Hangin' With Haskin : steve haskin

The Answer Man to the Rescue

Blood-Horse Staff — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:48:00 GMT

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

cdawahare — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:00 GMT

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

Blood-Horse Staff — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:15:00 GMT

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

cdawahare — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:06:00 GMT

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

Blood-Horse Staff — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:14:00 GMT

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.

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

cdawahare — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:48:00 GMT

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.

Countdown to the Cup - Rachel Rocks the Spa

cdawahare — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:19:00 GMT

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

cdawahare — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:23:00 GMT

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

cdawahare — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:58:00 GMT

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

cdawahare — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:10:00 GMT

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

cdawahare — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:20:00 GMT

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

Blood-Horse Staff — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:29:00 GMT

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

cdawahare — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:15:00 GMT

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.

Dahlia Changed the Face of International Racing

Blood-Horse Staff — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:12:00 GMT

In the last blog, the differences between U.S. and European racing were discussed. There was a time, long before the Breeders’ Cup, when foreign horses came to the U.S. for one special event, like the Washington D.C. International, and then returned home. But, then, along came Dahlia, and international racing changed forever.

Unlike your typical tomboy type, Dahlia was able to compete with and defeat the world’s best males, despite being extremely refined and feminine, and having as kind a disposition as you’ll ever see in a Thoroughbred. Before Dahlia came along in 1973 and ’74, Europeans and other horses from across the globe would ship to America for the D.C. International and that was the last Americans saw of them. But Dahlia, after winning the International in 1973, returned the following year for a fall campaign in North America, the first time a European had attempted that. After returning to her home base in Chantilly and competing in Europe for most of 1975, she was sent back to America for the third time later that year and stayed for good, racing as a 6-year-old and starting 15 times under the care of Charlie Whittingham.

By the time Whittingham took over her training, Dahlia already was the first European horse to win the Man o’ War Stakes (then the championship event for American turf horses), the first European to win the Canadian International Championship, the first filly to win the Washington D.C. International, and the only horse (male or female) to win group or grade I stakes in five different countries – England, France, Ireland, United States, and Canada.

Nelson Bunker Hunt’s remarkable filly most certainly must be regarded as the equine pioneer of international racing. At a time when transatlantic travel was generally limited to a single round-trip flight from Europe to the United States, mostly for the D.C. International, Dahlia logged an incredible 26,000 miles during her career, competing in six different countries. Along the way, she defeated no less than 10 classic-winning colts, including English Derby winners Grundy, Roberto, and Snow Knight; Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners Rheingold and Star Appeal, plus the winners of the French and Irish Derbys, the Irish St. Leger, Grand Prix de Paris, and Belmont Stakes. And those are just the classic winners.

It was Dahlia’s success in America that paved the way for a massive French invasion, with many of the invaders being fillies – Waya, Flying Water, Nobiliary, April Run, Trillion, All Along, Pebbles, Estrapade, and Miss Alleged, among others. Following Dahlia’s victory in the 1973 D.C. International, French-trained horses captured seven of the next 10 runnings of the race.

Before we get into Dahlia herself, let’s look at the origins of modern-day international racing. The roots trace back to 1923 when English Derby winner Papyrus was sent to the U.S. to compete in a match race against Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Zev. The match race was the brainstorm of Joseph E. Widener, with the Westchester Racing Association paying all expenses for shipping Papyrus to America. Advance sales were so high that a special ticket office had to be opened on Broadway to accommodate the demand.

Unfortunately, three days of rain turned the Belmont track into a sea of slop, and, despite the urging of American trainers to use mud caulks, Papyrus’ trainer, Basil Jarvis, insisted on running his colt in his customary smooth plates. Papyrus never got hold of the wet track and was beaten eight lengths by Zev.

What was gratifying to many Americans was that it came just a few years after the British Jockey Club passed what became known as the Jersey Act, which branded a great majority of American-bred Thoroughbreds “impure” and denied their entry into the British Stud Book.

Although anticlimactic, the Zev--Payprus match race set the stage the following year for what was a unique series of races. Simply called the International Specials 1, 2, and 3, it lured M.P. Wertheimer’s French-trained and French-bred Epinard. In a period of less than two months, Epinard competed at six furlongs, one mile, and 1 1/4 miles, finishing second to Wise Counsellor in Special 1; second, beaten a nose by Ladkin, in Special 2; and second again in Special 3 behind Sarazen, who broke the track record by more than a second.

