for.  We want them both on TOP of their game when they meet – so as to limit potential excuses.  Why?  Because one race, unless won by double-digit lengths, is likely not going to settle the issue.  When you think of their respective running styles, and the prospect that Zenyatta would be flying to try and catch-and-pass Rachel in the stretch – you’re not likely to see that impressive a victory margin any way you slice it.

Anyhow, I’m not going to waste much ink (type) on this beyond acknowledging that the meetup the sport needs ain’t gonna happen at Oaklawn in the Apple Blossom.  Is that really such a bad thing?  Is that really where we want this to take place?  I love Oaklawn, don’t get me wrong, but is that really the venue we want the race of the year/decade/century/ new millennium to be held?  I guess I’m just bullish on my insistence this happen at Saratoga, if possible.  Just seems like a befitting setting for two horses of such stratospheric class levels.  Now if only their fans could show some of that same class.  And who knows…maybe we’ll get to add Quality Road to the mix as well?  Now THAT would be a race!

  • Tim Ice loses Summer Bird and Dr. J horses

This piece of news really took me by surprise.  Tim Ice has had Summer Bird and most of his other stock removed from his stable by the Jayaramans.   Having had the chance to meet both Tim and the Jayaramans on Haskell Invitational morning, 2009, at Monmouth Park, they seemed to have an exceptionally close relationship.  Ice speculated it may have been due to his slow start this year, or a disagreement over the direction of Summer Bird.  Whatever it was, it must’ve been something personal, as this feels like a personal disagreement rather than anything outwardly professional.

Ice is, after all, just 35 years old and already has a Belmont Stakes under his belt with Summer Bird.  I really like this guy, so on a personal level I was sad to see him take this kind of hit.  I’m sure the Jayaramans have their reasons though and I respect that they’ve kept the matter largely private.  It might be wishful thinking, but I’m hoping cooler heads will prevail and these folks will reconcile.

In the meantime, Summer Bird is with Tim Ritchey, who is a sensational trainer is his own right, perhaps most famous for his work with Afleet Alex – a horse that coulda, woulda, shoulda been a Triple Crown winner 2005 (just my humble opinion).

Happier Times - us with trainer Tim Ice and the Jayaramans - owners of Summer Bird

So, there you have it – that’s our midweek, snowbound update.  We’ll have a closer look at the Sam F. Davis and the weekend racing action coming up on Friday evening.  For now, be sure and let us know where you stand on the Rachel/Zenyatta question and everything else going on in the racing world.   If you’re feeling really gutsy – go ahead and share your Road to the Roses stable here.  I will have a full disclosure update once I make the final selections.   As you could infer above, there’s technically two spots left in my stable and I’m still debating the jockeys.


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Categories : Curlin, horse racing, Horse Racing News, Oaklawn Park, Rachel Alexandra, Summer Bird, Zenyatta

Sea the Stars cements legacy; Summer Bird and the Iceman winneth

5 10 2009

“Can’t keep my eyes from the circling skies. Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I.”  – Pink Floyd “Learning to Fly”

 

For thoroughbred racing fans in the United States, you might be excused if you’ve been a bit late to catch onto the Irish-bred phenomenon that is Sea the Stars.  The sensational colt has taken the European racing world by storm in recent months by winning the Epsom Derby and the 2000 Guineas in dominating style.  It’s been hard to get good glimpses of him though, especially this past weekend when he added the world’s most prestigious turf race, the $5.8 million Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, to his resume in convincing style. 

Ridden by Mick Kinane, the son of Cape Cross began rather slowly, but wound up putting his talent on display and powering home to a two length victory over the 6-year-old Youmzain.  Cavalryman, who broke from the extreme outside finished 3rd, with 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf champion Conduit in 4th.  Youmzain has now been defeated by Dylan Thomas, Zarkava, and Sea the Stars while running for 2nd in the last 3 runnings of the Arc.  According to trainer Mick Channon, Youmzain will “be here next year” if all goes as planned.

 

 

So why was this victory so important?  It seems as though apart from the diehard fans of the sport (and most of us reading this probably consider ourselves “diehards”), not many folks cared that much here in the U.S.  The race barely received any attention here.  Granted, the post time (10:15 ET) was a bit early for anyone in the U.S. living on the west coast.  Across the pond, however, folks are whispering not just that Sea the Stars is good, but that he might be that good.  You know what I’m talking here – the kind of good where you start to wonder where a horse ranks among the all-time greats?

