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Reigning Champions

June 28th 2009 03:07

It's reigning champions.

Who is the better out of the two undefeated females, Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra?

Rachel Alexandra leading for home in the Preakness

(photo: AP. This is as close as they ever get to Rachel Alexandra, shown here leading around the home turn in the 2009 Preakness Stakes).

Zenyatta as an older female has proved durable over several seasons and returned in 2009 where she left off in 2008.

While Rachel Alexandra toys with her opposition - apart from her narrow(ish) win against the males in the Group One Preakness Stakes - she has just completed her seventh straight victory when winning (ever so easily) the Group One Mother Goose Stakes of 1 1/8 miles by a staggering 19 1/4 lengths. And in doing so breaking the record for the Mother Goose Stakes running 1: 46.33 and bettering the previous record which was set in 1994 by Lakeway. Calvin Borel eased her down so much in the straight that perhaps Secretariat’s record of 1: 45 2/5 for the distance may have been threatened had she been tested. Nothing seems to trouble this super filly - instead of racing on the speed as she had done at her previous wins her two rivals concocted a way of defeating her by taking the race out at breakneck speed with the first 6 furlongs being run at a sizzling 1: 08.86. But Rachel just camped off their speed and gave them windburn in passing.

Rachel Alexandra has now a combined winning margin of 63 3/4 quarter lengths from her seven victories.

"How about that! I am a modest guy. I was hoping for maybe ten lengths. She is a special filly, she is a champion, she is a lady. We don't know where her bottom is. She has beauty combined with speed, so fast. I think she's the best three-year-old, right now. She just broke a track record and she wasn't even asked." - Jess Jackson as told to The Thoroughbred Times.

Zenyatta gave weight and a 2 1/2 length beating to her rivals in the Group One Vanity at Hollywood Park. The US Champion Older Mare will not relinquish her crown without a fight.

Both stables anticipate the prospect of a clash between these two racing superstars. Jess Jackson is adamant that Rachel Alexandra will not race on a synthetic surface and that Zenyatta will have to travel east for them to race.

“Hopefully, we will meet somewhere. If not the Breeders’ Cup [on the synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park in November], maybe it will be somewhere else. I think time will tell on something like that, and we will go from there.” - Jerry Moss, owner of Zenyatta, as told to The Thoroughbred Times.

My opinion is that the versatility of Rachel Alexandra may be the deciding factor in any race they contest. Zenyatta will be out the back and set to produce her withering finish - while Rachel Alexandra may be on the speed, smothered just behind the speed, or even shoulder to shoulder with Zenyatta out the back. The pace of the race dictates her racing position. This is a decided advantage.

2009 Mother Goose Stakes won by Rachel Alexandra:

2009 Vanity won by Zenyatta:

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Posted By: Leonard Marlborough - Category: No Category

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Racing career of Weekend Hussler threatened by injury

June 24th 2009 06:58

Reigning Australian Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler has been diagnosed with a rare injury (only 6 reported cases in Australia) that may herald the premature end to his career.

Weekend Hussler defeating Scenic Blast in the Caulfield Guineas

(photo: Vince Caligiuri The Age)

When running in the Group One Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in the Autumn the champion galloper jumped a shadow and wrenched his off fore fetlock.

Weekend Hussler was then spelled and it was expected that rest would be the only provision required for cure. But come the early preparation for this Spring it was discovered that he was still struggling with the same injury and an arthroscopic operation was then advised.

It was during this that vets discovered that Weekend Hussler was suffering from residual inflammation as result of leaking synovial fluid.

joint showing relation of synovian fluid

"It is a one-off thing and we are still working out which is the best way to treat it. He is definitely out for the spring. He might just need time."

"We gave him time off and he looks great but, unfortunately, he has not recovered. We have just got to get the horse nice and sound and then work out where we go from there,” - trainer Ross McDonald. (as reported on the Racing Victoria website)

"You can only diagnose the problem via an arthroscope because nothing shows up on the x-rays, and hence radiographs after his poor performance on 14 February didn’t show anything."

