Hangin' With Haskin

The Answer Man to the Rescue

2009-11-19T02:48:00Z

With more than 400 responses on my last blog, and with some of the posters a bit overzealous in expressing their opinions, it is obvious the Horse of the Year debate is going to continue to heat up as we get closer to the Eclipse Awards.

I have stated my feelings and have nothing more to say on the matter, as far as what is right and what is wrong. In the grand scheme of things, it’s really not an earth-shattering topic, but one that apparently has hit the nerve center of the American racing fan.

What I will do is address some of the comments by posters, many of which denigrate the “other” horse, and at least attempt to put them in some kind of perspective. So, playing devil’s advocate, here are my responses.

“Rachael Alexandra was fully extended to beat Macho Again and Mine That Bird--two ordinary horses:”

The quality of one’s competition in a particular race should be based not on an opponent’s overall record, but on the form he or she is in at the time. That is why there have been major upsets throughout history – a superstar getting beat by an inferior opponent who is in the form of his or her life on that day. In the Woodward, Rachel Alexandra defeated two horses – Macho Again and Bullsbay -- who were in the form of their lives, having finished one-two in the Whitney (gr. I). Macho Again on his best day was good enough to win the Stephen Foster (gr. I), New Orleans Handicap (gr. II), Jim Dandy (gr. II), Derby Trial (gr. III), and finish second to Big Brown in the Preakness (gr. I). Rachel Alexandra on Woodward day defeated a good older horse who was in the best form of his life, as was Bullsbay, who was coming off a 107 Beyer in the Whitney. Denigrating a 3-year-old filly’s accomplishment of defeating solid older horses in early September is not based on anything logical. As for Mine That Bird, he also was in the best form of his life coming off his Kentucky Derby demolition and ran another terrific race in the Preakness. The Mine That Bird Rachel Alexandra defeated was not the Mine That Bird we saw struggle in the Breeders’ Cup Classic over a track he ran horribly over last year.

“A Horse of the Year has to show up – Zenyatta:”

Show up for what? A self-proclaimed “World Championships” that does not decide “World” championships? And run on a synthetic surface? Does showing up for one big race mean more than showing up for several big races from May to September at seven different racetracks, stepping way out of the box against males on three occasions?

“Why do you think Zenyatta was not scheduled to race against Rachel when there were so many opportunities? It's because they knew for months Rachel would never run on the polycrap at SA and they would have their only argument:”

Whatever articulate and poetic word you wish to use for synthetic surfaces, Zenyatta was scheduled to ship to Belmont Park to run in the Beldame Stakes had Rachel Alexandra showed up. All the arrangements had been made. But when it was decided after the Woodward to retire Rachel for the year that plan was scrapped and she ran in the Lady’s Secret instead.

“Zenyatta only beat grass horses, a couple of synthetic horses, and dirt horses that didn’t like the track:”

Only beat grass horses? You mean like Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator? If the Pro-Ride favors grass horses, why knock her for beating the best grass horse in America? No one knows for sure that Summer Bird didn’t like the track. He was only beaten three lengths. Doesn’t closing her last quarter in :23 flat, while being angled out several paths during the stretch run, suggest she ran a fantastic race, running down a closer who was running a winning race himself? Why would anyone want to ignore the fact she defeated eight grade I-winning males from three countries?

“Why do you think Rachel was not scheduled for the Breeders? Um. No chance of beating the mare:”

This must have been written by Jess Jackson or someone close enough to him to know the real reason Rachel did not run in the Breeders’ Cup. How else could someone be that authoritative? He obviously has first-hand knowledge of the situation.

“How many times did Rachel Alexandra race in California? This is the better question:”

None. And this is the better question?

“The East couldn't win on the racetrack, but they're going to do their best to beat us on paper. HOY is so East Coast biased. It makes me wanna puke:”

Beat US? Glad to see the West Coast isn’t biased at all. And who doesn’t like a good conspiracy once in a while? I must admit the Eclipse Award voting may very well be slanted toward the East in numbers, but not to the point where it would make me wanna take such drastic measures.

“Zenyatta took the best males by their throats and didn't let them up. She is the Horse of the Year. Bar none.”

This comment was from a poster by the name of Rachel Alexandra. Talk about a low self image.

“My vote for Horse of the Year: 1. Rachel Alexandra, 2. Summer Bird, 3. Gio Ponti:”

Signed Rachel Fan From Arkansas. Now that’s what I call a fan…and objective all the way. Take Zenyatta and just get rid of her altogether.

“Ghostzapper and/or Invasor are in this year's BC Classic (assume they handle the surface well). Does Zenyatta still run them down?”

And if she doesn’t?

“Zenyatta raced spectacularly in the Breeders Cup Classic, but that race was over what her connections have repeatedly said was her best surface.”

Sorry to have to correct you, but John Shirreffs has said all year that Zenyatta “tolerates” a synthetic surface, but it most definitely is not her favorite surface. Her favorite surface was Oaklawn Park’s dirt surface.

“What do you think about trying to take some of the subjectivity out of the HOY and some of the other categories. Let's have some governing body assign a point system to each GI stake race.”

The words ‘governing body’ and ‘assign’ mean one thing: you are creating subjectivity, not eliminating it.

“Beating dirt horses on a synthetic surface is like ME BEATING PETE SAMPRAS IN PING PONG:”

No offense, but my money is still on Peter Sampras.

“While Rachel has an impressive resume, the sport at its best is still about how a special horse can stir one's blood. Zenyatta's Classic just might be the most memorable ever run. I've not been that moved by a filly or mare since Ruffian. My HOTY is Zenyatta - by a heart.”

There is nothing wrong with voting from your heart if you so desire, but standing on the track after the Woodward and the Haskell, I can assure you that Rachel stirred the blood to a boil and moved the fans in attendance like they’ve never been moved before. I have never experienced noise after a race that reached the level of the Woodward. On the heart meter, this one’s a draw.

“Last time I voted for President, I didn't see an "either/both" option on the ballot. So man up and make a decision.”

You know, I was thinking the same thing. I just don’t see any difference between voting for the leader of the United States of America and Horse of the Year. And you’re right about having to man up. It takes a real man to decide which horse wins a statue. Ask Zenyatta and Rachel if they’d rather have the statue or a carrot.

This is just a small sampling of the comments, but you get the picture. I hope the Answer Man was of some help.

The third sampling goes like this:

“Rachel gets the Horse of the Year award.....No wait...Zenyatta...no Rachel...what a stupid predicament to be in.....they are both Horses of the Year.....”

“Horse of the Year should be about the extraordinary. I don’t see how anyone out there can say that label does not fit both these incredible horses and their accomplishments this year. I hope the voters step up and show the same class these horses have. It’s my feeling that if we don’t take this dual opportunity to acknowledge greatness, the only loser will be us.”