Consider for a moment how unique that is.  English racing fans don’t seem the type to me that would jump up at the chance to call the next flavor of the month the “best ever” – so for them to even raise the question suggests that we’ve greatly under appreciated this colt’s qualities – at least in terms of how much we should’ve been screaming about him from the rooftops.  Here in the U.S. the yearly Kentucky Derby winner gets some foaming at the mouth followers convinced he’s the “best ever” – and we’re all forced to suffer through the nonsense the follows. 

In the U.K. though?  I’d almost expect some gentlemen named Sebastian in a top hat (and preferably with a monocle – either for functional purposes or purely for decoration) to slap me silly for daring to speak the words “best ever.”  There’s simply too much history to contend with.  Or so one might reasonably assume.

As amazing at it sounds, the British handicapping service Time Form even has odds laid out on where Sea the Stars will rank in terms of all-time greats. He’s currently listed at 10/1 to match the all-time best Time Form rating set by Sea-Bird II (145), while he’s 14/1 to break that mark. 

Before we go any further with this discussion, I have to state that personally I’m not one to put a whole lot of stock into “greatest ever” arguments. The entire nature of the discussion is inherently subjective.  In a perfect world I think it’s important that your past be storied and held to a standard perhaps even greater than it was in it’s immediacy, if only that we not cheapen our present.  To put that in plainer terms, unless we safeguard the history, legacy, and traditions of the sport by revering the past, then any moment – no matter how larger than life it may seem while it’s happening - will remain relevant for only a precious few seconds.

Is Sea the Stars really that good?  I can’t answer that question, but if our friends in Europe think it’s a question worth asking than I’d have to defer to them.  They probably wonder the same thing about our Rachel Alexandra infatuation.

If he is indeed that good – then what a shame we didn’t showcase this runner here in the States a bit more.  Who cares if he didn’t run here – I bet more Americans watched the Dubai World Cup than watched the Arc.  Think about that, and then realize we’re talking about a race where a potential legend makes history and a 2008 Breeders’ Cup champion finishes 4th as opposed to a race between Well Armed and Asiatic Boy? 

On a related note – as big a racing fan as I am, my experience on Saturday was illustrative of everything that is wrong with the sport at the moment.  The world’s richest turf race is on.  A race with potential Breeders’ Cup implications here in the U.S.  A race with as highly heralded a favorite as I can remember in recent memory – and yet I couldn’t find a live broadcast anywhere.  How sad that is. 

Something tells me that racing fans in Europe and Japan don’t have that same problem if, by chance,  they wanted to watch our Kentucky Derby.  I don’t have the answers to this problem, but as a fan it’s destructively frustrating and simply HAS to change.  If you did get the race live – good for you.  Consider yourself lucky and pray that you don’t have to live in the blindness  and informational vacuum that no live coverage creates.

When you wind up driving someone like me – a person who lives and breathes horse racing and wants only to be able to watch and wager on exciting, top quality racing action – and force me to change the channel to watch ESPN College GameDay (my alternative was the Hawthorne replay show??? Seriously????) – guess what – you aren’t getting me back.  Like most men, I have the attention span of fruit fly.

Well, okay, that’s not entirely true as I did come back to watch Super Saturday at Belmont, but I kept the football coverage on “previous channel” memory on my remote so that I could switch back defiantly during each commercial break!  Each such occasion being accompanied by a blood curling, defiant, full throated rebel yell.

In other racing news over the weekend, Careless Jewel and Music note each cemented their paths to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.  If, by some chance, Zenyatta decides to run in the open Classic on Saturday, than one of these runners would likely be your morning line favorite for the Ladies’ Classic.  Up next we’ll get to see Icon Project in the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland, and Zenyatta will take on the California girls (Life is Sweet, Anaaba’s Creation) in the Grade 1 Lady’s Secret.

In a bit of a stunning upset, Goldikova was actually defeated at Longchamp on Saturday when longshot Veranar pulled the upset in the Prix de la Foret (Group 1).  The defending Breeders’ Cup Mile runner was cutting back to 7 furlongs on Saturday, and may have been burned up a bit by a swift early pace that she got too close to.  Trainer Freddy Head indicated after the race that the Breeders’ Cup was still likely, but that “nothing is written in stone.” 

