The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

ElPrado — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:43:35 GMT

Everybody else has a top 10, I might as well toss my two bits in.

I'm in a private fantasy stable group. I have been in it for years.

I've owned some good ones over the years, too. Azeri was one. I also jumped all over Giacomo when he came up in our auction. Yeah, he was a grinder, but everything that year was a front runner except him.

Ok, Pletcher has a barn full of front runners. I happen to like one not in his barn, and hopefully he runs true to form and doesn't manage to get one to run far enough.

My list:

Tempted To Tapit, mainly because he isn't trained by Todd. Todd's great in the preps but somehow can't get them to go 10 furlongs in early May.

Odysseus

Conveyance Looked very nice last out.

Lookin At Lucky

Discreetly Mine... at least he's bred for it, in my opinion.

Concord Point

Connemara

Noble's Promise... looks like he's developing.

Aspire, I loved him before he got hurt... he had a decent return.

Mission Impazible

Bank The Eight

I like longshots. Can you tell?

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Forbidden Apple — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:05:01 GMT

Zenyatta is far from overhyped, she gets less respect because her owners love Santa Anita and chose to run her at her home. It's not their fault that the mindless Breeder's Cup folks chose the same race venue 2 years in a row. Her power and stride are unmatched by any horse in North America.

As far as Rachel Alexandra goes, enjoy her while you can. I am pretty certain that this will be her last year of racing, if she even completes the racing season in the Breeder's Cup at Churchill Downs. It's too bad that her arrogant owner wants her to be a preciuous little piece of history. I want to see her run at 4 and 5, to see her full potential, she is lightning fast and has a huge heart. Can you imagine a race with these to ladies versus Curlin. Why did Curlin retire, he could still be racing today!

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Runfast159 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:07:06 GMT

All I have to say about Rachel and Zenyatta on April 9th:

DEAR GOD, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T LET IT RAIN!

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

GunBow — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:34:55 GMT

My apologies for confusing some of the dates.

The original schedule for the Apple Blossom was for Saturday April 3rd, not the 2nd like I wrote above. The new date for the Apple Blossom is for the 9th, which will be a Friday. The Apple Blossom will not be run on the same date as the Arkansas Derby. The Arkansas Derby will be run on the 10th.

So, Oaklawn still gets to have the Apple Blossom and the Arkansas Derby on separate days, maximizing the financial potential of both. The drawback for Oaklawn in having the Apple Blossom on Friday the 9th instead of Saturday the 3rd is that it will now be run on a weekday rather than a weekend. I assume that Oaklawn believes that having the Apple Blossom on a Friday is better than putting both of their big draws on the same day.

My point in giving Cella and Oaklawn some props still stands. While the 3rd would have been best for Oaklawn as a track, getting Rachel and Zenyatta together is best for the game(and having a Rachel-Zenyatta meeting on the 9th is better for Oaklawn than an Apple Blossom with just one on the 3rd).

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

GunBow — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:44:05 GMT

In just a few hours my earlier post has become irrelevant. And I'm sooo happy! Rachel-Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom, April 9th, a week later than originally scheduled!

As I wrote in both my post earlier today and my post when the Apple Blossom purse hike was announced, I seriously doubted that Jess Jackson would run Rachel against Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom, on April 2nd. While I have continued to believe that Rachel could be ready to run in a grade 1 race on April 2nd, with or without a prep, I felt Jackson would be hesitant to run in a race against the horse the caliber of Zenyatta(or a Quality Road) in any April 2nd race. And Jackson as much as admitted this in his announcement yesterday that Rachel wouldn't make the Apple Blossom.

For those that still don't believe Zenyatta to be a great horse, it is clear that the connections of her competitors , like Jess Jackson, do view her as a great one. Jackson knows Rachel needs to be at her best to beat Zenyatta, and thus his reluctance to run Rachel against Zenyatta as early as April 2nd.

Although I have been doubtful of an Apple Blossom showdown, last week I did suggest that Oaklwan could perhaps think about moving the Apple Blossom back a week to the 9th, Arkansas Derby day (as well as the last day of the meet). Yesterday, it was reported that Oaklawn was strongly against moving the Apple Blossom back a week. At first glance, this seemed to me to be very shortsighted by Mr. Cella and the folks at Oaklawn. However, their stubborness was based on some valid reasons. Most importantly, Oaklawn wanted to separate the Apple Blossom and Arkansas Derby for financial reasons. The Arkansas Derby has become a monster money-making day for Oaklawn, and they knew it would be so again this year with or without a Rachel-Zenyatta showdown the same day. As for the Apple Blossom, it has traditionally been a big day as well, but nothing close to Arkansas Derby day. However, the possibility of a Rachel-Zenyatta meeting in the Apple Blossom promised to make Apple Blossom day as big or even bigger than the Arkansas Derby day, virtually guaranteeing the track TWO mondster days. While pushing back the Apple Blossom to the 9th would have made Arkansas Derby even bigger, it likely wouldn't have the financial impact that it would have if it was the feature race on a separate day.