“I wanted to vote, but there was not a choice for BOTH, so I abstained. ;-)”

OK, combatants, re-assemble, and let the battle continue. But, please, this time, how about water pistols instead of Howitzers. Feel free to get each other a little wet, but let’s not blow anyone’s head off. The evil moderators await with their itchy little fingers firmly pressed on the delete button.

Horse of the Year: Stalemate

2009-11-15T18:00:00Z

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.

What follows below is based on the facts, with a little emotion thrown in. But first, as one of those who would like to see both names permitted on the ballot, just to give voters as torn as I am that option, I feel compelled to comment on NTRA president Alex Waldrop's reasoning why he doesn't feel that would be appropriate. There is no evidence to support Waldrop's comment that it would guarantee both horses the award. If someone feels strongly about either horse, they will vote for that horse. If the majority vote for both horses, then that's what they feel should be the outcome. It's free will and free thinking, with no "manipulation" involved.

Continue reading this column or feel free to comment below.

Breeders' Cup Wrap - Final Thoughts

2009-11-12T02:15:00Z

All the comments made about Quality Road being a rogue or crazy are way off base. Dr. Larry Bramlage called him a juvenile delinquent following his meltdown prior to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A juvenile, yes, in many ways, but being scared out of your wits does not make you a delinquent.

Quality Road was a frightened child afraid not of the dark or the boogeyman, but of a metal monster that closes in on his massive frame and constricts him. It’s called claustrophobia, and suffering from it does not make one crazy or a delinquent. Admittedly, this is not a trained medical diagnosis, but it’s pretty obvious having watched this horse all year what his problem is.

Continue reading this column or feel free to post your comments below.

Breeders' Cup Wrapup - Z One and Only

2009-11-10T03:06:00Z

Over the course of the next week, we'll have several wrapups, going over different aspects of Breeders' Cup 2009, such as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, losing efforts in Breeders' Cup history, the rash of oddball winners, the much-discussed synthetic issue, holding the event at Santa Anita, the European success, Horse of the Year, the New York non-factor, and other items.

But let's face it; the 2009 Breeders' Cup will forever belong to Zenyatta. She picked it up off the ground and raised it over her head like Atlas holding up the world. No burden has proven too great for this magnificent mare, and you can bet people will be watching her swan song in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) for decades to come and will be getting goose bumps every time they do.

Continue reading this column or feel free to post your comments below.

It's Showtime

2009-10-22T17:14:00Z

OK, the curtain is about to go up for the revival of “My Cup Runneth Under.” Most of the audience is disgruntled. The cast is not as strong as it should be; the stage is poorly constructed; the ensemble is too large with too many amateurs; the producer should have moved the show to a different venue.

Everyone is bitching and complaining, and there are the constant cries of what might have been had the show opened at one of the palatial theaters in New York or Louisville. OK, so most agree the producers messed up.

The audience starts to squirm as the curtain rises. The boos are ready to be hurled at the first faux pas. The stage lights go on and the show begins. At that moment, all else is forgotten. People realize they have paid good money for their seats and they’re going to try their best to enjoy the performances. The actors are all pros and they deliver their lines with aplomb and belt out one big musical number after another. The audience laughs and cries and cheers. All the “what might have beens” are booted out the stage door into the alley. For that moment, as Shakespeare would say, “The play’s the thing.”

This scenario by now should be sounding familiar. Anyone who has moaned and groaned about this year’s Breeders’ Cup, mainly running it over a synthetic surface at the same track for the second straight year, is justified in doing so. But it’s time to suck it up, put all gripes on the back burner, and enjoy the show that is going to be put on at Santa Anita on Nov. 6 and 7. All we can do at this point is hope it lives up to last year’s performances, even though many walked away feeling the leading actor, Curlin, was unnecessarily upstaged by lesser talent.

But that was then. It is time to concentrate on this year, with or without Rachel Alexandra and Sea the Stars. Some of the great performances in the history of the theater were turned in by understudies, not to suggest that Zenyatta and many of the others who will be on display are stand-ins to anybody. If Zenyatta should win the BC Classic or even the Ladies Classic, you can expect a standing ovation worthy of the sport’s greatest champions.

After this year, with all favors paid in full, the Breeders’ Cup will return to good old terra firma for several years at least. Who knows if there even will be 14 races any longer? Yes, some horses have missed out performing on dirt on the world’s biggest stage. That is their misfortune. But Rachel Alexandra will be given another chance next year, as will this year’s other Triple Crown heroes Summer Bird and Mine That Bird, although there is nothing to say the two “Birds” won’t be able to perform at the highest level this year. That is still to be determined. But even if they are not, at least we know, barring injury, they will be back next year to face Rachel.

For now, get your program, sit back in your seat, and enjoy the show. It’s the only one in town.

All's Unfair in Love and Racing

2009-10-09T17:01:00Z

Sea the Stars’ retirement, as disappointing as it was, should not have come as a surprise to anyone. But what compounded the disappointment, as if rubbing salt in the wound, were the comments made by trainer John Oxx and owner Christopher Tsui. All they had to say was, the horse was at the peak of his monetary value, and it was in their best interest to take advantage of it.

Instead, we got the same tired old clichés that did nothing but make the horse’s fans feel worse than they did. Like most owners and trainers, they fail to realize that people no longer buy such vacuous comments.

One moment, Oxx is saying, “It would be unfair to Sea the Stars to run him in the Breeders' Cup.” The next moment, he’s saying, “He’s been so sound, and never gave us any trouble. His durability, his toughness, and his constitution were all a large part of his talent.”

So, why was it unfair to Sea the Stars? Didn’t Oxx really mean to say, “It was unfair to Sea the Stars’ reputation to run him in the Breeders' Cup and a defeat could possibly minimize his value as a stallion and his place among the immortals?” It certainly wasn’t unfair to Sea the Stars, if he came out of the Arc in such fantastic shape, as Oxx claimed. Unfair to the horse is running him when he’s tired, injured, ill, or simply not acting like himself, none of which applied to Sea the Stars. So, basically, it was unfair to the horse’s connections to run him, not the horse. Just say it.

Anthropomorphizing horses is fine when you are taking literary license to add color to a story, and everyone knows it. But Sea the Stars is not standing in his stall saying to himself, “Geez, it’s not fair making me go all the way to America to run on a synthetic surface in 90-degree weather.” Considering how sound and competitive he is, he’d probably be saying, “California? Sunshine? Hundreds of photogaphers chasing after me? A chance to make history? Bring it on.”

Tsui, after waiting several days to share the reason for his decision with the public, came up with this:

“As a racing fan, I didn't want to see him retire either, as each race has brought me joy and excitement beyond anything I could ever dream of. I am undoubtedly his biggest fan. However, as his owner there are things to consider beyond just the joys of watching him race.”