“Once he hadn’t responded to the normal treatment regimes for a wrenched joint as we diagnosed initially we spelled him, but it (the injury) didn’t improve out in the paddock, hence he was brought back into the stables and the arthroscope was put in."

“We flushed it out and we have given him quarterzone steroids postoperatively and it hasn’t responded so far.”

“I’ve contacted different vets around the world and there’s nothing we haven't done so far that would normally help the condition so we’re now just investigating the possibility of further treatments rather than just rest."

“There are reported treatments that involve the injection of a radioactive isotope into the joint to destroy the synovial membrane which they do to humans with the same condition and they have a good response to it."

“If we decide to go down the path of the radioactive isotope it would have to be flown over from France.” - Weekend Hussler's Vet, Rob McInnes. (as reported on the Racing Victoria website)

The recent stellar success of Scenic Blast in Australia and England sit in stark contrast to the sorry situation that has befallen Weekend Hussler. Four times Weekend Hussler met Scenic Blast, and except for his very unlucky 4th behind him in this year’s Lightning Stakes (Tightened for room. Struck interference near 400m. Lost a plate) Weekend Hussler has easily defeated him on each occasion.

We can only wonder what might have been had not Weekend Hussler been redesigned in the Spring of 2008 into a stayer instead of a champion sprinter/miler. His last start in the Spring of 2008 was a 12th place finish in the Caulfield Cup - pulling up lame after the race.

To enlighten us all more on the injury I have turned to Horses and Horse Information and an article from this resource from the Spring of 1997:

Synovial fluid is made of large molecules of hyaluronic acid, tangled together to form a thick barrier that prevents inflammatory cells from gaining entrance to the joint. These molecules are a basic need for healthy joints.

When a joint is subjected to repeated stress or trauma, such as can occur with everyday riding, training, or racing, it often leads to damage of the synovial membrane and joint capsule. At this point, lameness is not always present. However, as the damage worsens, the horse becomes lame and the joint becomes hot and swollen. The damage to the tissue allows white blood cells to escape nearby blood vessels and invade the joint space.

These white blood cells then release destructive substances which start to degrade the joint’s cartilage. Enzymes from the white blood cells also begin to break down the hyaluronic acid molecules. This results in synovial fluid that is thin and watery, and has poor cushioning and nourishing qualities. If left untreated, the joint damage progresses to arthritis and, eventually, degenerative joint disease that can become crippling.

Once it has been damaged, the cartilage does not heal well. Since it does not have a blood supply of its own and must depend on the synovial fluid, which has also been degraded by the inflammatory process, the cartilage often does not repair itself at all. Once DJD (degenerative joint disease) is established, there is no way of curing it. It can be managed, but often leads to a horse’s premature retirement. Sometimes, horses with severe DJD must be put down.

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Posted By: Leonard Marlborough - Category: No Category

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Brilliant Blast

June 17th 2009 05:37

Seldom has a 3/4 length victory been as impressive - or devastating in its sheer brilliance - than was Scenic Blast in victory in the Group One King’s Stand Stakes (5 furlongs) at Royal Ascot.

Scenic Blast winning King's Stand Stakes

(photo: PA)

The speculation preceding the race centred around Scenic Blast drawing ‘the wrong side’ of the straight track in barrier 15. Drawing the ‘wrong side’ is something all too familiar in straight track racing at Flemington in Melbourne, where Scenic Blast was to defy any bias to register two brilliant victories in the Melbourne Autumn in the premier sprint events of the Group One Lightning Stakes (1000m) and the Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m).

Scenic Blast is very well suited to straight track racing. His only, although unlucky failure in the Autumn was in the 1100m Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield - around a turn. Tightened and checked. Down straight tracks Scenic Blast is allowed to cruise at his leisure before being eased (even to the tail of the field if necessary) into clear ground and producing spectacular sectional (or closing) sprints. Around a turn he needs to find cover - then clear running - before then circumnavigate the turn and unleashing his sprint. He is a superior straight track horse.

As it eventuated the field did not split as some had expected and this allowed Scenic Blast to settle near the rear of the field - as is his preference - before moving into clear galloping room down the centre of the track.

