The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

MikeM — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:35:30 GMT

Whisperoak I never said it was a weak field and I hardly think MTB is a fluke. In fact my hat is off to RA precisley because she held on to beat a very,very good horse.

My point was that she was all out to beat a horse that many on these blogs etc labeled a fluke.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Mr Will — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:26:51 GMT

She did it! Rachael Alexandra becomes the first filly to win the Preakness since 1924.

So, the question is: can a jockey win a triple crown? Calvin Borel, the jockey of Mine That Bird for the Kentucky Derby victory, made a great call when he decided to ride Rachael Alexandra over Mine That Bird in the Preakness.

Generally, the Belmont is not all that exciting when a Triple Crown is not possible, but this time I think the excitement is mounting. We have a 50-1 shot taking the Derby, and the first filly in 85 years taking the Preakness; both of which have stirred up incredible fan support. Imagine another sport which leaves the choice: the underdog, or the underdog?

Who is my Belmont pick? I say that the filly takes two out of three Triple Crown events, and wins the Belmont by at least one length. So much for a man’s game.

Mr Will

mrwillssports.blogspot.com

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Whisperoak — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:26:29 GMT

Jeeze MikeM. If She Had Run Off From The Rest f The Field, You Would Have Jumped On The Bandwagon. The Only Reason That You Aren't At This Moment Is Because You Seem To Think That It Was A Fluke. Who Knows, Maybe These Fields Are Some Of The Strongest There Have Ever Been And The Reason That They Appear So Weak Is Because You Have One Or Two Horses That Run Better Than The Others. She Ran A Massive Race On The Front End And You Actually Need To Give Her Some Credit.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

MikeM — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:08:36 GMT

Life and death to beat a "fluke". I doubt she's laughing.More like laying down in her stall for a couple of days.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

rowner — Sun, 17 May 2009 10:39:23 GMT

The Filly RA is laughing at all you doubter's now!!!!!

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

wendyg — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:20:53 GMT

Guess some of you supposed wrong. She is every bit as qualified to be listed with Genuine risk (who I loved), and winning colors. She may even be better. She was fabulous today, and she was not running her best. Imagine what she will do at her best? I think she should get horse of the year!!!!

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

ANON — Sat, 16 May 2009 21:19:48 GMT

Everyone always player-hates the fillies, like they have no chance. The reason not so many have won, is because not so many have RUN!

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Stacy Householder — Sat, 16 May 2009 19:24:58 GMT

Rachel Alexandra is the best horse in the very weak Preakness Field. She ran a 108 Beyer Speed Figurs in her dominating performaance in the Kentucky Oaks and still she did it with a mere gallop. Mine That Bird ran a 105 Beyer Speed Figure while giving it all he had to win the Derby. The only reason that Mine That Bird even had the opportunity to run in the Derby is because many of the better horses were scratched. Most of the horses that ran in the Derby have never even been close to running a Beyer Speed Figure over 100.

Rachel Alexandra has every right to be in the Preakness field. I am a huge fan of Ruffian, Winning Colors and Azeri (I even named my youngest daughter after her) and I believe Rachel Alexandra is as good as any of them. Bob Baffert and D wayne Lucas think she is the real deal and they have trained some of the best fillies.

Why is everyone saying that she should not run in the Preakness because it has only been two weeks and that is not enough time? Why do you think that just because she is a filly that she is a weaker horse?

I really hope that she does win and does so just as dominating as she did in the Oaks.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

wista — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:48:49 GMT

It is asking an awful lot of a filly to compete with the boys in the Spring Classics. . .that is why a filly victory in these races is so rare. Rachel's 13 post position, in my opinion, is not going to help. She has to cope with real speed horses inside of her. Big Drama,Take the Points, and I think Pioneer of the Nile will be in the first flight. I also believe that Freisan Fire will involve himself quite early in the race. This could mean that Rachel gets hung up on the outside. If Calvin chooses the rail early he will lose a great deal of ground in getting over.I don't think the rail will open up for him in this Preakness.

That said , these races take a great deal out of a filly. How many races did Winning Colors win after her Derby victory? What happened to Genuine Risk after her Triple Crown Races?