Other ideas, most of them outlandish, cropped up over the years in an attempt to lure European horses. But none ever came to fruition until Laurel president John Shapriro came up with the concept of the Washington D.C. International. The race, first run in 1952, became a rousing success and proved to be one of the world’s great races. It received its first major boost in 1958 when European superhorse Ballymoss made the trip, finishing third to Sailor’s Guide. In 1964, the International decided Horse of the Year when Kelso got his revenge on his archrival Gun Bow, shattering the course record. This followed three straight second-place finishes by Kelso, behind T.V. Lark, French-trained Match II, and Mongo. In 1967, Fort Marcy defeated Damascus by a nose in what proved to be a battle of future Horses of the Year.

In 1973, racing in America meant one word – Secretariat. Big Red proved to be a sensational turf horse, winning the Man o’War and Canadian International, but was retired following the Woodbine race, passing up a shot at the D.C. International.

That was disappointing to Dahlia’s trainer, Maurice Zilber, who was looking forward to proving that his filly was the best horse in the world. Although Dahlia was unable to handle her archrival Allez France over the softer courses in France, and never ran a lick in the Arc de Triomphe, Zilber was convinced she could beat Secretariat, based on her spectacular victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as well as her victories in the Irish Oaks and Prix Saint-Alary and another win over the colts in the Prix Niel. Dahlia’s trademark was her brilliant turn of foot, which is why she usually was not at her best over soft and yielding courses.

In the King George, run over good (firm) ground, Dahlia demonstrated an explosion of speed and power rarely seen anywhere. With one electrifying burst, the 3-year-old filly blew away the winners of the English, Irish, and French Derbys and subsequent winner of the Arc de Triomphe, drawing off to a jaw-dropping six-length victory.

When Dahlia arrived at Laurel for the International, that performance was overshadowed by her disasters at Longchamp. But Europeans knew that was not the real Dahlia, and they tried to explain that the filly had wrenched a leg muscle in the Prix Vermeille and should never have come back two weeks later in the Arc.

Dahlia’s jockey Bill Pyers did not want Zilber to run her at Laurel, feeling she was far below her best form. The European press firmly believed Dahlia could beat any horse in the world, but they also weren’t sure whether she’d be at her best. British turf writer Richard Baerlin observed her and said. “She appears to be within 10 percent of herself. That won’t get it.” Even Zilber admitted that Dahlia was “not completely back to her summer form.”

It was hard to make believers out of the Americans, who were just beginning to come down from the Secretariat high that had lifted the entire nation into a state of euphoria. With Big Red scheduled to depart for Claiborne Farm the day after the International, the main hopes of America rested on the tiny shoulders of Tentam, who had won the Metropolitan Handicap on dirt, the United Nations Handicap on grass, and was second to Secretariat in his record-breaking victory in the Man o’ War. Also in the field were the classy American horses Big Spruce and London Company, Champion Stakes winner Hurry Harriet, Irish St. Leger winner Conor Pass, Eclipse Stakes winner Scottish Rifle, Grand Prix de Deauville winner Card King, and Preis von Europa winner Acacio d’Aguilar.

When Dahlia was made 8-1 on the morning line, Irish race caller Michael O’Hehir kept telling anyone who would listen that Dahlia was “truly a great horse,” adding that “if she had skipped the Arc, as she should have done, she’d be 2-1.” When Americans mocked O’Hehir for mentioning Dahlia in the same breath as Secretariat, he asked, “How can you compare Secretariat to Dahlia when you haven’t seen her run?”

Scottish Rifle’s trainer John Dunlop said, “Dahlia is truly a wonderful filly – one of the best I’ve ever seen. If she comes up with her top effort, she’ll win.”

When it was over, Americans had witnessed the greatness of Dahlia. After turning for home, at the three-sixteenths pole, Pyers had Dahlia hopelessly trapped behind horses. All he could do was wait for Big Spruce and Scottish Rifle to clear him, so he could swing Dahlia to the outside. With her explosive acceleration she could get back in the race in a matter of seconds.

In the final furlong, Big Spruce and Scottish Rifle bore down on Tentam and took over the lead in tandem. Pyers snatched Dahlia to the outside, and in a flash, Nelson Bunker Hunt’s familiar light and dark green silks appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It was as if the horses up front suddenly were moving in slow motion, as Dahlia charged by them so quickly she was three lengths in front in the blink of an eye. Despite the deep, yielding course, she still came home her final quarter in :23 2/5.

The following year, Dahlia, who often needed a few races early in the year before finding her best form, rattled off consecutive victories over the colts in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, another win in the King George, and the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup (now the Juddmonte International Stakes).