In a wonderful turn, however, it appears Cella and Oaklawn have reconsidered, and placed the larger picture, and the overall industry, ahead of their own bottomline. For this, Mr. Cella and those at Oaklawn deserve much credit and thanks.

And while I didn't like Jes Jackson's unspecific proposal for a 3 race series, and viewed it as a propaganda response to announcing that Rachel wouldn't make the Apple Blossom, I must offer him my sincere gratitude for agreeing to the change in schedule. In contrast to how some have portrayed him, Jess Jackson ultimately proved himself amenable to negotiations and comrpomise. Even with the extra week, Jackson knows that Rachel still might not be 100% or as fit as he would like her. But like Cella, Jackson has put these small worries aside for the betterment of the sport.

For those that criticize Jackson for being all talk when it comes to sportsmanship, Jackson's decision to run on the 9th is a bold rebuttal. As an aside, I never understood the criticism concerning Jackson's sportsmanship in handling Rachel last year. The man put Rachel through a series of races that had not been successfully accomplished by a 3 year old filly since Busher in 1945. I do understand how some could be turned off by how it is often Jackson himself who draws attention to his sportsmanship, and how he can come across as being a self-promoter sometimes. All in all, though, I think he has been extremely sporting as it concerns his two best horses, Rachel and Curlin. That fact he brought both back to the track AFTER Horse of the Year honors speaks volumes.

I also respect Jerry Moss' sportsmanship. While he has not been nearly as ambitious with Zenyatta as Jackson has been with Rachel, but he did take Zenayya to Oaklawn to face defending older female champ, Ginger Punch(6 time career gr.1 winner), in just Zenyatta's 4th career start, run Zenyatta 7 times in 2008 from January until the Breeder's Cup and 9 times from November 07' to November 08', accepted 129 in the 09' Vanity, and then accept the challenge of running Zenyatta in the Breeder's Cup Classic.

Given Rachel's historic series of wins over the boys, the decision to run Zenyatta in the Classic does not appear necessarilly adventurous. However, had there been no Rachel, Moss' decision to run in the Classic would have been looked at as extraordinary, especially considering that Zenyatta had a 13 race winning streak. In the year's BR(Before Rachel), few would have been critical had Zenyatta defended her title in the Distaff facing the likes of Life is Sweet, Music Note, Careless Jewel, Proviso, Mushka and others. Instead, Zenyatta became just the 3rd female to even try the Classic, and, obviously, the only one to win it.

It's not like alot of people look back at Personal Ensign and criticize Ogden Phipps and Shug McGaughey for running in the 88' Distaff rather than the Classic. On the contrary, the 88' BC Distaff has become revered as one of the greatest races in the series' history(perhaps eclipsed only by Zenyatta's Classic), made even more memorable because Personal Ensign was 12 for 12 and trying to become the first thoroughbred since Colin eighty years earlier to retire from racing (at the elite level) undefeated. However, given the Horse of the Year had basically been narrowed down to Alysheba and Personal Ensign prior to the BC, couldn't one criticize Phipps and McGaughey for not going for it all and challenging Alysheba in the Classic to determine HoY on the track and elevate even further Personal Ensign's place in history? Just something to think about.

Jess Jackson spoiled us by running Rachel so many times against gr.1 males, and changed the male-female paradigm in the United States, so it's easy to lose perspective of just how brave Jerry Moss' decision to run Zenyatta in the Classic really was. And, one should not underestimate the courage of Jerry Moss(and his wife) to bring Zenyatta back at age 6, risking her unbeaten record. Ultimately, Moss brought Zenyatta back to silence those critics that still remain, and to do so, challenge Rachel, run some more races against males, and run outside of California on dirt surfaces. How many owners would have brought either Rachel or Zenyatta back this year? With the Apple Blssom now apparently on, let's give Jess Jackson and Jerry Moss their due. Let's hope both of these all-time great females stay healthy and are able to perform at their best in the Apple Blossom and thoughout the year. Much can still happen over the next few months.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

tcc — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:38:47 GMT

Jason:

Like your top pick in the Sam Davis, I'll be using him in my exacta,but not with the 4 OR the 6.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Mike Relva — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:18:17 GMT

RACHEL

Here's newsflash! IF MR MOSS HADN'T BEEN SPORTING TO BRING BACK HIS "SUPERHORSE" AT SIX WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT THE APPLEBLOSSOM! YOU THINK FOR A SEC RA WILL BE RACING AT FIVE LET ALONE SIX! Give me a break!