Now, one would naturally assume those things to consider are money and more money. But, alas, that’s not the reason at all, according to Tsui, who has been described in British publications as “immeasurably wealthy.”

"My family has been breeding from Urban Sea for 15 years," Tsui said. "When she died earlier this year, me and my family were devastated and heartbroken. Now that she is gone, I feel that it is very important for her legacy to carry on, and Sea The Stars has the potential to make it happen.”

So, is he saying that if Sea the Stars raced in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and retired in November instead of October, he would not have carried on Urban Sea’s legacy? He makes it sound as if he’d be sending the horse on some dangerous mission from which he might never return?

It is time owners and trainers come to the realization that people as a whole are not stupid or gullible. Oxx is a talented, well respected trainer, and Tsui obviously has tremendous feelings for Sea the Stars. But if you’re going to retire a horse like Sea the Stars, try to resist the rhetoric and nonsensical comments and just tell it like it really is, or at least think about what you’re saying. There is only one reason to retire a perfectly sound and healthy Sea the Stars as a 3-year-old, and one reason only. So, why not admit it? Or just say you feel the horse has done enough and that there is nothing more you want to accomplish with him. People will bitch for a while and then they’ll let it go and start looking for the next superhorse to retire sound and healthy as a 3-year-old. That is the cycle of life in the Thoroughbred world and what we all have come to expect, so quit the pretensions that you want to see your horse continue racing, but can’t because you have to consider the things “beyond the joys of watching” your horse race.

When you have a horse as sound, as durable and as healthy as Sea the Stars, the only things beyond those joys are dollar signs, like a hundred million of them. Fess up; we understand. We’ve been there before and we’ll get over it.

Watch next Wednesday’s “And They’re Off” for the top 10 “real” reasons Sea the Stars was retired.

Countdown to the Cup - Beyond the Sea...a Bird

2009-10-07T00:48:00Z

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.

Assuming Sea the Stars does not run, it is safe to say that no two greater horses have ever eluded the World Championship event in a single year. That is a sad comment considering the sport's desperate need to showcase its superstars. In this case, we've gone beyond superstars, as many feel Sea the Stars and Rachel Alexandra are the two greatest horses to grace the Turf in some 30 years.

Continue reading this column or feel free to post your comments below.

Classic Rip Tide

2009-09-26T17:36:00Z

Europe fired off its first salvo at the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) when the heavy favorite Rip Van Winkle captured Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I) at Ascot, which served as a launching pad for Raven’s Pass’ Classic victory last year.

After the race, trainer Aidan O’Brien confirmed that Rip Van Winkle indeed will be pointed for the Classic, and may be accompanied by Ballydoyle’s other top-class miler Mastercraftsman. O’Brien said that decision will be made by the Coolmore brain trust.

Rip Van Winkle, favored at 8-13, was expected to make all the pace in the talented four-horse field, but it was the Prix du Moulin (Fra-I) winner Aqlaam, the only older horse in the race, who took up the running, with Rip Van Winkle, under Johnny Murtagh, tracking him every step of the way.

As they turned for home, Rip Van Winkle had no trouble disposing of Aqlaam. Second choice, Delegator, from the hot Godolphin stable, launched his run, but made only little headway down the stretch before fading. Rip Van Winkle battled on, only to face another challenge from the vastly improved Michael Stoute-trained Zacinto, who pulled to within a neck of the favorite and appeared to have all the momentum. But Murtagh, down on the rail, switched his whip to his right-hand and brought Rip Van Winkle out to meet his challenger. He responded by finding another gear and actually was drawing away at the end to win by 1 1/4 lengths, with Delegator another 3 1/2 lengths back in third.

The victory was a major relief for O’Brien, who has had to deal with Rip Van Winkle’s physical issues. The colt suffered infections in all four heels that spread to his feet. But he showed vast improvement over the past several weeks and trained in top form, indicating he was ready for a big effort.

Although Rip Van Winkle, a son of Galileo, has won two of most prestigious mile races in England, the Queen Elizabeth II and Sussex Stakes (Eng-I), he also put quite a scare in superstar Sea the Stars in the 1 1/4-mile Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I), pulling on near even terms in deep stretch only to fall a length short. In the 1 1/2-mile English Derby (Eng-I), he ran one well to finish fourth to Sea the Stars, beaten 2 1/2 lengths. Those performances certainly were good enough to suggest he will be extremely tough at 1 1/4 miles over the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita. When you can stay on like that and find something more down that long, testing Ascot stretch, staying 10 furlongs over a fast artificial surface should be a piece of cake, as it was for Raven’s Pass and Henry the Navigator last year.

As of now, Sea the Stars is questionable for the Classic, and we’ll have to see if he runs in next Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fra-I) – depending on the ground -- and how he does before we have an idea whether Santa Anita will be a target. Even if it is, Rip Van Winkle will have an extra week to prepare for the race and will be sharper coming off a mile race. There is no doubt Sea the Stars is one of the great horses of this era, but there isn’t a lot separating him from Rip Van Winkle, and O’Brien would welcome another crack at him in the Classic should he wind up making the trip.

Coolmore has been trying to win the Classic since Giant’s Causeway’s heartbreaking neck defeat to Tiznow in 2000. Since then, they have launched an all-out assault on the race, aiming almost every one of their big guns in that direction, including Rip Van Winkle’s sire, Galileo, only to fall short each time. They almost pulled it off last year and could go one better this time around with Rip Van Winkle. They realize, with the Breeders’ Cup run at Santa Anita for an unprecedented two years in a row, this likely is their last chance to take advantage of an artificial surface, which has proven advantageous to the Europeans.

“Phantom” foul

Well, we have a decision on the appeal by Andrew Lloyd-Webber regarding the Prix Vermeille disqualification of his 3-year-old filly Dar Re Mi, who ran down the heavily favored French filly Stacelita at the wire, but was placed fifth for bothering the German filly Soberania.

Despite the controversy surrounding the initial stewards’ decision and the booing of the winning connections after the race by the normally provincial French fans, the France-Galop stewards rejected the appeal Friday afternoon.

According to the Racing Post, Lloyd-Webber's wife Madeleine, who co-owns the filly, and trainer John Gosden attended the two-hour hearing Thursday and left feeling optimistic, with Gosden saying he was “extremely hopeful the injustice will be undone.”

No Englishman should ever feel optimistic in that situation, which many outside of France feel is like pleading your case to Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety. In this case, however, the only head that was lost was the one that separated Dar Re Mi from Stacelita.

In the Racing Post report, appeal board chairman Dr. Jean-Pierre Colombu, chief steward of France-Galop, stated they had upheld the Longchamp stewards’ decision that Dar Re Mi caused Soberania at least one, maybe two placings.

In a statement issued by the board: “Soberania...regained ground on her rivals after the incident and was only beaten a short neck for fourth place, and it should also be noted that a short head separated the filly who finished fourth from the third-placed filly.”