Following a third in the Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp, it was decided to send Dahlia back to America for an unprecedented three-race fall campaign, consisting of the Man o’ War, Canadian International, and Washington D.C. International.

Dahlia’s trip back to the States did not start off very well, as she had a terrible experience in the antiquated Clifton, N.J. quarantine facility, prompting Zilber to publicly complain about his filly’s condition after being released from quarantine. Zilber described her experience as “a harrowing mess,” and “a thing of horror.”

Despite the poor conditions and losing weight during her stay, Dahlia still was able to defeat the best turf horses in America in the Man o’War only two days after leaving quarantine. She came right back 15 days later and won the Canadian International Championship, coming from 21 lengths back to defeat Big Spruce by a length. Big Spruce, who had finished second in the Canadian International to Secretariat the year before, had twice knocked off the mighty Forego in ’74 in the Marlboro Cup and Governor Stakes.

Returned to the States, Dahlia was back in action only 13 days later in the D.C. International. This time, she was victimized by a snail-like pace, set by super filly Desert Vixen, who crawled the first three-quarters in 1:17 1/5 on a firm course. Although Dahlia still rallied from far back and closed her final quarter in :22 4/5, she could only finish third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by fellow French horse Admetus. So, Dahlia had won two grade Is and was third in a grade I all in the span of 28 days.

Normally, a 4-year-old filly who had accomplished what Dahlia had, racing 24 times in five different countries, 16 of those races against colts, would have been retired. But, amazingly, Dahlia’s career was only half over. She would race 24 more times over the next two years, and although she was never as brilliant as she was at 3 and 4, she still managed to win the 1975 Benson & Hedges Gold Cup, defeating that year’s Arc de Triomphe winner Star Appeal, finish second in the Grand Prix de Deauville, and third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes to Grundy and Bustino, in what was called “The Race of the Century,” inspiring a book of the same name. In her third attempt at the Canadian International, she came from 11 lengths back to finish fourth, beaten two lengths by Snow Knight.

By the time she joined Whittingham’s barn for her 6-year-old campaign she was a shell of her former self. Racing almost exclusively in grade I company against colts, she did win the grade I Hollywood Invitational Handicap, defeating major stakes horses Caucasus and Pass the Glass, and was third in the grade I Century Handicap, and fourth in the grade I Hollywood Gold Cup on the dirt.

Dahlia finally was retired with arguably the most amazing collection of championships ever: Horse of the Year in England in 1973 and ’74; Champion 3-year-old in England in 1973; Champion older mare in England in 1974 and ’75; Champion 3-year-old in Ireland in 1973; and Champion grass horse in America in 1974.

For a filly to have raced so often (48 times), mainly against the boys, while traveling all over the world, there was doubt about Dahlia’s proficiency as a broodmare. Residing at Hunt’s Bluegrass Farm and then Allen Paulson’s Brookside Farm, Dahlia proved as great a producer as she was a racehorse.

Of 11 foals to race, Dahlia produced six graded stakes winners -- four grade I winners and two grade II winners, as well as a grade I-placed horse and a listed stakes-placed horse.

My daughter virtually grew up with Dahlia, visiting her at Windfields Farm (where she sent to be bred on a couple of occasions) when she was 11 months old, then again when she was 3, and years later at Brookside. I can fill an album with just the photos I have of Mandy kissing Dahlia, who remained one of the sweetest horses you’ll ever be around. It was hard to believe being around her that she was one of the most feared amazons who ever did battle with the boys.

She was a remarkable racehorse and producer, and lived until the age of 31.

So, from now on, whenever you see top-class European fillies competing in international events, or any European horse sent to America to campaign, just remember the brilliant, durable, and indefatigable chestnut filly with the pretty face and gentle disposition who started it all 35 years ago.

U.S. vs. Europe - Which Racing is Better?

cdawahare — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:41:00 GMT

You have total amnesia. All you are told is your name and that you loved Thoroughbred racing, but you don't know why and cannot recall actually following the sport. You don't even know if you live in the United States or Europe. You have to start taking baby steps and learn to love racing all over again. You decide to spend a year in the States and a year in Europe and then decide which racing you like best and where you want to live.

