Ticket to Ride (Beatles, 1965)

A huge day for Kentucky Derby preps, but lots to catch up on regarding Rachel vs. Zenyatta. As expected, Rachel Alexandra was voted Horse of the Year and the final balloting wasn't close. Yes, Zenyatta was awesome in the BC Classic, but Rachel was awesome just about ALL YEAR!


Now, the two great ladies of racing are being given a ticket to ride into history if they do meet on April 9 at Oaklawn Park in what is being billed as a ``Race for the Ages''.


Both are on the same training schedule, turning in workouts on Thursday _ Rachel in Nawlins' and Zenyatta in California. Both are set for their first starts of 2010 on March 13 _ Rachel at Fair Grounds and Zenyatta at Santa Anita.


Both will then be pointed to Charles Cella's track in Hot Springs after the owner offered to raising the purse of the $500,000 Apple Blossom to $5 million.


After a day of wrangling, in which Rachel's owner Jess Jackson put trainer Steve Asmussen up to making comment that Rachel wouldn't be ready for the race, Cella changed the date and all is fine. Zenyatta's owner Jerry Moss was stunned at first _ not that Jackson said he wasn't sending his filly _ but that he was countering with a 3-race series between the two. ``What the hell is he talking about,'' Moss told me when I informed him of Jackson's proposal the night it happened.


But enough, the race is one for now. I am not sure it will happen, but I hope it does: There are still many days to go before these superstars show up for the race, and all must go perfectly in both camps for the race everyone is asking for actually happens.


Wouldn't it be something if one or both lost on the 13th _ after all, Rachel hasn't run since the Woodward in early September and Zenyatta hasn't run since the Classic in early November. Let's hope it doesn't happen and them we'll have one of the most anticipated races _ other than the Kentucky Derby or a Triple Crown attempt _ in many, many moons.



And then it's on the Kentucky Derby on May 1: Heading into today's Derby preps, here's my Top 10:

1. Lookin At Lucky

2. Buddy's Saint

3. Jackson Bend

4. Rule

5. Eskendereya

6. Dave in Dixie

7. Conveyance

8. Dublin

9. Super Saver

10. Radiohead

The In Crowd (Dobie Gray, 1973)

This is a stretch, for sure, but Ladies Day, or Breeders' Cup Day 1 was all about gray: With absolutely no buzz whatsover (these were championship races?) we were looking for the extra betting edge and went for the Grady Lady-Pick 5. What? We'll it worked: With a total of 5 grays in five of the six Breeders' Cup races Friday, we had two winners and a runner-up: Tapitsfly ($21.60 to win) in the Juvenile Fillies Turf; Beautician ($9.40 to place) in the Juvenile Fillies; Forever Together ($2.40 to show) in the F&M Turf; Informed Decision ($8.80 to win); and Careless Jewel (zip, last in the Ladies Classic). A profit on the day.

On Saturday, we'll go gray again but there's not much: Summer Movie in the Juvenile Turf (these races are so riveting _ lol _ I don't even know if he made the field); Silver Timber and California Flag in the Turf Sprint; Zensational in the Sprint; Mastercraftsman in the Dirt Mile; and Monzante in the Turf. No grays in the Classic, so I'm going with Gio Ponti, with a small wager on Richard's Kid.