Now that the appeal has been rejected, it will be interesting to see if the Lloyd-Webbers send Dar Re Mi back to Longchamp for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe or go elsewhere in protest.

She has been quoted at 10-1 for the Arc with Totesport.

From a personal viewpoint, I did not see a head-on view of the incident, but from the regular race camera, it looked as if Dar Re Mi and Soberania went for the same opening – Dar Re Mi perhaps a bit more aggressively. But at no point did it look as if Soberania’s jockey had to stop riding his horse or even check slightly. It’s not every day that you can get French racing fans to boo the disqualification of an English horse, in which the heavy French favorite is placed first. You can form your own conclusions from that.

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It will be also be interesting to see how the California stewards deal with jockey Joel Rosario and his agent Vic Stauffer following a rather unusual and ill-timed series of events that brought about a complaint by the California Horse Racing Board that Rosario failed “to put forth his best effort” in a ride at Del Mar on Sept. 6. Rosario is scheduled to appear before the stewards in early October. One of the rules Rosario is accused of violating is the one that reads in part: “No jockey shall take his horse back without reasonable cause ... or otherwise ride in a manner which is inconsistent with using the best efforts of the horse he is riding,”

Rather than comment before any rulings are issued, the advice here is to go watch Rosario’s ride on Cedros after reading the stories detailing the events that preceded and followed (especially followed) it and form your own conclusions. Just listen to track announcer Trevor Denman’s call of Cedros’ abrupt retreat. The incident was spurred on when Stauffer contacted Cedros’ owner and trainer John Glenney following the horse’s questionable fourth-place finish, in which he still was beaten only 3 1/2 lengths, and asked him whether the horse was for sale. That sent up the proverbial red flare and made Glenney suspicious enough to bring it to the attention of the stewards. They obviously saw and heard enough to take action and call for a hearing.

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A group is forming on Facebook called “We Want Lava Man to Stay Retired.” Comments on MySpace echoed those sentiments, many in harsher terms. Those community outlets and several blunt columns posted on major racing websites suggest the decision to bring Lava Man to the races could prove to be an unpopular one. All we can do is hope the potential for a great story in the end overcomes the potential for a bad one. At this point, there is no right or wrong.

Lava Man’s owners and trainer realize there is a great deal of pressure on them, especially in this post-Eight Belles era, and yet they stand by their decision. They have monitored Lava Man’s progress since his retirement with microscopic scrutiny and we can only place our trust in their judgment.

As we all know, accidents, whether serious or not, can happen at any time and any place and could have absolutely nothing to do with a horse’s soundness. That is why Doug O’Neill, the Kenly family, and Jason Wood will face pressure on a daily basis once Lava Man returns to serious training and even more once he starts racing. So, it is apparent they believe strongly what they are doing is the right thing. But the term “right thing” has yet to be defined other than to say the horse is telling them this is what he wants to do. But horses are like children in that the things they want to do are not always the “right thing” for them. It is up to the good judgment of the parents or owners to make that decision for them.

O’Neill and the veterinarians insist Lava Man is as sound as he’s ever been and is showing them all the right signs. People can agree or disagree and make their feelings known via the various outlets, but in the long run it is no one’s decision to make other than the owners. All anyone can do after voicing their opinion is to wish them well for Lava Man’s sake. At least we know O'Neill is the kind of trainer who will make all the right moves to try to get the horse back to top form without pushing him beyond his limitations.

You know there are going to be a number of dissenters who are already loading their weapons in case they feel compelled to fire them. But this is not an occasion where anyone wants to be proven right, so people should just wait and see what transpires and hope the fairy tale has a happy ending.

In the meantime, Michael Blowen will have a nice big paddock waiting for him at Old Friends once he does arrive. Unlike at his previous home, he will be inundated with groups of adoring fans several times each day, and like all the other equine residents at Old Friends, will be treated like a member of Blowen’s family.

Countdown to the Cup - Rachel Rocks the Spa

2009-09-10T06:19:00Z

Joan of Arc defeated the English in the Hundred Years' War. The Amazon queen Penthesileia killed hundreds of Greeks in the Trojan War. Zenobia, the Syrian queen, crushed the Roman legion. All three of these powerful and feared female warriors eventually succumbed to male foes.

So far, the same cannot be said of Rachel Alexandra, who has decimated both male and female opponents in routs, has tasted victory on many of the nation's most storied battlefields, and now in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 5 has shown she can conquer older males in hand-to-hand combat.

Continue reading this column or feel free to post your comments below.

Countdown to the Cup - Bird Bath

2009-09-01T00:23:00Z

Whether he's splishin' and a'splashin' or movin' and a'groovin' or rockin' and a'rollin,' the sight of Summer Bird and his distinctive blue blinkers charging down the stretch is leaving racing fans reelin' with the feelin.'

And that feelin' is, this is one serious racehorse and the towering figure constantly at his side is one serious trainer.

It appears certain with each passing month that racing is witnessing the beginning of the Ice Age...

Continue reading this column or feel free to post your comments below.

Don't Take Woodward Too Lightly

2009-08-26T15:58:00Z

As soon as Jess Jackson announced his plans to run Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward Stakes, the historical significance of such an attempt was made known in various publications, as were comments that Jackson is taking the easy way out, running against inferior older horses instead of much more accomplished 3-year-olds in the Travers.

We have learned that no filly, of any age, has ever won the Woodward. The last filly to attempt it was Lady's Secret in 1986, finishing second to Precisionist. Summer Guest was last of five starters behind Prove Out and Secretariat in 1973. The year before, the Rokeby Stable filly finished second to stablemate Key to the Mint (as a 3-year-old), only to be disqualified to third for ducking out in the stretch. Those last two races, however, were at a mile and a half at Belmont at the end of September, not a mile and an eighth at Saratoga in the beginning of September. In fact, the Woodward, until recently, has always been run at Belmont or Aqueduct at the end of September, regardless of its many distance changes. In its early days, it normally proved to be THE race to determine Horse of the Year.

So, does Rachel's attempt to win the Woodward have any historical perspective, or would it make more sense to compare it to running in the Whitney, which for most of its history has been run in early August and at the same track and distance as the Woodward is now? Only three fillies have won the Whitney: Gallorette as a 6-year-old, and Lady's Secret and Personal Ensign as 4-year-olds. The last time the Whitney had the kind of fanfare this year's Woodward likely will have was when the track opened the infield to the public to accommodate the large crowd that was expected to see Secretariat take on older horses. The vast majority of them left disappointed after Big Red was upset by Onion.

This year's Woodward is sort of a cross between the old Woodward and the Whitney and falls right in between those two races on the calendar. The bottom line is that there is no way to put any real historical significance to what Rachel will be attempting.