It is now two years later and here are the conclusions:

BEAUTY - A big advantage to Europe to start off. The beautiful, lush grass courses, the maze of white railing, uphill and downhill runs, and horses, without lead ponies, turned out in impeccable condition, escorted by well-dressed lads (grooms). Whether at Royal Ascot, Epsom on Derby Day, Glorious Goodwood, or small tracks like Salisbury and Bath, racing in England is a canvas of gorgeous colors and images. And there is nothing as dazzling to the eye as the Longchamp's magnificent grass course or the vast expanse of the Curragh.

Several of the American tracks do present spectacular backdrops, such as the San Gabriel Mountains beyond Santa Anita and the miles of gentle rolling hills beyond Keeneland, and those tracks with scenic infields, adorned by lakes, flowers, and a variety of greenery and birdlife. But the racetracks themselves cannot compare with those in Europe. And the American horses, leaning on their lead ponies as if they were security blankets, are not as pleasing to the eye as the Europeans as they ramble down the stretch after being let go by their lads, striding out magnificently on their way to the starting gate.

PURITY OF THE SPORT - Once again, the advantage goes to Europe. No medication, standard shoes, strict whip laws, stiffer penalties, and less tolerance for riding infractions make European racing far less tainted than American racing and more of a true sport. By racing on the grass (and rarely is it as firm as in America), you have much fewer catastrophic injuries. The safety advantage in Europe also is helped by the nature of the sport, where the horses go far slower for the first three-quarters of the race than they do in the States.

American racing is going through rough times, a good part of it due to its image following several high-profile fatal breakdowns in Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup events. The inability to determine whether those injuries were caused by the racetrack or unsoundness or overuse of medication hasn't helped, opening the door for fanatical organizations to condemn racing and demand its abolishment.

Also, American stewards are known for their inconsistency. Different rules and tolerance levels apply at different racetracks, and fans are often left bewildered at some of the decisions. The British stewards also face the wrath of the public on occasion, but England at least has a ruling body (British Horseracing Authority) to regulate the sport and enforce its rules, which keeps the game consistent. England has had a governing body for 250 years. Each track and each state in America are entities unto themselves, establishing their own rules. That has become evident recently by the vast discrepancies in suspension time for the same medication violation, and the Marx Brothers-like craziness in California.

And to Europeans, it is appalling to think that almost every American 2-year-old first-time starter runs on Lasix, which originally was meant to be given only to horses who had previously bled. Now, babies get Lasix first crack out of the box. That, along with permissive medication like Butazolidan, is one of the reasons Europeans over the years have referred to Americans as "doped-up horses." But it must be pointed out that every European starter in last year's Breeders' Cup raced on Lasix and/or Bute, with the first two finishers in the Classic racing on both. Conduit and Eagle Mountain, one-two in the BC Turf, raced on Bute only, as did BC Mile winner Goldikova.

And England had its own high-profile drug violation this year when trainer Nicky Henderson not only had a horse come up positive for a prohibited substance, but a horse owned by The Queen. He was handed a three-month suspension by the British Horseracing Authority. High-profile drug suspensions, however, are much more commonplace in America.

WAGERING/TRAINING - Although no one loves to bet more than the English, who have bookmakers of all kinds to turn to, and off-track betting was a fixture in France before it came to America, the American horseplayer still has it so much better than the Europeans. In Europe, you basically have to know the horses and must rely on published reports from the gallops as to how a horse is training. The past performances (if you can call them that) in the Racing Post and Paris-Turf provide little pertinent information to analyze, especially compared to the morass of statistics in American past performance lines.

In America, where there are more types of bets, one can decipher all the data and have a pretty good idea how a race is going to be run - who will be where, how fast the pace will be, etc.

Getting back to training, American horses are an open book, with their works listed each day online and in the Daily Racing Form, and in a horse's past performances. You can have a dozen works listed for a first-time starter, whereas in Europe young horses are judged by the buzz coming out of the yard. During the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup, the media scrutinizes over the works of all the participants and provide daily reports on how the horses are working. TVG and HRTV also have works shows each day, so the average fan can watch them on TV and make their own judgments.

In Europe, horses are cloistered away in private yards, with the trainer being the ultimate ruler of his domain. No one gets anywhere near his horses without an invitation. Works can be conducted over the expansive gallops at Newmarket or on private property, such as Ballydoyle, or in the vast network of training tracks at Chantilly. Aesthetically, training at Newmarket and Chantilly is far superior to American horses training on the racetrack, but the latter provides more knowledge and information to the bettor and is so much more accessible to the media, who then go back to the barns and discuss the works with the trainers. Fans attending "Breakfast at Belmont," for example, can watch the works and gallops right next to the trainers who congregate inside and outside the café each morning. Fans at Santa Anita can do the same at "Clocker's Corner." This is where Europe and America are truly separate worlds. From a fan's and a media member's perspective, America wins this hands down.