Elsewhere on “Super Saturday”, I’ve got to give a big shout out to my main man Tim Ice and his fantastic 3-year-old colt Summer Bird who throttled the field of the  Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.  Tim told me during the Haskell that the plan was to send Summer Bird to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, so we’ll have to see if that is still the case.  The chestnut son of Birdstone has turned in a remarkable, and likely 3-year-old champion Eclipse Award winning summer campaign that included victories in the Belmont, Travers, and now the Jockey Club Gold Cup to go along with a game 2nd to Rachel Alexandra (likely Horse of the Year winner) in the Haskell.

 

 

Summer Bird will always be a favorite of ours since we got to hang out with his connections on Haskell morning.  He was also my wife’s pick for the Belmont, so he’s earned some major brownie points there.  Well done, Tim!  And way to go, Summer Bird!  The Iceman winneth!

We’ll be back before the weekend with a look at the upcoming Spinster, Lady’s Secret, and of course the Goodwood.


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Categories : Belmont Park, Breeders' Cup Coverage, Goldikova, horse racing, Horse Racing News, Music Note, sea the stars, Summer Bird

Summer Bird wins the 2009 Travers; the Legend of Rachel grows

29 08 2009

Belmont champion Summer Bird (Birdstone) romped home to victory in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga on Saturday afternoon, defeating highly regarded competitors Quality Road, Charitable Man, and Kensei.

 

 

The “other bird” now suddenly finds himself atop the 3-year-old colt division, having firmly rested that title from Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird – at least for the moment.

Big congratulations go out to trainer Tim Ice, who has always believed that his fabulous looking colt deserved a shot to face the best and has not been hesitant to run him against the most formidable foes around in both Rachel Alexandra and Quality Road. 

We mentioned in the Haskell write-up that Tim was a stand-up guy that we’d be cheering for from here on out.  After all the hype about Quality Road , and after all the attention that folks like me gave Kensei and Charitable Man, it was the good guy in Tim Ice that came out on top.  What a year he’s having!  35 years-old and already has a Belmont and a Travers under his belt, not to mention most likely a 3-year-old male Eclipse Award.

Trainer Tim Ice and owners of Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes champion Summer Bird pose for a picture with our family on the morning of the 2009 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

Trainer Tim Ice and owners of Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes champion Summer Bird pose for a picture with our family on the morning of the 2009 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

Hats off to the fantastic job they’ve done with the son of Birdstone, who seems to be following in his daddy’s footsteps with his victories in the Belmont and Travers. 

Summer Bird showed the same tenacity in capturing the Travers that had allowed him to battle gamely for 2nd against Rachel in the Haskell, powering home in 2:02.83.  Hold Me Back finished in 2nd with Quality Road and Charitable Man rounding out the superfecta.

As for what might be next?  Well, no official word has been released, and likely won’t until they have a chance to check out Summer Bird following the race and ensure everything is sound.  I will share that I asked Tim back in July what his long term goals were, and he mentioned the Travers first and foremost, but then also said that they were considering the Goodwood as a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup this fall.  

Meanwhile, the procession of winners who last out ran into the dominant filly Rachel Alexandra and then returned to win continues with each passing day.  Earlier in the day, the last filly to have defeated Rachel Alexandra, Sara Louise, returned to the winner’s circle by prevailing in the Victory Ride (Grade 3).  The list of runners who have returned from facing Rachel to prevail next out just continues to grow and grow, and has become an angle that handicappers cannot ignore.  Sara Louise, Gabby’s Golden Gal, Take the Points, Flashing – these are the runners in recent memory to have turned defeat at the hands of Rachel the Great into victory next out.

This is important because one might expect that horses would regress after being defeated as soundly as Rachel has done to them. Instead, the direct opposite has been true, and the filly winds up being flattered nearly every weekend as her legend continues to build.

It serves as a nice buffer to the “she hasn’t beaten anybody” claims that seem to get tossed around about all of the top horses when you can quickly look back and reference a growing pool of recent foes who have acquitted themselves on the race track upon returning from their “blind date with Rachel.”