As for the comments that this is the easier race of the two, that may very well prove to be true, but let's not forget just how uncommon it is for a 3-year-old filly, no matter how brilliant, to take on older horses in early Spetember. There is a reason for that. Picture an exciting young boxer, who captures the public's imagination by winning his first 20 fights, all by knockout, most of them in the first round. It all seems so easy. Then, for the first time, he takes on some hard-nosed veteran with a rather ordinary record, but who has been through the wars and knows his way around the ring. The young fighter doesn't have it quite so easy, even though his raw talent and knockout punch are far superior to that of his opponent.

I'm not implying by any means that Bullsbay or Asiatic Boy or It's a Bird or Cool Coal Man or Da' Tara or whoever shows up in the Woodward is going to beat Rachel. I'm just saying don't go by what appears obvious. This is a lot more than being about speed figures and raw talent. Running a 3-year-old filly against older males is not the same as running against fellow 3-year-olds - male or female. As I said, there is a reason it's never attempted. Of course, we haven't seen a filly as brilliant and powerful as Rachel in many years, perhaps never, and she could very well dominate these older horses as she has her other opponents. But no one should go into this race feeling too cocky and believing that this is the far easier spot. Bullsbay does have his explosive victory in the Whitney in him. Asiatic Boy does have a sweep of the UAE Triple Crown and a second to Curlin in the Dubai World Cup in him, and has raced with distinction on three continents. It's a Bird does have his impressive Oaklawn Handicap win in him. Even Da' Tara, who has been a big disappointment, has his runaway Belmont Stakes victory in him. Any of those performances can emerge at any time.

Proceed with caution and if Rachel puts on another show, then you can savor the victory even more and not feel as if she took the easy way out.

*******

In 1975, NYRA put on the ill-fated match race between Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure, but what many don't realize is that the original concept was to have a three-horse race among the three classic winners - Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure, Preakness winner Master Derby, and Belmont winner Avatar. That didn't materialize, as Avatar had already returned to California to prepare for the rich Swaps Stakes, which was only two years old and had almost doubled its purse that year. NYRA wanted to substitute Ruffian, but Foolish Pleasure's trainer LeRoy Jolley wanted no part of that scenario. If he was going to train Foolish Pleasure for speed he did not want to kill his horse running with Ruffian and possibly setting it up for Master Derby. So, NYRA eliminated Master Derby from the mix and that's how the match race came to be.

All that leads to the following scenario. Imagine a three-horse field with Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta, and Careless Jewel. Although that will never happen, it's at least interesting to look at what could be a perfect three-horse race scenario. Careless Jewel on the lead, Rachel Alexandra in second, and Zenyatta in third. All three would have the opportunity to run their race, even Zenyatta, as Rachel and Careless Jewel would have to hook up at some point. Anyway, it's fun to just imagine it.

No Banjo on Rachel's Knee

2009-08-19T20:10:00Z

Jess Jackson has made his first decision: No Alabama for Rachel Alexandra. So what, you might say. That wasn't the place to run her anyway. Well, I believe that's just where she should have run.

Yes, I know that race would have proven little, and that she has transcended 3-year-old filly competition (using the word competition very loosely). But where does it say she has to prove herself every race?

My colleague Ed Fountaine of the New York Post wrote a column last week stating all the reasons why the Alabama would be the right race for Rachel. Although, most people would disagree with him, I am in total agreement.

So, the Alabama will not do anything to boost Rachel Alexandra's claim as Horse of the Year. If there is one horse who does not need to boost that claim it is Rachel. The Alabama is one of the most prestigious races in the country and offers a purse of $600,000. And some talented fillies were entered. What's wrong with showcasing Rachel in front of a packed house at Saratoga and let the fans simply enjoy her presence and watch her put on another show? Imagine the cheers as she glides down the Saratoga stretch in all her splendor. This one would have been for the fans. The race would not have taken too much out of her and would have set her up to take on older males in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which would indeed cap off an amazing Horse of the Year campaign - Fair Grounds Oaks, Fantasy Stakes, Kentucky Oaks, Preakness, Mother Goose, Haskell Invitational, Alabama, Jockey Club Gold Cup. No horse has ever had a campaign such as that. And the Alabama would have given her a 1 1/4-mile race under her belt and prevented her from having to go that far for the first time against older males, assuming the Travers and Personal Ensign are not on her agenda.

Let's look at the options with which Jackson has left himself. The Woodward, regardless of how inferior you might think the older horses are this year - and it's far from a stellar group - they still are older horses, and a 3-year-old filly facing older males in early September is not an easy task, even for a horse as special as Rachel. And then she'd have to come back and do it again in the Gold Cup, going 10 panels for the first time. She doesn't need to beat basically the same older males twice. Once is quite sufficient. And as mentioned before, the Alabama would have set her up perfectly for the Gold Cup, giving her the necessary bottom. Also, the Labor Day weekend is not the best time to show off a star like Rachel, especially with it being so late this year. Most people are already home and getting ready to return to work or school.

Jackson won the Woodward last year with Curlin, but the buzz just wasn't there, nor were the numbers, despite an extensive marketing campaign by NYRA. And then Curlin winds up struggling to beat a horse he should have beaten by 10 lengths. This is Saratoga. Nothing is a certainty here.

Regarding the other alternatives, Jackson already has Kensei looking to boost his reputation as a stallion in the Travers, so it would make no sense to run Rachel there, unless he's willing to pass up that opportunity with Kensei and run him in the grade II Pennsylvania Derby, with its $1-million purse. Asmussen already has Soul Warrior set for Philly Park.

Running in the Travers would pit Rachel against Quality Road, who has to make a huge stretch-out from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. Although that is a daunting task, remember that Quality Road has the same running style as Rachel and would be hounding her the whole way. On top of that, physically, he's a beast. Although a gentle giant in his stall, Quality Road is a ton of horse with shoulders like The Incredible Hulk. He's extremely athletic for such a big horse, he's every bit as fast and brilliant as Rachel, and while we can't say for sure if he's ready to win the Travers, he definitely will be an imposing presence for a filly who is used to being an imposing presence herself and who has never looked a horse like Quality Road in the eye before. No disrespect to Mine That Bird and Summer Bird, who are both exceptional horses, but if f there is a superstar among the 3-year-old colts it is Quality Road.

The Personal Ensign is run this year the day after the Travers, making it anticlimactic, and many people will be heading home by then. Also, that is usually a strangely run race and always produces slow times and for the most part unusual results. Ashado was beaten by longshot Shadow Cast at 2-5. Wild Spirit was beaten by longshot Passing Shot at 1-5. Unbridled Belle was beaten by longshot Miss Shop at 8-5. Azeri was beaten at 3-5. Escena was beaten at 4-5. Beautiful Pleasure was beaten at 2-1. The race is rarely run in under 2:03 and change. In short, this is a dangerous race, which has been a killer on favorites. It's best not to fool around here.