WATCHING THE RACE - As mentioned before, beauty-wise there is no comparison, but for the fan/bettor, watching the race is far more enjoyable in America. The horses are closer to the fans and easier to see and there are fractions posted to tell you how fast or slow they're going. American horses have more of a distinct running style, so you know if they are running their race or a being forced to deviate from their normal style of running. Horses make their moves at different points in the race, making for more excitement throughout the running and more strategy.

In Europe, there are races where the fans in the grandstand cannot see the horses at all early on, or the horses are so far away (like on the Newmarket straight) they are nothing more than specks in the distance. Individual horses also are more difficult to spot, because the fields normally are so tightly bunched all you can see is a cluster of jockey helmets. It's all about waiting and waiting, and then unleashing your horse's run at the right time, usually between 1 1/2 and two furlongs out. In Europe, you can often tell the winner a long way out by how much hold the rider still has on his horse. That happens less frequently in America, where horses are able to make long sustained runs and are under pressure much farther out. Many stretches in Europe are so long you can't get a good look at the horses as they turn for home. But those long stretches do favor the European bettors, because horses have more time to extricate themselves from traffic problems or recover from bumping incidents. And as everyone knows, European finishes as a whole are much closer and you rarely see the kind of romps you see in America.

So, all in all, this category also goes to America.

BEST HORSES -- This, of course, is pure opinion and difficult to say, considering most of America's best horses run on dirt and all of Europe's run on grass. Because of the advent of synthetic surfaces in America, it has divided the sport as we knew it, and determining who the top horses really are has become more difficult. By going from two outlets - dirt and grass - to three, it has diluted the talent even more, or at least our perception of talent.

Each place has its core of super heroes from the past. Each also has its own problem of finding new ones, due to the early retirements of its classic winners. The days of the true sportsmen racing their best horses for three or four years are gone. There is so much money at the upper levels of the sport and such a craving for multi-million-dollar stallions, racing in America and Europe has become more of a stopover on the way to the breeding shed, where new well-bred and lightly raced horses are churned out to perpetuate the cycle. Like moving in a constant circle, it just leads right back to where it started. To further their gluttony, some major breeders in America and Europe send a good number of their stallions to the Southern Hemishpere to be bred. Unlike the past, when stallions basically were bred to 40 mares a year, some are now bred to several hundred.

Europeans can boast of their dominating record in the Breeders' Cup Turf over the years and their success in the BC Mile. And now with the one-two finish of Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator in last year's Classic over a synthetic surface, you can bet they will return in droves to Santa Anita this year with horses for both the turf and "dirt" races. Will America find another Tiznow to restore its reputation in the Classic?

America returned the favor this June when Wesley Ward took six horses to Royal Ascot and really stuck it to the Europeans right in front of The Queen, winning two stakes and just getting beat a head in another - the group I Golden Jubilee. And he did it with dirt horses. So, let's just say that the two worlds have become even closer since last fall and call this category a wash. The Euros are better on turf and the Americans are better on dirt.

ACCESSIBILITY - When it comes to being able to see live racing, Europe has a big advantage, but only because each country is much smaller than the U.S. and fans, especially in England and Ireland, are no more than a few hours drive or a relatively short train ride to any track. Because a racing fan from England, for example, can drive or take a train to the Derby or the Guineas or Royal Ascot, you have to give the edge to Europe.

So, what is the decision? Do you go with the sheer beauty, purity, and accessibility of European racing or do you prefer the vastly superior information provided by American racing, along with the easier viewing of the races and access to the trainers?

Not being much of a bettor and interested more in the sport itself and the horses, I think for the most part I will spend the mornings on the backstretch in America and then hop in my private jet and go to the races in Europe in the afternoon. I'm not a jump follower, so it's all U.S. in the winter. After the Triple Crown, I will spend all my time in England during the Royal Ascot meet and then catch the Irish Derby. And I can't miss Glorious Goodwood in July or the King George at Ascot. During August, I will spend all my mornings and afternoons at Saratoga (cannot pass up breakfast at Beverly's). In mid-September, I'll spend most mornings at Chantilly (the most heavenly spot on Earth for horses and cathartic for humans) and go to the races in England and Ireland, then return to France for Arc day (nothing like it) before heading back to America for the Breeders' Cup.

What? You say it can't be done? Hey, it's only a silly blog. I can do anything I want.