So, here I was on April 17, 2009. All the preps had been run and the Derby field was pretty much set. I was pretty certain I had all my bases covered. Then the phone in my home office rang....
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This Saturday will mark the 10th anniversary of Rachel Alexandra's gut-wrenching victory in the Woodward Stakes that culminated arguably the most remarkable season ever by a 3-year-old filly. The race would prove costly not only to Rachel but those who tested her in one of the emotionally charged races ever run at Saratoga. To commemorate that amazing race I am reprinting my recap (with several additions and statistics) to relive all the drama and excitement of a race that will most definitely withstand the test of time....
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Rachel Alexandra was led out of her barn, her coat glistening and dappled and a bit lighter than when she was racing. As she stood placidly in the morning sun, she was not bothered in the slightest by the two visitors fawning over her. She has held her weight extremely well, and she still has that same bright eye her fans remember during her glory days....
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It has been called the greatest rivalry that never was--two magnificent fillies, as different as two horses can be, destined to never meet on the racetrack. ...
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Poetry comes in all forms of expression, and Borel and Rachel were pure poetry that day. ...
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Watching Beholder decimate her male opponents in the Pacific Classic and the aftermath on TVG and social media, it made me realize how times have changed; how the great fillies of the past never received the national recognition of a Beholder, a Zenyatta, or a Rachel Alexandra, or even a Black Caviar and Goldikova....
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Is Thoroughbred racing ready for an honest-to-goodness Filly Triple Crown, unlike the provincial series created by the New York Racing Association or the unofficial version that stimulated little interest at all back in the 1940s and '50s?...
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As the masses followed Rachel Alexandra's condition, a relationship was forming that would change the life of Brent Comer, medical technician at Rood & Riddle Veterinary Clinic....
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Through the remainder of the year, I am going to recount some of my most memorable experiences/moments in racing over the past 40 years. We begin with Rachel Alexandra's victory in the 2009 Woodward Stakes to kick off Saratoga's 150th anniversary....
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Steve discusses his visit with the queens of racing....
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Fillies are beating colts regularly all over the world....
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Looking back at Rachel Alexandra's Woodward triumph, as she leaves Saratoga for a new life....
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I guess it was too much to hope for to have Rachel Alexandra retire in a normal manner....
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It didn't take long for the "Retire Rachel" cries to be heard. I can't really criticize those who believe Rachel's reputation has suffered, and feel each race compromises her legacy. ...
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Many racing fans are prepared to state emphatically that Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are two of the best, if not THE best, fillies of the past half-century. The list from which to chose, however, is longer than most think....
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Although one can only speculate what the thinking of Team Rachel is, here are some possibilities, going so far as to look ahead and coming up with a possible schedule leading up to the Breeders' Cup....
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Thoroughbred racing in 2010 consists of three universes, all moving in parallel lines. One is the Triple Crown trail, which possesses an aura all to itself and is oblivious to any other existing worlds....
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The truth of the matter is that the Apple Blossom showdown turned into one big mess....
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Steve Haskin's Apple Blossom Diary: March 10 - March 12....
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Steve Haskin's Apple Blossom Diary: March 1 - March 9....
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Oaklawn Park made all the right moves with their big Apple Blossom announcement. They put up the money, the changed the distance, and in short they dangled one heckuva carrot in front of Jess Jackson and Jerry and Ann Moss....
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A preview of what will appear in this space over the next couple of weeks....
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I address some of the comments from my last blog, many of which denigrate the "other" horse, and at least attempt to put them in some kind of perspective....
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These are the final words from here on the Horse of the Year debate between racing's two monarchs, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. Unfortunately, only one likely will be crowned, but you can be sure both will rule in the hearts and minds of most racing fans....
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If Sea the Stars does not make the trip to California, which seems more likely than not, and joins Rachel Alexandra on the absentee list, it will create a void never before seen in the Breeders' Cup. ...
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