 

 

Unfortunately, Munnings, third place finisher behind both Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird in the Haskell at Monmouth Park, was not able to continue the string of runners to turn a Rachel encounter into a triumphant return.  Vineyard Haven, that tenacious son of Lido Palace who at one point in his 2-year-old campaign adorned the top of nearly every “Derby watch list”  one could find, proved that a return to Saratoga was indeed just what the doctor ordered.  He powered home on top, but wound up drifting out badly in the lane, only to be disqualified from the win following a determined run from Capt. Candyman Can, who wound up being placed on top by the stewards after an inquiry into the bumper-car action of Vineyard Haven late in the stretch.

 

 

 

 


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Categories : Handicapping Selections, horse racing, Horse Racing News, Quality Road, Saratoga, Summer Bird

She came, she saw, she conquered

3 08 2009

“Vēnī, vīdī, vīcī”

The phrase was purportedly first used by Julius Caesar in a brief message to the Roman Senate following his victory over Pharnaces II of Pontus in 47 BC at the battle of Zela.  Following her dominant performance against colts in the 2009 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday, the amazing filly Rachel Alexandra might be neighing something eerily similar in her stall right now. 

 

 

Just like we all thought she would, Rachel conceded the early lead in the Haskell to Munnings, the son of 2004 champion sprinter Speightstown.  Summer Bird was determined to give Rachel a challenge and pulled up even with (and for a brief moment in front of) her as the field raced down the backstretch.  Then, the moment jockey Calvin Borel began to ask her for a bit more as the “real running” commenced, she responded in the style of a champion and began pulling away by open lengths.  By the time the field reached the sixteenth pole the race was beyond over and she was coasting in front by 6 lengths. 

Borel stopped asking her with about a hundred yards to run, and immediately broke into his trademark victory celebration by pointing to the crowd and blowing kisses.  Despite this, the amazing filly romped home in 1:47.21 – just off the track record.  Some might attribute this to the fact that the main track at Monmouth was sealed due to the (at times) torrential rain experienced earlier in the day, but having seen what this filly can do in the Kentucky Oaks, the Preakness, and the Mother Goose, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that the final time was 99.999% “Rachel.”

The victory capped off an exciting day of racing at Monmouth.  It wasn’t a particularly good one for me as far as handicapping/wagering is concerned (I’m dreadful at such tasks when a track turns sloppy), but overall it was a day we won’t long forget.  We got to hang out with trainers Gary Stute (Papa Clem) and Tim Ice (Summer Bird).  I was interviewed by “Monmouth Park Insider” Mike Curci prior to the Haskell (though evidently I just missed meeting my friend and horse racing icon Ron Correll of TrackSideView), and of course was granted access to the paddock to see all of the horses, including Rachel Alexandra.  Then, we managed to run into Steve Asmussen and Calvin Borel as we prepared to leave.  To top things off, we also ran into Todd and Simon from TVG, who stopped for a quick chat and some photos.

 

 

I can’t say enough about any of these folks.  Gary Stute and Tim Ice were amazing.  Gary strikes me as the kind of guy that it must be fun to be around 24/7.  He just seemed full of smiles and in genuinely high spirits.  I suspect he’s a bit like that friend all of us has – the one that whenever you’re with you wind up having a good time no matter what it is you do?  He’s like a big kid, and incredibly friendly.  He even let us get up close to Papa Clem and pet him, which was especially thrilling for our 5-year-old.  I also found out that the lady in his entourage on Preakness Day who spotted my trademark ‘Bama hat and began yelling “ROLL TIDE” was his girlfriend.

Then there’s Tim Ice.  Talk about an impressive dude?  He turned 35 on the day that Summer Bird won the Belmont.  This is exactly the type of guy you want to root for as a racing fan.  He’s a bit intimidating due to his enormous stature (seriously…I’m used to being considered a bigger guy, but Tim TOWERS over me…if this horse racing thing doesn’t work out for him, I’m sure the Steelers could always use another outside linebacker or defensive end….if the dude ever played football, I’m certain he was a monster on the field), but he’s so down to earth and personable that at times you forget you’re talking to a guy who just won the Belmont!