Let It Be (The Beatles, 1969): Take A Mulligan, Gary

On the day before the two-day Breeders' Cup commences at Santa Anita, Hall of Fame golfer Gary Player _ he owns a 20,000-acre breeding farm in his native South Africa_ was presented with the Breeders' Cup's newest gimmick (excuse me, "award") for Sports and Racing Excellence.
The golfer then hit his opening drive into the rough with this: ``We need more horses like Rachel Alexandra and Sea The Stars to come and compete. Don’t hide them away. Don’t make excuses about tracks. We need these champions to compete against each other."
C'mon, Gary. Breeders' Cup CEO Greg Avioli put you up to this, right? Why else would you make such a ridiculous statement? In golf, yes, the best show up for the majors. All the time. Every year. You know. You did.
Horse racing? Not the same. You know it. European star Sea The Stars has his own story (breeding, you know), but this is a direct shot at Rachel Alexandra and her owners, wine baron Jess Jackson and his longtime pal, Harold McCormick. To accuse them of hiding Rachel, making excuses about tracks and then saying ``we need champions to compete'' ... well, Gary, you haven't been paying attention.
Rachel Alexandra: 8-for-8 this year, a-race-a-month campaign until her third win over boys (big boys) in the Woodward Stakes in September. And as for her absence from the Breeders' Cup, Jackson's two-time Horse of the year Curlin did not like the surface last year in the Classic, and he made it clear many months ago he did not like ``plastics.'' Anyway, Rachel already has earned the right to be ranked among the best fillies ever (right up there with Ruffian).
So, Gary, how does not running against Zenyatta, a synthetic sensation running on her home track, affect Rachel's accomplishments? Where was Zenyatta when there were several chances to go against Rachel on dirt?
See? Racing has created yet another conundrum with a rush to synthetics despite lack of proof it will cut down on breakdowns. If the Breeders' Cup were on dirt, would Zenyatta take on Rachel? Of course we want champions to compete (the Breeders' Cup tried to lure Rachel to the Classic by increasing the winner's share, remember?). As you say, Gary, you'd never back down from Nicklaus or Palmer, and if you lose you lose. But there is quite a bit more that goes into deciding whether a horse should run in a particular race at a particular track.





So, let's look at what the Breeders' Cup has done to make this one of the least compelling Breeders' Cups ever (and thank you Jerry and Ann Moss for Zenyatta in the Classic, at least). They scheduled the event at the same synthetic track two years in a row without waiting for feedback from owners, trainers, etc. They wanted their two-day event to become a 14-race festival that would bring out the Hollywood stars and create a buzz. It ain't happenin, folks. Of the 14 races that could see a maximum of 190 horses compete, only 3 of the 14 fields are full and 42 starting gates will be empty over the two days. And with racing's No. 1 lady waiting for her 4-year-old campaign, and Zenyatta going against the boys, Friday's Ladies Classic(that's no lady, that's my wife!) will have a field of 8 out of a possible 14.
A thought: When the Cup is held at Churchill Downs in 2010, it should be a one-day event with eight or nine races. Enough buffoonery.

Thank You Girl (The Beatles, 1963): Rachel Alexandra

It's been awhile.
But now it's time to chime in before the Breeders' Cup. I will try to make this short. Rachel Alexandra is Horse of the Year. No matter what happens this weekend.


Zenyatta can win the Breeders' Cup Classic by 32 lengths. It doesn't matter. If one race determines Horse of the Year, the award will be a farce. It was a farce in 2004 when Ghostzapper won _ by a lot _ over Smarty Jones. Are you kidding me? Smarty Jones won every single race in his life except his last one, he was beaten in the final strides of the Belmont Stakes. Not many horses have done for racing what Smarty Jones did until his dramatic defeat by Birdstone. Of course, the owners were villified for supposedly waffling on whether their horse was healthy or not, and then retired him for huge sums of money. Isn't that what horse racing has come to? And then the nearly universally despised Frank Stronach plays the sympathy card, saying Ghostzapper, who had run all of 3 _ count 'em! _ races that year, would not only be in the Classic, but would keep running, unlike that turncoat Smarty Jones. And the voters bought it. They voted Ghostzapper, 4-for-4 and without a race the first half of the year, Horse of the Year over Smarty Jones, a mere 8-for-8 before the Belmont _ , winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Get real people. And now, thanks to ESPN/ABC -- oh thanks for televising nationally all the Rachel Alexandra races over the summer -- Zenyatta has a chance to win Horse of the Year if she can beat the boys in the Classic. Sorry, too late. I love Zenyatta, a gorgeous mare who has never lost. She has beaten every female she's faced, sometimes in dramatic fashion. She ventured away from California's synthetic surfaces only once - and won in Arkansas. Woo hoo. However, it has been Rachel who has lifted racing this year, given it the star it so dearly longs for, a filly who may just be the best female horse ever _ EVER! She is expected to run next year as a 4-year-old, too.



