Rachel Alexandra

[jagger]

IF RA runs, I think she will beat most but not all of the boys. If Calvin is aboard RA, MTB will not finish in the top half of the field.

[Twingirl]

If Calvin is aboard RA, MTB will not finish in the top half of the field.

Historically, how common is it for a jockey to get off the KY Derby horse he won on?

[pfrsue]

Historically, how common is it for a jockey to get off the KY Derby horse he won on?

Probably just about as common as it is for a jockey to win the KY Derby and the KY Oaks in the same year.

I don't have any empirical evidence though.

[jagger]

I think Calvin is the 7th to get the Oaks/Derby double. Also, I think on three occasions the Derby winning jockey did not ride the Derby winner in The Preakness but if Calvin rides RA, it will be the first time that the Derby winning jockey rides a different horse in The Preakness.

[reenci]

look you have to put the to performances in perspective....RA.......small fieldnever had to run hard...no jostling around....108 beyer #....MTB...huge field......105 beyer....not yet 3yo.....MTB beats her by at least a couple lengths , maybe more.......at this time of the year fillys do not beat the boys going long.....not saying it hasnt or wont be done ....but not likely..........good price on the derby winner with or without calvin b....who in my opinon is no better than a bunch of other jockeys who could have rode him just as well.......from what ive read it looks like mike smith could pick up the mount......no regression there.

[bdw0617]

i think the amount of quickess calivin jumped off of mine that bird, without hesitiateion to jump at the chance to ride Rachael should tell you how much talent she has.


I made that mistake going into the derbyl... not paying attention to gogo's deicsion to say on the nile. I won't make it again.

[pfrsue]

look you have to put the to performances in perspective....RA.......small fieldnever had to run hard...no jostling around....108 beyer #....MTB...huge field......105 beyer....not yet 3yo.....MTB beats her by at least a couple lengths , maybe more

I'm not necessarily in disagreement, but the flaw in that logic is that RA was not extended and seemed to be on a joy ride in the Oaks. She won for fun. At this stage, no one really knows how good she is. MTB maybe beats her by a couple of lengths, or maybe she leaves him eating her dust. (Okay, mud.) No one will ever really know. That's horse racing.

[bdw0617]

something else that I find hypocritial about the whole jess jackson thing.

we, on this very forum, talk about how money doesn't necessairly buy you greatness.

this very year, IEAH spent 5.7 million dollars on Stardom bound and what has it netted them? they spent an undisclosed amount for I want revenge and what did it get them?

For as much talk as we are giving Rachael, she could very well get injuired later today and never race again.

money doesn't guarantee you greatness. Yes it gives a foot in the door but it's not the end all be all.


The same hyprocity I see, when there are entire subforums talking about the 1-2-3-4-5 million dollar yearling purchases. what do you think think those owners are doing? ARe they not doing the same thing Jess Jackson is doing? Trying to buy greatness? yet we jump with gee when a yearling we own sales for more than we thought it would, and get down when it doesn't. but hey everything is funny with a pocket full of money.

When is the last time you, the horse owners here, sold a yearling for more than you thought it would sale, said "you know... I'm not happy becuase that guy that bought the horse is trying to buy success"

What I am getting at is, I think all this talk about jess jackson being bad for the game, is hogwash for envy. If you owned a yearlng that jess jackson bought at keeneland you'd be singing the man's praises from here to Baltimore. At least that's my point of view.


And it's not like Morrison is the loser. he has 5 millino dollars, a half sister to RA already down and the mommy of what is probably the best filly this decade and she's what... 8? yes that is alot to be sad about.


I frankly do not care who owns who as long as the owner is a good caring one. And that Jess is. the owners I despise are the ones that run their horess in hopeless spots just so they can get a ticket to parties and to be part of the end crowd.

[AscotStud]

I too don't understand people saying Jess Jackson is trying to buy the Preakness. He bought one of the most talented horses I have ever seen, she is worth every cent. There is a little more than just the Preakness involved with a purchase like that. She wouldn't be running if she isn't right.
As for running back in 2 weeks she hasn't broke a sweat all year, she might as well have been on a California training program working 1:12 3/4s and 1:24 7/8s for 2 or 3 months before they see a race. If she was all out in any of her races I'm sure things would be different, but she is going to be the freshest horse in the race. Like all the boys have been battle tested every 2 weeks all spring.
It's nice to see someone with a sporting mind in racing it needs it really bad. People are tired of watching cherry pickers make short work of 5 horse fields fillies or colts.

[Tiz]

I love Calvin Borel, but Mine that Bird did the running in the Derby. All Calvin did was ride him like he was the favorite(unlike some in his brethren would have done). To say MTB can't win without Calvin is silly.

[jagger]

Just wait and see, Tiz.

[DDT]

It is easy to say that Mine That Bird would have won without Calvin, but, what other jockey would have used the rail path to do it? How many would have been content to be dead last on an off track and not have tried to move much earlier? Mine That Bird may have done the running but Calvin is the reason he was able to make up all that ground and win and not get stalled behind tired horses.

I am also going to go out on a limb here and I say Rachel will win the Preakness without much effort, she has yet to show how fast she really is and this bunch will not push her that much. All she needs to do is repeat her Oaks run for the first mile and eigth, the rest will be history.

DDT

[bdw0617]

If rachael wins like I think she is capable of it can and should be a defining moment in horse racing for the regular public.

[reenci]

i think the amount of quickess calivin jumped off of mine that bird, without hesitiateion to jump at the chance to ride Rachael should tell you how much talent she has.


I made that mistake going into the derbyl... not paying attention to gogo's deicsion to say on the nile. I won't make it again.

i think the quickness he jumped off has to do with , he picked up the mount on MTB...where as RA he had the mount all allong and is looking down the road to the BC

[reenci]

It is easy to say that Mine That Bird would have won without Calvin, but, what other jockey would have used the rail path to do it? How many would have been content to be dead last on an off track and not have tried to move much earlier? Mine That Bird may have done the running but Calvin is the reason he was able to make up all that ground and win and not get stalled behind tired horses.

I am also going to go out on a limb here and I say Rachel will win the Preakness without much effort, she has yet to show how fast she really is and this bunch will not push her that much. All she needs to do is repeat her Oaks run for the first mile and eigth, the rest will be history.

DDT

he would have won even if he went wide...thats apparent to anyone.hell he won by 6 3/4....biggest margain since assualt for crying out loud

i guess the really standout thing to me is that MTB has been battle tested...where as RA has not been against the boys , and was certainly not tested in her last....we will see very shortly wont we ? and i have to wonder is RA better than zennyatta ?