So, that brings the question of which of these races to choose. They all have their gremlins. It could very well be that Rachel is special enough to overcome them, but it wouldn't be wise to go into any of them feeling cocky.

Of course, there is the big NYRA Beldame blitz, complete with unknown sponsor and elimination of the detention barn, to keep in mind, but that's not until Oct. 3, so Rachel would need a race anyway, and that match-up coming to fruition is still a longshot.

What's important is now. By turning in a sharp five-furlong work on Monday, Rachel appears ready to run, and we all know anything can happen between now and the Travers or the Personal Ensign or the Woodward. As the old-time trainers used to say, if they're ready to run, you run them. The Alabama was the perfect spot for her, but to resort to a cliché, that ship has sailed.

A Greatness of Her Own

2009-08-10T12:20:00Z

It is midnight on Sunday. Tomorrow morning, I'm off to Saratoga. I had no blog planned for this week, even if Zenyatta won the Clement Hirsch, due to time restrictions and last-minute packing. But Zenyatta's performance cannot go unmentioned.

Let's face it, there are Rachel Alexandra goosebumps and there are Zenyatta goosebumps. They both send the same chills down your spine, but are triggered by different types of feats that bear little resemblance to each other.

Rachel Alexandra always puts herself in position to win, so it is her dominance over her rivals and amazing displays of brilliance that take your breath away. Zenyatta is just the opposite. Although she has your heart pounding a long way out, it was in the Clement Hirsch that she really had it racing, and proved a head victory can tell as much about a horse's greatness as a 10-length win.

The bottom line is, Zenyatta should not have won the Hirsch. When you're last in a field that is strung out a dozen lengths, and then they wind up going three-quarters in a sloth-like 1:13 3/5, and you're still 4 1/2 lengths back at the eighth pole, and you have to come home in :23 1/5 and then a final sixteenth in about :05 3/5, and you get there, there is no doubt you are something special. And let's remember that the runner-up, Anabaa's Creation, had won her only start on a synthetic surface since coming to America and was a classy filly in France, where she finished in the first four in six group races, including two group Is.

Although the Hirsch is a far cry from the Marlboro Cup, you have to admit that Zenyatta looked an awful lot like Forego when he closed like the proverbial "freight train" out in the middle of the track to beat Honest Pleasure right on the wire in 1976. The great ones know how to win.

Zenyatta is a great champion. Rachel Alexandra is a great champion. It's reached a point where I don't care whether they meet or not. That's just me; I don't want to see either one get beat. Yes, it would be great for the sport, but there's a lot to be said for Rachel running the table the rest of the year and being named Horse of the Year and Zenyatta also running the table and retiring undefeated in 14 or 15 starts.

In 1988, Personal Ensign, despite winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff over Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors in one of the most thrilling finishes ever witnessed, lost out to Alysheba for Horse of the Year honors.

In 1983, the outstanding French filly All Along was voted Horse of the Year in the United States. In 2002, the brilliant Azeri also won the coveted Horse of the Year award.

Both All Along and Azeri were magnificent champions, certainly two of the best fillies of modern times. But ask yourself this question: Of the three aforementioned fillies, which one made a larger impact on history and will be remembered as one of the greats of all time?

It is the opinion here that the vast majority of people would answer Personal Ensign. I did not include another Horse of the Year, Lady's Secret, because of all her monumental achievements over a prolonged period of time and racing consistently against the best colts in the country.

The point here is, retiring undefeated, while racing at the upper level of the sport, carries with it an aura of invincibility, the stuff of which legends are born. Yes, everyone in racing has been clamoring for a match-up between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra. But, as that seems unlikely to happen, let's look at the plain truth regarding Zenyatta's place in history, excluding the fact that 11 of her 12 races have come on a synthetic surface.

If this mountain of a mare wins the remainder of her races, assuming at least one will be against males, and retires with an unbeaten record of, let's say, 14-for-14 or 15-for-15 and loses out to Rachel Alexandra for Horse of the Year, does anyone really believe that another Eclipse statue, even the granddaddy of them all, is going to add that much to Zenyatta's place in history?

If Alysheba had lost the Breeders' Cup Classic, would Personal Ensign winning Horse of the Year made much of a difference, if any, how she has been perceived over the decades and where she ranks among the sport's greatest fillies? Ruffian, for all intents and purposes, retired undefeated and was never Horse of the Year, and never even defeated males. Has that diminished her stature in the slightest? I didn't say accomplishments, I said stature.

This certainly is not meant to imply that Zenyatta retiring undefeated is going to overshadow Rachel Alexandra in any way. No one is capable of overshadowing a filly who could be one of the truly greats of all time. If she continues her astounding feats, some will call her the greatest ever and it would be hard to argue with them. But that doesn't mean Zenyatta won't have earned her own place in history.

Regardless of whether you're a Rachel fan or a Zenyatta fan, and regardless which one you feel is better, what's important is that we have two great females running this year, moving along on parallel roads with no intersections in sight. You can plead with Jess Jackson and Jerry Moss all you want. Each has his own agenda, and each must be respected for doing what he believes is best for his filly, whether you agree or not. And, please, no sympathy for the Breeders' Cup for reasons that are obvious.

This also is not meant to dissuade those clamoring for a match between the two. Keep on clamoring. The interest it would generate would be unprecedented in modern times. But try to see the bright side if it doesn't happen, which seems more likely at this point.

Remember, this is being written at midnight, only a few hours after the Hirsch, while still in knee-jerk mode, and with Saratoga on my mind. But, through my muddled brain I just have to conclude, thank goodness for Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. Racing needs them both, and the fans need them both, so let's just enjoy them both.

The Red Horse and the Iron Lady

2009-08-07T01:29:00Z

Rivalries come in all shapes and sizes. Some can last for 10 races, like Affirmed and Alydar; others four races, like Damascus and Dr. Fager; and the rare ones that last only two races, like Swaps and Nashua, but still capture the public’s imagination.

In 1986, we had a two-race rivalry that in many ways was unlike anything seen before, because of the vast differences in the combatants, one of whom had recently concluded an epic eight-race rivalry that has gone overlooked in the history of great rivalries. But more on that later.

The two participants in question were the grand-looking 5-year-old “stud,” Precisionist, one of the handsomest horses ever to grace an American racetrack, and the scrappy, pocket-sized bundle of energy, Lady’s Secret, known throughout the racing world as the “Iron Lady.”

Call it an ultra mini version of the titanic three-year rivalry in the 1940s between Gallorette and Stymie. But unlike the many battles those two warriors staged, this was about pure speed. Here were two horses, male and female, who were so different in every way they didn’t look as if they belonged on the same racetrack together. One was a magnificent chestnut 5-year-old horse and the other a diminutive, but powerful, gray 4-year-old filly. From a physical standpoint, it was like pitting the mighty Aslan (the lion in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”) against Toto (the tenacious gray terrier from “The Wizard of Oz”). Precisionist would dazzle you with his amazing feats of speed and strength, while Lady’s Secret, like all terriers, would grab on to your pant leg and refuse to let go.