After the race as he was walking back to the paddock, you could tell he was disappointed that his horse hadn’t won (Summer Bird had run his heart out for 2nd).  We caught eyes with him and he again came over to speak with us.  A fan standing nearby asked him for an autograph, and when he learned through the small talk that accompanies such situations that her son was serving in Iraq as a Marine, he stepped back, had a tremendously serious look come over his face (where before had been the disappointment of defeat) and remarked “people like him….they are the reason we’re able to enjoy things like this.” 

It was one of those moments that I think humbled everyone around.  Suddenly, for a brief moment, he had taken the spotlight off of him, and had the gathering crowd’s attention focused on this woman and the sacrifice that her son was making for all of us.  Suffice to say, given my background, we’re total Tim Ice fans now.  There won’t be another horse he sends to post that I don’t cheer my guts out for.  Amy felt rather fulfilled given that she picked Summer Bird in the Belmont and now knows what an awesome guy Tim is. 

If you ever get the chance to see Summer Bird in person,  I strongly recommend doing so as he’s one of the most fantastic looking colts I’ve had the chance to see close up. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in running 6 lengths behind Rachel.  Most runners wind up 20+ lengths back from her.  In recent memory, only Mine That Bird has been closer, and Summer Bird’s already defeated him in the Belmont.  Plus, Mine That Bird got some benefit in terms of softening up Rachel for the stretch by virtue of her outside (13) post position for the Preakness and the fact that she was on the gas from her first step out of the gate (not to mention that she was running on just 2 weeks rest for that race).  He’s an awesome colt in his own right and I one I hope to see him again in the Travers, The Classic, or who knows, maybe even the Goodwood?

 

 

The folks at Monmouth Park (and in particular, Sophia Mangalee, who’s husband Navin rode longshot My Dream Tomorrow into the money for show in the 3rd race of the day) really rolled out the red carpet treatment.   From early in the morning right on through the feature race itself.  I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank them enough, apart from praying that Monmouth gets another shot at the Breeders’ Cup in the near future and gets some cooperation from the weather gods when their chance comes again.

Speaking of the weather…did it strike anyone else as ironic that the horrific storms subsided just in time for Rachel the Great to make her appearance on the track?  I do believe the sun even managed to stick it’s head through the clouds just before she arrived.  Fitting, I suppose, for in many ways Rachel’s magnificence has been a parting of the clouds for the sport itself.  While the weather may have dwindled down the hoped for attendance figures at Monmouth, there was still a helluva strong showing their to suppor her.  Coming hot on the heels of the Barabaro and Eight Belles disasters, the triumphs of Rachel Alexandra have had a unifying, healing, and pacifying effect on the entire sport, and have gone quite a ways towards rectifying the game’s image in the eyes of the public.

She’s the kind of horse people drive across half the country to see.  She’s the kind of horse parents bring their small children to see.  She’s the kind of horse that adults bring their now elderly parents back to the track to see, just as they had done for them years ago when they were little. She’s the kind of horse that reduces even the most proud of would-be horse racing authors to expressions like “wow!!!” and “OMG” on Twitter.  She reminds us what it was that we found so magical about this game when we first paid attention.  She reminds us why it is we follow along with the sport in every maiden race we can possibly feast our eyes upon, always searching for the next great one. 

So how do we measure a horse’s greatness? 

I thought Calvin Borel made a poignant remark following the race when asked whether we had seen her best yet.  I don’t recall the exact words, but he replied something to the effect that he wouldn’t truly know how great she was until another horse pulled even with her in the stretch and looked her dead in the eye.  That is, after all, the ultimate test of will.

In the immediate future their are two other distinct possibilities;  defeat older fillies and mares, and then defeat older boys.  If she can pull off both of those feats, than I think she’d be revered for the ages in a fashion similar to Ruffian.  Heck, she may already be there in the eyes of some, having become the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness, and only the 2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell.

As if that’s not enough – consider what might be up next; The Travers.  No filly has even run in the Travers since Davona Dale in 1979, and no filly has won the Travers since Lady Rotha in 1915.  

Nineteen fifteen??? Are you kidding me? 

Austro-Hungary was still an “empire” in 1915.  The U.S. Army didn’t yet own a single tank in their armed forces.  Battleships still ruled the high seas.   The “Red Baron”, Manfred von Richtofen, had only begun pilot training in August of that year, and had not yet begun to terrorize allied airmen in the skies.  The Germans were bombing English cities using zeppelins!  Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Chicago freakin’ BlackSox were still 4 years away!  Thousands of American Civil War veterans were still collecting pensions.  The first stone in the Lincoln memorial was just being laid!