Zenyatta has beaten the likes of Lethal Heat, Cocoa Beach and Hystericalady; Rachel has beaten every 3-year-old filly thrown her way _ by a lot; and then beat the Derby winner, the Belmont winner and the likes of Bullsbay, Macho Again, Munnings and Musket Man. She won the Preakness, the Haskell and the Woodward -- three wins over the boys -- and older boys, too. Rachel is 8-for-8 in 2009, and her owner says he won't run her on synthetics because he doesn't like the surface. Zenyatta would be 5-for-5 with a Classic win. It's Horse of the Year, not Horse of the Career. No matter what happens in the Classic, the vote shouldn't be close. It should be unanimous.

You Can't Always Get What You Want (Rolling Stones, 1968)

It's warm up weekend.

Sure, there's the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont, but no Rachel Alexandra. There's the Nijinsky Stakes on the turf at Woodbine with Rahy's Attorney (ho hum) and there's the Eddie Read Handicap on the turf at Del Mar with American Handicap winner Monterey Jazz and seven others (another ho hum)...

But wait 'til next weekend, perhaps the best of the summer before the Travers on Aug. 29 ... Next weekend is when all three winners of the Triple Crown races will be in action ... Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was vanned from Churchill Downs to Mountaineer Racetrack and Casino for next Saturday night's West Virginia Derby (do we really believe a Derby winner is running in West by God Virginia?)






And the next day, at 6:14 pm, is the Haskell Invitational showdown between Preakness winning filly Rachel Alexandra and Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird ... The two will be meeting for the first time and the race promises to be a doozy. Add Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem to the mix, not to mention stakes-winning Munnings and a few local hotshots, and who knows what'll happen when the filly takes on the boys for the second time... She is coming off a billion-length win in the Mother Goose a few weeks ago against a few rivals competing for second place. She's win seven in a row, all under Calvin Borel, and who knows how Cajun Boy will approach this race at Monmouth, where he rarely rides. Hopefully, a few races over the course is on his agenda, not the Jersey Shore only down the block.

While the Haskell has two of the Triple Crown race winners, the greatest meet in the world -- Saratoga -- will be entering its first weekend topped by Saturday's Jim Dandy Stakes, featuring Kensei, the Dwyer winner owned by Jess Jackson, who owns Rachel Alexandra. An aside: Quality Road, the Florida Derby winner who would have been the Derby favorite but suffered a quarter crack and missed the Triple Crown races, is set to return in the Amsterdam on Aug. 3 _ a sprint also featuring Capt. Candyman Can.

Let's get it on. It's summer racing at its best, and it's only a week away. And by Travers day, a showdown looms: Mine That Bird vs. Rachel Alexandra vs. Summer Bird.

Cool. Maybe, if you try sometime, you can always get what you want.

And I ask: Where is TV on this? ESPN? Forgetaboutit. Is there no national TV for the Derby winner? Or the filly in the Haskell? Is this sport nuts, or what?

For what it's worth _ the Haskell is worth a quarter-million dollars more this year, up to $1,250,000 .... And there's also a bonus for the winners of any Triple Crowns races who run in the Haskell. Nice work, Monmouth and its president Bob Kulina, always trying to put together the best race possible no matter what the price.

Fourth of July: It's A Sunny Day!

Good Day Sunshine (The Beatles, 1966)