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Rowner — Sat, 16 May 2009 09:15:24 GMT

There is no reason RA can't win this, eight belles did not break down because she ran in the derby. Colts break down as well, remember Barbaro no talked about him not running in the preakness. Anyone remember Prairie Bayou who broke down in the Belmont. I am so tired of all this total extremist attitude. RA has big shoes to fill and as someone pointed out above that if not for Big Brown Eight Belles would have trounced the rest of last years derby field. I also agree that she is not in the same breath as Ruffian,Genuine Risk and Winning colors but that doesn't mean she shouldn't have the right to try and prove her worth. Amy I don't believe the male 3yo div is a joke but it is very average and she is as good as these. Go RA I will be rooting for you.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Amy Skipper — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:18:00 GMT

THIS IS A JOKE!!!!!! I do agree with Andy Beyer in the Washington Post- RA should run because this is one of the worst (as with last year) Preakness fields in the history of the sport, but what is pathetic is that if she does win- this filly will be elevated to 'superstar' status by the people on these boards with limited (or no) knowledge of racing.

I made a large 'gimic' bet online- the Mine The Bird would be off the board- just like I won a huge bet I made in the Derby that FF would be off the board as the favorite.

RA has a great chance to win tomorrow- not because she is a great filly- but because she is running against a joke of a male three year old division.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Lmaris — Sat, 16 May 2009 00:44:52 GMT

Rachel Alexandra is the ONLY horse in this field to run more than one beyer over 100. She's had 4, on 3 different tracks, in different conditions.

I think she'll stalk Big Drama and pass him on the far turn, with Take the Points coming up to snatch 2nd.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Toga4life — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:36:56 GMT

Regardless of who she ran against a 20+ length victory in any race is impressive. All I know is that if Big Brown wasn't on top of his game, Eight Belles would have destroyed the rest of that field a year ago. Not sure what this filly can bring to the table but she looks like she could take these. This isn't the crop of males on the triple crown trail I've seen in recent years. Though if Mine That Bird runs like he did in the Derby, watch out, his pops upset an undefeated horse in the Belmont.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Householder — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:30:23 GMT

Winning Colors beat the boys even BEFORE the Kentucky Derby. "Catch me if you can Colors" reeled off some serious fractions in the Santa Anita Derby (109 and change!) finishing up 8 in front clocking in at 147 and change! Team 49er dismissed her in the Derby saying she will never get that loose again. Well history does repeat itself. Let's just say that RA has a little more history to make before she can be put in the same sentence as the Roan (no grey) filly.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Kevin — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:50:39 GMT

It's Mine That Bird, w/Nile, Man, and Clem-no different from the derby

except for a different mix underneath that could have the Quarter in there.

Rachel will go out right away, but it will not be race riding that gets to her, it will only be the speed that takes the toll in the last 1/8th.

Lets hope to see a great-safe race.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Karen in Indiana — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:01:09 GMT

I agree with Gary.

I think the best outcome would be Mine That Bird wins and Rachel Alexandra comes out o.k. Thanks to Jess Jackson and his overblown ego, she has an excuse if she doesn't win.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Marcia — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:09:41 GMT

I hope they don't beat up on her too much. Maybe she will get so far in front that it will just be Mine That Bird flying up on her at the end.....and I remember Leroy Jolley's comment after the Ruffian/Foolish Pleasure race to the effect of, the best horse won, I've hated him since. I know that is unkind, but there was that beautiful filly hurting in the middle of the track and he said such a horrid ugly thing.

re: The "Freak"ness is on like Donkey Kong!

Gary — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:07:33 GMT

I'm not worried about Rachel Alexandra taking the middle leg of the Triple Crown. I don't think she will, but if she does, she does.

My major concern is that she is coming back too soon in the toughest company she has ever faced...by far.

Even mentioning her in the same sentence as Winning Colors or genuine Risk is grossly misleading and simple minded. Rachel DIDN'T win The KY Derby...she didn't even run in it. She beat a slowish maiden special weight winning filly in The KY Oaks. So what if it was by 20.25 lengths? Her time, on a fast track, did not lay over the time for the colts the next day, where many say it played like peanut butter.

What is the point here? Is running her in The Preakness good for her? Would it be good for racing to see a filly get hurt on national TV...again? Why even risk it, in this specific race under these specific conditions?

Run her against colts later, after she has proven herself against older fillies, or at least a 3 YO of higher caliber than she's faced to date.

I have never hoped I was wrong about something before in my life, but I feel a disaster coming.