Clash of the Titans?
August 4th 2009 09:20
Watching Rachel Alexandra travel sweetly over the sloppy dirt (and puddles) to easily win the Group One Haskell Invitational last Sunday, you wonder if there is a track created that could nullify her brilliance. Sweeping over the sticky dirt of Monmouth Park she made a mockery of conditions and was just two-fifths of a second outside the shared track record (Majestic Light 1976 & Bet Twice 1987) for the 1 1/8 mile trip. And this with jockey Calvin Borel standing in the irons to celebrate before hitting the line.
(photo: Bill Kostroun AP)
"This filly is just unbelievable. I can't say how good she is. I gave her a few taps at the 16th-pole, that's it. I just wanted to keep her focused with a couple of taps. She started looking around at the crowd, so I just wanted to keep her busy." - Calvin Borel, as reported in USA Today.
But unfortunately owner Jess Jackson appears adamant that Rachel Alexandra will not race on the synthetic track at Santa Anita - and this rules out a start in this years Breeders’ Cup - and a clash with fellow super-female, Zenyatta.
Behind Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Invitational was Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird. This mighty filly has taken on the best of her age, male and female, and has proven to have no peer. She is simply the best.
The clash with Champion Older Mare Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup would be a clash of titanic proportion. But this appears to be very unlikely give Jess Jackson’s continued aversion to synthetic tracks. But such a meeting would also end the fairytale for one of the queens of the track. With Zenyatta to retire at the end of this year there may never be a meeting between the two. So we will most likely be left with our tales of (separate) glory - and our opinions.
If only we (still) had opportunity to throw Zarkava into the mix as well and have a race of sublime proportions. Of course then we would be subjected to another impediment: grass. Some things are never meant to be.
After last year I never thought I would say this (especially so soon) - but I can’t separate Zarkava and Rachel Alexandra. So exceptional are both - and so opposite are their circumstances - that who is better no longer matters. They are just to be enjoyed, and talked about for years,
The 2009 Haskell Invitational (Monmouth Park Grade/Group One)
Rachel Alexandra winning the Haskell Invitational
(photo: Bill Kostroun AP)
"This filly is just unbelievable. I can't say how good she is. I gave her a few taps at the 16th-pole, that's it. I just wanted to keep her focused with a couple of taps. She started looking around at the crowd, so I just wanted to keep her busy." - Calvin Borel, as reported in USA Today.
But unfortunately owner Jess Jackson appears adamant that Rachel Alexandra will not race on the synthetic track at Santa Anita - and this rules out a start in this years Breeders’ Cup - and a clash with fellow super-female, Zenyatta.
Behind Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Invitational was Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird. This mighty filly has taken on the best of her age, male and female, and has proven to have no peer. She is simply the best.
The clash with Champion Older Mare Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup would be a clash of titanic proportion. But this appears to be very unlikely give Jess Jackson’s continued aversion to synthetic tracks. But such a meeting would also end the fairytale for one of the queens of the track. With Zenyatta to retire at the end of this year there may never be a meeting between the two. So we will most likely be left with our tales of (separate) glory - and our opinions.
If only we (still) had opportunity to throw Zarkava into the mix as well and have a race of sublime proportions. Of course then we would be subjected to another impediment: grass. Some things are never meant to be.
After last year I never thought I would say this (especially so soon) - but I can’t separate Zarkava and Rachel Alexandra. So exceptional are both - and so opposite are their circumstances - that who is better no longer matters. They are just to be enjoyed, and talked about for years,
The 2009 Haskell Invitational (Monmouth Park Grade/Group One)
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