And it was. OK. I arrived at Belmomt Park about 2:30, some time after the fourth race. So I'm not the betting kind, at least not on this Fourth of July, but what a glorious day after so many Rain (The Beatles, 1966) days in June that poured into July. But there was no rain today, and three grand ol' stakes races were run and a crowd of more than 7,000 showed up at this massive racetrack. They were the lucky ones -- at the top of the stretch are private BBQ areas for groups, and a grassy area for families who just want to toss out a picnic blanket and kick back and enjoy the day.
Of course, I was lucky enough to be invited to a birthday party in one of the BBQ areas (for Teresa, or Brooklyn Backstretch) _ and I made the most of it: one really well done hot dog with mustard and kraut, a couple of cans of Molson and a few bakery cookies. Mm mm.
Then it was time for the stakes _ races. Loved Just Ben in the Dwyer, especially after watching him romp on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Oh well. Just Ben is just plain no good in the stretch and Kensei, apparently a fictional name based on a real person named Miyamoto Musashi, who is believed to have been one of the most skilled swordsmen in history and the greatest samurai. Cool, huh? Maybe it's true.
Anyway, the horse is owned by Jess Jackson of Curlin and Rachel Alexandra fame. So now Jess has a 3-year-old colt on the rise to go with his fabulous filly Rachel. He was in the winner's circle, touting his new star, and saying he's looking at Saratoga or other options or Monmouth Park. OK, we'll wait to see where he ends up.
Calvin Borel, a favorite topic, was aboard Warrior's Reward in the Dwyer. They stumbled badly at the start and finished third. The Jim Dandy is next for him.
In the Prioress, it was Cat Moves -- the least experience filly in the field -- beating eight rivals to make her record 3-for-3 for trainer Tony Dutrow. The Test at Saratoga on Aug. 8 is next.
And finally, the 123rd running of Suburban gave good ol' (don't tell 'em my age) Barclay Tagg his first stakes win in New York this year when Dry Martini rallied from last to first. Asiatic Boy held on for second in a Suburban devoid of an older star (perhaps this is why the race was downgraded to a Grade 2 -- although the purse was $400,000) ...
Also on the day, Mike Smith was selected to ride Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby _ Calvin blew his chance by not committing to the gelding. Good move by Chip Woolley. Back to Belmont and when all was said and done, it was a lovely day at the track -- and that's a good thing.

Cool it, Calvin

Cool Jerk (The Capitols, 1966)

OK Calvin Borel, enough is enough. The jig is up.
You and your agent, Jerry Hissam _ and we used to like you guys_ have taken this too far. Perhaps you think you're too famous these days, you Mr. Stay-in-Manhattan all Belmont week and then climbing aboard Mine That Bird, making an early move and finishing third in the Belmont Stakes.
It's fine to be confident and cocky. Heck, you earned it after so many years of riding the rails before hitting it big in the 2007 Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense. But what the hell are you doing now?
You were desperate for a Derby ride this year, and got hooked up with Mine That Bird and won the dang thing at 50-1. Then you ditched him for a filly and beat your own Derby winner in the Preakness with Rachel Alexandra. Ain't it grand to be you -- going for your own personal Triple Crown?
And then you diss Belmont Park, refuse to ride one race over the course in the week leading up to the Belmont and what happens? You move early, and the Bird can't hold off Summer Bird in the stretch.
So now you are waffling again, and thank goodness Mine That Bird's trainer Chip Woolley made his move now -- Hey Calvin, you're outta here if you don't commit to my gelding through the Breeders' Cup ... Well, Hissam was being hush and refusing to commit to anything other than to Warrior's Reward _ a 3-year-old with promise who runs in the Dwyer at Belmont on Saturday and likely the Jim Dandy on Aug. 1. Oops! That's the same day you're supposed to ride Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby, and then comes the Travers and then the Breeders' Cup Classic. So you won't commit to the horse you won the Derby on? You want to ride for Ian Wilkes, who took over for the man who put you on Street Sense (Carl Nafzger)?
Good for you. Your choice. And now you won't ride the Derby winner again.
What you tried to do -- keep Woolley hanging on _ is not popular in this corner, and not good for the sport .. and Calvin, you know it. Yes, it's all about the money and heaven knows you made a ton of it aboard Mine That Bird, not to mention winning 7 in a row aboard Rachel Alexandra. So you made your choice by refusing to make a commitment. You made a commitment to Rachel. Why not Mine That Bird? A horse that will be running long after Rachel is sent to the farm? You guys may know more about this then this corner, but what is coming out in the media is not too pretty. Here's hoping Woolley & Co. come up with a rider that will bring their horse back to the winner's circle -- in West Virginia, New York and California.