Does that put it properly in perspective? 

Even if she doesn’t go to the Travers, the point I’m making is that we’re witnessing right here and now the kind of thing that folks who are passionate about horse racing are likely to be talking about for decades to come.  

I know there are some who can’t stand the attention she receives.  This happens with every great runner.  We call these people “haters” these days, and they abound no matter what the sport or what the occassion.  There’s always someone waiting to rain on the parade the first opportunity they’re given.  I’ve never quite understood this.  I can understand folks having “favorites” and longing for certain connections to win over others, but I’ve never understood the folks who hope and wish for something to go wrong.  Hoping for a horse to lose?  Makes no sense to me.

We saw this a bit with Curlin in ’07 and (more specifically) in ’08.  No matter what he did, it wasn’t good enough.  No mater wich race he ran in (is their a single race he can ever be accused of “dodging?”) either the field was a joke or their was some other reason for the “haters” to dismiss – but only after they had warned us for weeks leading up to each and every race that “this” was the moment he was “going down.”  It’s rather morbid, if you ask me – and yes, there are folks out there who feel this way about Rachel today.

Thankfully, history seldom remembers the runners who pull the brief upset, and instead rewards consistent greatness with long term reverance and awe.  A microcosm of this was experienced on Sunday as we had SEVERAL conversations with very astute horse racing fans, none of which could remember the name of the longshot (Soul Warrior) who had just defeated Mine That Bird and Big Drama in the West Viriginia Derby the day before.  I should point out that one of the folks we spoke with was a relative of Dale Beckner, the jockey who rode Sould Warrior to victory.

My point is this, and hopefully it ties back into my previous ramblings about how we measure greatness…

History will remember that Rachel was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness.  It will remember that she was the 2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell.  If all goes as planned, it may remember her as the first filly in 94 years to win the Travers.  More importantly though, she will be remembered in name and cirucmstance across the expanse of time.  A decade from now, we’ll be comparing 3-year-old fillies to her.  Count on it.

There will always be Ruffian at the top, and of course there are countless other fillies and mares who have accomplished stunning success (some that even rival the success Rachel has achieved) -  including victories over older males – but because she did so on one of our biggest stages (the Preakness), and because she carries the iconic status of the “underdog” by virtue of being a girl running amongst boys (even when saddled with 1/5  favoritism at the beting windows), Rachel’s memory will burn bright for years to come.  And with each passing victory, her legend continues to grow.  I think that’s the thing to really take hold of.  When you watch Rachel run, realize that you are watching, in all likelihood, a living legend in the making.  How darned lucky we are to be alive to see it!

And of course, on a personal level, that hole in my heart that has existed since Curlin’s retirement was announced following the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic?  It’s been filled.  Or, as a buddy on Facebook responded, it’s been “fillied.”

As for Rachel…

She came, she saw, she conquered.


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Categories : horse racing, Horse Racing News, Monmouth Park, Rachel Alexandra

Revenge of the Bird; Summer Bird pulls the upset in Belmont 141

6 06 2009

Summer Bird pulls the upset in Belmont 141

For the second time in 3 years we’ve had each of the Triple Crown races won by different horses.  In 2007 it was Street Sense, Curlin, and Rags to Riches.  Now in 2009 it’s Mine That Bird, Rachel Alexandra, and Summer Bird.  We mentioned in the pre-race handicapping that it would not be a surprise if the “other Birdstone” prevailed.  With all of the attention focused on Mine That Bird, Charitable Man, and Dunkirk, the colt slipped under the radar and provided  jockey Kent Desormeaux (who was white hot, winning 4 races on the day including 3 in a row at one point in the early going) with a perfect opportunity to atone for the disappointment of Big Brown in the 2008 Belmont.

Post time favorite Mine That Bird did what we thought he’d do.  He ran his heart out and gave his best effort, but ultimately the ride by jockey Calvin Borel raised some eyebrows as many began questioning whether he asked the son of Birdstone for his run about a  furlong or so too soon.  It looked like Birdstone was a bit jumpy in the post parade, and about midway through the race he began giving Borel a bit of a fight, seeming to want to go at the horses to his front.  After the job Borel has done this Triple Crown season, I think the guy deserves to be given some slack even if he did move a bit early.  He’s only human, and it did look like the horse wanted to go. 

