Rachel is Back!

[TJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z9hCbgubzU
Video of today's work along with an interview with Assmussen.
Crappy quality though.
Wish they could have recorded from the same vantage point as Saturday's gallop. Sigh. Oh, well....It's better than nothing.

Hi Diomed,
Thanks for the vid.....she did that perfectly. Intersting to note, as easy as she was going it was the 2nd best move of the morning and when Oklahoma gets muddy like that, it'll pull your shoes off:>) I'm not certain of this, but I believe the best move was 47.90 by her stable mate who went out to test the track right before RA was sent.
Below is a must see, inside look at RA going into the Lady's Secret.....very thorough from start to finish. Extremely good quality and just worth watching whether or not you are a fan of this horse.....you get a glimpse of what it's like before, during and after a race. A couple very interesting comments prior to RA passing the wire in the Lady's Secret and then again while she is hosed off after the win. As RA nears the finish line in the Lady's Secret you will hear "leave some horse Calvin" which accounts for her measured win (obviously instructed to do that)....and RA's assistant (Scott Blasi) talking to her as she was getting some extra relief from the heat after leaving the winners circle......Rachel, I love the way you pulled up....you pulled up like a mile and a quarter horse...you did.....You pulled up like a mile and a quarter horse!
Bottom line, the way she looked at Monmouth and the way she is now training into the Personal Ensign, Rachel Alexandra will have no excuses....she looks like the same horse she was last season.....only better. TJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz1OFPpx ... re=related

[bdw0617]

she won't need anyway. rachel will win by open lengths

[TJ]

she won't need anyway. rachel will win by open lengths

Hi bdw,
It will be a good horse race between the two favorites....if she can handle Pletcher's horse (Life at Ten), she will be ready for a stronger challenge. It's going to come up a short, 5 or 6 horse field if that many.....but Life at Ten will be the best she's faced by far this season and there is the 1 1/4 mile distance to contend with.
What did you think of that you-tube vid? TJ

[TJ]

Here's the field for The Personal Ensign. TJ

10th Race. (C9) Approx Post 5:56PM STAKES
THE PERSONAL ENSIGN INVITATIONAL
Grade I - $300,000
Purse $300,000 (Up to $41,000 NYSBFOA) One Mile And One Quarter
FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD.
1 Miss Singhsix (IRE)(L) Ch.m.5 116 Valdivia, Jr., J Team Valor International Wolfson, Martin
2 Rachel Alexandra(L) B.f.4 122 Borel, C Stonestreet Stables Asmussen, Steven
3 Persistently(L) Ch.f.4 116 Garcia, A Phipps Stable McGaughey III, Claude
4 Life At Ten(L) Ch.m.5 120 Velazquez, J DeBartolo, C Pletcher, Todd
5 Classofsixtythree(L) B.f.4 116 Castellano, J Pokoik, L Contessa, Gary

[diomed]

Rachel schooling in the paddock today.
I love how she is on her toes ready to go. She looks magnificent but pretty is as pretty does. Can't wait to see her race in a G1 finally.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onCNi6-sm9s

[walaa]

Life At Ten amd Miss Singhsix continue their sparring in this race, I dont think RA will even be a factor after the 9th furlong. Wouldnt shock me a bit if RA comes in 5th in here, even as great as she was last year, she gave no indication of wanting to go a mile and a quarter. She always has great workouts, as someone already mentioned here, but honestly, some of the random pics I have seen of her in the last month or 2, I think she looks awful compared to last year. Just MHO, lambast away but she sure doesnt look the same to me, physically. Not saying she isnt beautiful she just doesnt look good the last few photos I saw, weight wise. Anyways, if anyone will be at Keeneland the last weekend of the sale, I will place a wager that she doesnt come in better than 3rd here, I have tried this before last year, no takers. I will be there, waiting to buy someone a cocktail, if RA proves me wrong, I will happily take my medicine in the form of guessing wrong, and buy you yours at the bar

[oliverstoned]

I'm in on that one walaa, I'll have a shot of some tennessee
whiskey.

[walaa]

yea!! A taker, I will be there 23-26th of the sale, even if my babies dont sell, I will be more than happy to pay my debt on this race, if I should lose, at the bar I will be celebrating or crying at the bar anyways

[TJ]

Life At Ten amd Miss Singhsix continue their sparring in this race, I dont think RA will even be a factor after the 9th furlong. Wouldnt shock me a bit if RA comes in 5th in here, even as great as she was last year, she gave no indication of wanting to go a mile and a quarter. She always has great workouts, as someone already mentioned here, but honestly, some of the random pics I have seen of her in the last month or 2, I think she looks awful compared to last year. Just MHO, lambast away but she sure doesnt look the same to me, physically. Not saying she isnt beautiful she just doesnt look good the last few photos I saw, weight wise. Anyways, if anyone will be at Keeneland the last weekend of the sale, I will place a wager that she doesnt come in better than 3rd here, I have tried this before last year, no takers. I will be there, waiting to buy someone a cocktail, if RA proves me wrong, I will happily take my medicine in the form of guessing wrong, and buy you yours at the bar

Hi Walaa,
You don't have to go out of your way to bet against her....if you are that certain she won't hit the board, and if show wagering is allowed you can take down the pool by betting the other 4 horses to show....the prices will be very high. I did this some time ago when Lady's Secret raced in an allowance race at Saratoga....she was 1-9 on the board and was bet strong in the show pool. I witnessed her training and she was getting out terribly just galloping. The race started and she bolted to the outside fence, was pulled up and retired thereafter. The odds you get will be better than anything you can hussle up. Good luck to you, TJ

[TJ]

Rachel schooling in the paddock today.
I love how she is on her toes ready to go. She looks magnificent but pretty is as pretty does. Can't wait to see her race in a G1 finally.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onCNi6-sm9s

Hi D,
She certainly looked composed walking into the paddock, looking around like she owned the joint. She did turn her motor on after they tacked her up. She looks bigger and better now then I've ever seen her.....of course as Walaa says, going a mile and a quarter is the question. That's an invisible wall inherently bred into them and until they get into that territory, under pressure, it's all guess work. Still looking forward to the race as it will all culminate in probably one of the best Breeder's Cup Classic's we've seen in some time and I would like to see all the contestants going into it at the top of their games. TJ

[bdw0617]

to steal one from the great van berg


she (rachel) can gallop faster than they can run.


if borel has any sense which he does, he will put Rachel on the lead, and life at tend will never get by her.



i would bet miss whatever her name is before i bet life at ten. plus a malibu moon at 10"F is just going to have to beat me, i'm sorry. i don't count the del cap that was not a real race


the day life at ten sits off rachel, and pounces and rides by, the day i dont have a clue about horse racing

[Joltman]

Saratoga - Graveyard of Favorites

Shug never enters a filly that doesn't have a realistic chance.

jm

[TJ]

Saratoga - Graveyard of Favorites

Shug never enters a filly that doesn't have a realistic chance.

jm

Hi Jolt,
The last time Shug's horse ran against Life at Ten was when Life at Ten began her 6 race winning streak, last November. Shug's horse was checked at the break, rallied belatedly and got beat a 1/2 at the wire by Life At Ten. Persistently is coming off an easy win at a 1 1/8th at Saratoga. Let's not forget the name of this race either:>) TJ

[Georgerz]

Rachael looks real good in the pre-race segments on TVG. I hope that she performs as the champion and HOY she is.

[ireneinwa]

glad to see her beat. I know Im the to RA fans.