Steven Arnold admitted later that he may have allowed Scenic Blast to get to the front too soon - but the horse moved so easily through the field under his own steam that when Steven Arnold ‘pressed the button’ the race appeared over at the halfway point.

The runner-up Fleeting Spirit closed strongly late to get within a length. Her placing would add merit to the performance of Scenic Blast as she was placed 3rd last year in the same race when starting a short priced favourite and finishing within a length of Equiano, with Takeover Target 2nd. This year Equiano could do no better than 8th -while Takeover Target is being saved for the Golden Jubilee Stakes next Saturday.

Scenic Blast will not attempt to back up and instead will proceed with the plan devised by trainer Dan Morton and race next in the July Cup. To those in England not familiar with Scenic Blast they may think that the apparent closing effort of Fleeting Spirit would indicate that he is vulnerable over more ground. Nothing could be further from the point. Scenic Blast needs to be very fresh to race over 1000m. Considering that he is a Group One placegetter over 1600m behind champion performer Weekend Hussler he is well suited by the additional trip of the July Cup.

Scenic Blast announced his arrival as a champion sprinter when he won the Lightning Stakes second up during his Autumn campaign. This race was expected to be a match race between champions Weekend Hussler (6-4 fav) and Apache Cat (15-4). Neither would be placed.

That was the first occasion that Scenic Blast had managed to beat Weekend Hussler in 4 starts - losing at 1200m; 1400m & 1600m. But now Scenic Blast is a world class champion sprinter - and Weekend Hussler will be out to resurrect a career after a fruitless Spring where it was attempted to turn him into a stayer. It makes you wonder how different it may have been if Weekend Hussler was kept for races between 1200 - 1600m.

I was looking forward to the clash between Scenic Blast and the Hungarian champion Overdose ever since Dan Morton accepted the invitation to run at Royal Ascot. But unfortunately Overdose missed running after developing a hoof infection. Now that would have been a race. The champion speedster clashing with the champion closer. Sustained speed against the fastest sectional speed. Maybe another time.

Scenic Blast has now won two legs of the Global Sprint Challenge. A win in Hong Kong or Japan later this year will earn connections and additional $US1 million bonus. This now looks very achievable.

At this time there is very little between three champion Australian sprinters (Scenic Blast; Takeover Target and Apache Cat) on speedfigures. On soft ground Takeover Target has managed to produce the best sprint speedfigures for 2009. His only failure this campaign was last start on firm ground in Singapore. The pillage of the English sprint races may not be over yet.

Scenic Blast won the Group One Newmarket Handicap @ $12.50 - but he was top rated by Speedratings and did have the best speed performances for the race.

A replay of The King’s Stand Stakes for 2009:

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Posted By: Leonard Marlborough - Category: No Category

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Whips and irons

June 10th 2009 03:57

Neil Murray has captured this fascinating photograph from the Pakenham races in provincial Victoria.

Maiden at Pakenham

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Posted By: Leonard Marlborough - Category: No Category

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See the stars of racing in England and the US

June 8th 2009 01:56

The Belmont Stakes victory by Summer Bird, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, displayed the fairy tale nature of horseracing. Stories with conclusions rich in drama, rich in irony, and always full of surprises.

Sea The Stars going on to win Epsom Derby

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Posted By: Leonard Marlborough - Category: No Category

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Black is back in style

June 2nd 2009 05:18

Davcon

4 yo black gelding by Anglia (AUS) - Royal Persepoly (AUS

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Posted By: Leonard Marlborough - Category: No Category

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The Flying Whip

May 28th 2009 09:01

The outcome of any race may depend on many factors. A jockey may be caught wide; a jockey may place his horse in a pocket; a jockey may time his run perfectly or take off too soon. Win or lose - luck good or luck bad.

And sometimes even if something goes wrong - everything still goes right

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Posted By: Leonard Marlborough - Category: No Category

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World Racehorse Rankings

May 26th 2009 12:27

The World Thoroughbred Rankings for the period 1st of November 2008 to the 17th of May 2009 have just been released by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.