Meanwhile, jockey Kent Desormeaux expertly piloted Summer Bird through a run that looked very Borel/Mine That Bird-ish.  Patiently waiting at the back of the pack and positioned along the rail, Summer Bird eventually found a way through to the center of the track at the top of the stretch and then gunned down the dueling Mine That Bird and Dunkirk as Charitable Man began to fade.  For a moment at the top of the stretch it looked like Mine That Bird, Dunkirk, and Charitable Man were going to give us a 3 horse battle right down to the wire.  You can hear the wind being taken out of the crowd though as it became clear that none of these runners was going to resist Summer Bird’s powerful charge. 

Dunkirk also turned in a gutsy performance, setting the early pace through splits of :23.31 and :47.13, much faster than many had anticipated.  Many (including me) had expected Charitable Man and perhaps Miner’s Escape to set the early pace, but these two wound up taking behind Dunkirk in the early going along with Mr. Hot Stuff. 

For being a longshot, Summer Bird sure made quite the post parade impression.  I managed to tweet that he looked sensational as the field approached the gate. Luckily, at Amy’s urging, we put a quick win wager on him at the last second that came back quite lucrative.  Summer Bird crossed the wire in 2:27.31 and returned $25.80 for the win after being sent off at odds of 11/1.  It’s a good thing too, as we needed that win bet, having been bounced from the Pick 4 long before the Belmont when Gabby’s Golden Gal became the latest 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro to shine on the center stage, joining Payton d’Oro and the super filly Rachel Alexandra. 

With the Belmont in the books, the Triple Crown season is now officially history.   Hats off to Mine That Bird, Rachel Alexandra, and Summer Bird for becoming the latest champions.  Let’s hope that this crop of 3-year-olds continues to shine on the race track.  It’ll be good for racing if Mine That Bird can bounce back later this year.  The “little gelding that could” is still a sensational runner.  Hopefully the distance of the Belmont didn’t zap his energy.  He’s probably earned  himself a lengthy layoff at this point to rest and recover.  Without a future standing stud, his connections will likely keep him racing as long as he’s healthy.

Speaking of healthy, can we all breathe a bit of a collective sigh of relief now?  We made it through the campaign without any serious injuries while in the national spotlight (although we did lose some good ones along the trail to injury, including but not limited to The Pamplemousse, Old Fashioned, Quality Road, and I Want Revenge).  We watched nervously as a full Derby field trudging along in the slop at Churchill.  We argued about the safety and soundness of a filly taking on the boys in the Preakness.  And now we’ve  had the grueling 1 1/2 mile distance of the Belmont, and as far as I’m aware at this moment in time all of the runners from these races have returned in relatively fine shape.  Maybe we can finally move past some of the more recent tragedies the sport has suffered?  Not that we’d ever want to forget…more so from a closure standpoint.  If not move past these memories completely, then at least take a step forward. 

So where does this crop of 3-year-olds rank in comparison to those of recent memory?  It’s still too early to say for sure.  Probably somewhere between the talented group from 2007 and the relatively weak group of 2008 (besides Big Brown) would be my guess.  Now we’ll see how they do when they begin to take on older horses for the first times this summer.  Usually that’s a fairly significant challenge, but the ranks of the quality older horses have been severely thinned in recent years. 

At the end of the day, I still feel confident in saying that the best horses in the nation are Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra. If  the versatile Einstein can take the Stephen Foster, then he’d certainly belong in the discussion as well.  The point is that there’s plenty of room for runners like Mine That Bird, Summer Bird, Dunkirk, and any of the other Triple Crown competitors  to come back and pick up additional graded stakes wins throughout the summer and fall. 

For now though, congratulations to trainer Tim Ice and the connections for Summer Bird, and a big round of applause to Kent Desormeaux for his perfect ride.  It may not have been the ending many expected, but it was still a beauty to behold. 

And to think….right around the corner we’ve got Saratoga and Del Mar. 


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Categories : Belmont Park, Belmont Stakes, Dunkirk, horse racing, Horse Racing News, Mine That Bird, Summer Bird, Triple Crown, Triple Crown Coverage


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