The traits they did have in common were their running styles, their fortitude and pugnacity, and their brilliance, all of which made their two confrontations so appealing and intriguing.

Precisionist and Lady’s Secret arrived at Monmouth Park for the grade I Iselin Handicap (changed that year from the Monmouth Handicap) and took up residence in the stakes barn. On a bright sunny morning several days before the race, both were brought out to graze at the same time on the grassy area just outside the barn. They were the only two horses out there and one couldn’t help but notice the stark physical difference. Was this little gray filly actually going to eyeball this big, imposing chestnut colt in what promised to be a speed duel for the ages?

Precisionist grazed quietly near the fence, accompanied by trainer Ross Fenstermaker, while Lady’s Secret, oblivious to her future adversary, grazed about 20 yards away, with Jeff and Wayne Lukas’ 25-year-old assistant, Kiaran McLaughlin, allowing her wander about as she pleased.

Fenstermaker’s responsibility was to prevent this four-legged explosive device from detonating before race day.

“He’s a tough, proud horse who does everything hard,” Fenstermaker said, while firmly holding on to the shank. “I have to exercise him myself because he tries so hard in the mornings and I was tired of seeing him run off with his riders every day.”

Another Lukas assistant, Mike Chambless, said of Lady’s Secret, “She’s a ball of dynamite. With her, it’s all ‘go.’ The day after a race she’s a pup, but the next day she’s dragging you around again. She has the daintiness of a princess, but commands a situation like a king.”

When you have two horses, regardless of sex, whose engines are this revved up, something has to give when they look each other in the eye on the field of battle. On this day, they were merely two strangers who had no inclination of the clash that was to come.

Lady’s Secret went into the Iselin having won nine stakes at a mile or longer and had never been headed at any point in any of them. She was no stranger to the boys, winning the Whitney Handicap by 4 1/2 lengths in her previous start and finishing third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, in the Metropolitan Handicap, run in 1:33 3/5, in which she was giving the colts weight on the scale. To demonstrate her toughness and durability, she was only 4-years-old and had already run 34 times, 33 of them stakes races, winning 19. And she went into the Iselin having finished in the money in 19 straight races, all stakes.

After winning three straight stakes at six furlongs as a 3-year-old, including the Bowl of Flowers in 1:09 flat, she won the seven-furlong Test Stakes in 1:21 3/5, and then proceeded to knock off older fillies and mares in the grade II Ballerina at seven furlongs, and the grade I Maskette at one mile, Ruffian Handicap at 1 1/8 miles, and Beldame Stakes at 1 1/4 miles, giving her eight stakes wins in a row.

Precisionist had run 31 times going into the Iselin. He possessed the raw speed to win the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 1:08 2/5 and the stamina to win the 1 1/4-mile Swaps Stakes in 1:59 4/5, the Charles H. Strub Stakes in 2:00 1/5, and the about 10-furlong Del Mar Handicap in 1:56 4/5.

Judging by his recent form, he had emerged unscathed from a gut-wrenching rivalry with the Charlie Whittingham-trained Greinton. In their eight meetings, they finished one-two seven times, with Precisionist winning four. The big chestnut held a 2-1 advantage when they renewed their rivalry at Hollywood Park in 1985 in what has to be the three fastest-run races in succession in history. In the one-mile Mervyn Leroy, Precisionist defeated Greinton in 1:32 4/5. Three weeks later, Greinton turned the tables, winning the Californian Stakes in 1:32 3/5. They were back only two weeks later, with Greinton taking advantage of Precisionist’s blazing fractions, winning the Hollywood Gold Cup in 1:58 2/5. In his two defeats, Precisionist was conceding seven pounds and five pounds to his rival.

He went into the Iselin as the only horse ever to combine these feats: 1 1/4 miles in under 2:00 (1:59 4/5), one mile in under 1:33 (1:32 4/5), and six furlongs in under 1:09 (1:08 2/5).

With two such incredibly fast and game horses, something had to give. Unfortunately, it was the weather. Mother Nature apparently doesn’t know a good thing when she sees it or she would have held off the deluge that fell one hour before the race.

Lady’s Secret outran Precisionist for the first quarter of a mile, but then Fred W. Hooper’s colt moved up to challenge and the battle was on. Locked together through fractions of :46 4/5 and 1:10 3/5 over the tiring, sloppy track, they were still at each other’s throat at the eighth pole. Lady’s Secret continued to fight, but Precisionist was just too much for her and began to inch away. The damage, however, was done. Precisionist began to feel the effects of his battle with Lady’s Secret, and Lukas’ other entrant, Roo Art, under Bill Shoemaker, came flying late to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Precisionist, who was conceding eight pounds to the winner, finished 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Lady’s Secret, who also was conceding eight pounds (on the scale) to Roo Art.

Pat Day, on Lady’s Secret, came back and said, “She’s just a courageous individual.” Bert Holleran, who owned Roo Art, watched Lady’s Secret walk by him in the shed following the race and commented, “That’s one gutsy gal.”

As for Precisionist, he had run down on three legs, a front and both hind, with blood coming from his right hind.

As grueling and taxing a race as the Iselin was on Precisionist and Lady’s Secret, both were back only two weeks later for the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park. Roo Art also was back, along with the hard-knocking stakes winner Personal Flag, who was in receipt of 15 pounds from Precisionist and 11 actual pounds (16 on the scale) from Lady’s Secret.

With Angel Cordero replacing Pat Day, Lady’s Secret burst out of the gate and quickly opened a clear lead, while setting blistering fractions of :45 3/5 and 1:09 2/5. Precisionist, tracking her the whole way, about two lengths back, made his move after turning for home. He collared her at the eighth pole, the mile run in 1:33 4/5. After setting those rapid fractions, Lady’s Secret tried, but couldn’t match strides with Precisionist, who flew home his final eighth in :12 1/5, drawing off to a 4 3/4-length victory in 1:46 flat, three-fifths off Secretariat’s American record. Lady’s Secret still was able to finish 5 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Personal Flag and 11 1/4 lengths ahead of Roo Art.

Lady’s Secret now had run 11 times already in 1986, including four grade I races against colts and two slugfests against Precisionist. Despite her rigorous campaign, she was far from finished. Lukas put her back against fillies, and as it turned out, she was just getting started.

Only one week after the Woodward, she romped by seven lengths in the Maskette, running the mile in 1:33 2/5 under 125 pounds. Two weeks later, she won the Ruffian Handicap by eight lengths in 1:46 4/5 under 129 pounds, conceding an incredible 20 pounds to runner-up Steal a Kiss. She came back in three weeks and won the Beldame in 2:01 3/5. She then concluded her remarkable year by winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in 2:01 1/5.

With Precisionist finishing second to Turkoman in the Marlboro Cup, winning the Yankee Valor Handicap at Santa Anita, and finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Horse of the Year honors went to Lady’s Secret.

One of my fondest recollections of those days was bringing my then 2-year-old daughter to visit Precisionist at Belmont Park and watching her introduce him to Bert and Ernie, as Precisionist looked quizzically at the two strange figures being held up to his face.

The following year, Wayne Lukas brought a string of horses to Monmouth for the first time, with McLaughlin running the barn. In July, all eyes were on Lady’s Secret, who was just a few dollars shy of passing All Along as the leading filly and mare earner of all time. On July 18, Monmouth racing secretary Bob Kulina received a call from Jeff Lukas, informing him that an allowance race at Belmont had failed to fill and he wanted to enter Lady Secret in a similar spot at Monmouth in an attempt to break the record. Kulina made sure a 1 1/16-mile allowance race carded three days later filled, and on July 21, Lady’s Secret virtually galloped down the stretch to win by seven lengths, putting herself in the record books. In her next start at Saratoga, she bolted badly to the outside fence in another allowance race in the slop. It was her way of saying she had had enough. That was to be the final race of her career.

Precisionist, after being retired in 1986, proved virtually sterile, siring only four foals. He was brought back to the races in 1988, and although he had a fairly productive year, winning a pair of stakes at Del Mar and placing in three other stakes at Aqueduct and Hollywood Park, he was far from the brilliant horse he once was, and was retired as a pensioner following a poor effort in a small stakes at Calder in December.

Lady’s Secret and Precisionist were inducted into the Hall of Fame – Lady’s Secret in 1992 and Precisionist in 2003.

My daughter paid two more visits to Lady’s Secret, one at Fares Farm in Lexington, where she spent 20 minutes playing with her out in the field, as the “Iron Lady” kept gently nuzzling against her. The other was at John Glenney’s farm outside Lexington, where my daughter spent some quality time in the paddock with Lady’s Secret and her Skip Away foal.

Unfortunately, we never got to see Precisionist before his death from an inoperable tumor at Old Friends in Sept. 2006, nor did we see Lady’s Secret again, as she died due to complications from foaling in Feb. 2003 at Valley Creek Farm in California.

My daughter was too young to see Lady’s Secret run against Precisionist, but she still has memories of both horses through our many photos.

Whether they won or lost, I will always remember these two special races in 1986, when a pair of future Hall of Famers of the opposite sex tested each other for speed and courage, and served as a reminder why the Thoroughbred is still revered after so many hundreds of years.

The Invisible Horse

2009-08-03T16:15:00Z

What an array of stakes and talent we saw this weekend. When you have the winners of all three Triple Crown races, and the Dubai World Cup, and the Breeders' Cup Mile and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and the Florida and Arkansas Derby winners, and the Beldame winner, not to mention one of the greatest fillies of all time, you know you're in for a special weekend of racing.

The Remarkable Rachel will be discussed in our Countdown to the Cup column this week. But there was one horse who ran last weekend who will receive little attention, and understandably so, as he could finish no better than fourth in a grade II turf stakes. But if you can look beyond the brilliance and true greatness of Rachel Alexandra and focus on a horse who tries hard every race, then you might want to pay closer attention to a 7-year-old horse, yes horse, named Cosmonaut, despite his fourth-place finish in the Fourstardave at Saratoga Saturday.

Horses like Cosmonaut often go overlooked, because their record is not that of a champion, and their victories do not come with great frequency. These are the blue-collar horses who go out race after race and run their heart out. They don't win consistently enough to be Eclipse contenders or possess the brilliance of the sport's major stars, but they quietly build up an impressive record over the years, with each victory and placing coming from the gut.

Their past performance lines are not scrutinized over, so their accomplishments normally go overlooked. One might look at Cosmonaut's record and ask, "How did this horse manage to earn almost $1.4 million?

Well, here's how he did it. Since being put on the grass for good by trainer Phil Serpe in July 2006, he's run 22 consecutive races without finishing worse than fifth. In 18 of them, he finished fourth or better. Of those 22 races, 19 were graded stakes and two were listed stakes. In all, he's started 29 times on the grass and has never finished worse than fifth, meaning he's brought back a check every time he's run. Considering how often horses get in serious trouble on the grass that is a remarkable record of consistency.

And he did it at 12 different racetracks in eight states from coast to coast, ridden by nine different jockeys, while undergoing seven trainer changes. He has finished in the money in stakes on firm, good, yielding, and soft courses.

To demonstrate further how tough and consistent he's been, he won the grade III Fort Marcy Stakes over a good course at Belmont, the grade III Arlington Handicap over a good course at Arlington, another Arlington Handicap over a soft course, the Tampa Bay Stakes over a soft course at Tampa Bay, an allowance race over a firm course at Keeneland, and he even won the grade III Golden Gate Fields Handicap off the turf on a good dirt track at Golden Gate.

He was second, beaten a neck, in the grade I Shadwell Turf Mile over a firm course at Keeneland; third, beaten only two lengths, in the grade I Breeders' Cup Mile over a soft course at Monmouth Park; second in yet another Arlington Handicap over a soft course; third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, in a fourth Arlington Handicap; second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the grade II Dixie Stakes over a firm course at Pimlico; and second, beaten a half-length, in the grade III River City Handicap at River Downs.

He was beaten three-quarters of a length in the grade I Manhattan Handicap, 2 1/2 lengths in the grade I Arlington Million, 4 1/4 lengths in the grade I Man o'War, 2 3/4 lengths in the grade I Citation Handicap, three lengths in the grade I Maker's Mark Mile; two lengths in another Shadwell Turf Mile, and 2 1/2 lengths in the grade II Bernard Baruch Handicap.

He's earned a triple-digit Beyer figure 17 times. Among the major stakes horses who have beaten him are Kip Deville (by two lengths and three lengths), The Tin Man (by 2 1/2 lengths), Better Talk Now (by three-quarters of a length), Thorn Song (by a half-length), Gio Ponti (by 4 3/4 lengths), Ashkal Way (by 2 3/4 lengths) and Purim (by a neck). And he was two lengths behind Einstein in the Maker's Mark Mile. In summation, despite the stiff competition he's faced race after race, he has been in every race, his worst defeat being six lengths in the grade I Hollywood Turf Cup. He has also defeated top-class horses such as Go Between, Artiste Royal, and Tam Lin, just to name a few.

In the Fourstardave, in which he was beaten 3 3/4 lengths, he ran hard every step of the way and simply was outrun by faster, much younger horses. He's not a horse you tend to notice, but it's time we recognize horses like Cosmonaut and appreciate all they give of themselves race after race.