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Zookeeper — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:49:02 GMT

GunBow,

Must you always be the voice of reason? :) I agree that orchestrating ONE race at a time is all than we can hope for at this time. Common courtesy on the part of Mr. Jackson would be a good starting point.

About Tempted to Tapit, he didn't look, to me, like a horse "who was struggling" as Draynay wrote. I believe he also called him "ugly". Obviously, I didn't see the same horse you guys saw! Maybe this beautiful grey gelding is smarter than his jockey and knew he had the rest of the field beat by several lenghts. :)

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

GunBow — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:19:36 GMT

draynay makes a good point about how Tempted to Tapit finished. folks have already been discussing the relatively slow finishing fractions, but as Jason points out Tempted to Tapit had run very fast early fractions and had the race well in hand.

However, in viewing the race I noticed that Tempted to Tapit was being asked strongly, and was even whipped repeatedly, deep into the stretch. I think it was only inside the sixteenth pole that the jockey put away the stick. So, while Tempted to Tapit was winning by a large margin, I really think he was giving his all most of the stretch drive, so I really don't think he could have finished much faster.

So, I am one that definitely has concerns about the slow final fractions and how that translates into Tempted to Tapit getting more ground. Yet, as I and others have mentioned, his bredding does suggest he should get at least 9 furlongs and possibly more.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

GunBow — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:13:14 GMT

Yes, thanks Jason for the excellent story on Thorn Song. Some crazy, and hopeful stuff.

As for Rachel-Zenyatta, I concur with Footlick and 2:24.

The fact Jess Jackson has decided not to run Rachel in the Apple Blossom hardly surprises me. That's something I did predict(lol referrence to last thread). As I commented about a week ago, I really think Rachel could be ready to run in 2 months. However, I just thought that Jackson would be hesitant to run her under such circumstances AGAINST Zenyatta. And to Jackson's credit, he has as much as admitted this. He commented that Rachel would not be ready to run in two months against a horse the level of Zenyatta, suggesting that if the Apple Blossom had a $5 million purse but no Zenyatta, Rachel would be much more likely to run.

As for Jackson "announcing" the series of 3 races, it was just another salvo of many to come in the "Cold War" that has yet to turn hot. Until Rachel and Z actually meet, the "war" will remain just propaganda, and as we saw with the debate over HoY, propaganda can really get people fired up.

Given that Moss/Sherriffs had already announced that Zenyatta would be running in the Apple Blossom, Jackson knew that in making the announcement that Rachel would not run, it would be Team Zenyatta 1 and Team Rachel 0 in the 2010 propaganda war. Jackson had to respond someway, and he did it with the proposal for the series of races, even though neither Jerry Moss nor anyone connected to Zenyatta had been consulted. I hate to say it, but it really does come across as mostly spin on Jackson's part.

In my opinion, why should we suddenly jump to a series of 3 races when we have thus far been unsuccessful in getting the two horses into the starting gate just once? When you have two sides that will only run if their horse is 100%, I just don't see how a series of 3 races is going to come about. Most likely, the 3 race proposal will only lead to more and more negotiations and debate; which races will be designated, when, what happens if one of the horses is not 100% for one or more of the races, will the side that withdraws be forced to forfeit? And there will likely be dozens of more points of contention.

Right now, both sides should be thinking about baby-steps. Let's plan one race at a time, and make sure we get at least 1 race with both horses. Then, maybe there could be discussions about more meetings, and setting the conditions for those races. I just see alot of talking and little actual racing if the two sides start getting into specifics about 3 races. Instead of discussing the 2nd and 3rd races in the series, if the sides could even agree to 3 races, and making plans for some race 4 months from now, let's get 1 race into the books. Unless one side just concedes to the other's demands and announces that they will show up wherever and whenver the other runs, the "series" may take months just to get out of the planning stages.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

helsbelles — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:07:01 GMT

I just took a peek at Tempted To Tapit's pedigree, and YIKES! He's inbred to Mr. P three times. Of course he is fast, but he ain't built to last...

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Jason Shandler — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:03:28 GMT

Helsbelles: I think that is exactly what Dr. Herthel was saying--that there is tremendous hope that stem cell will in the future be able to be used to fight lamintis. As I said earlier, there is a conference next month in which he will speak about this very subject. The Blood-Horse and The Horse will have coverage of this event. Stay tuned...

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

helsbelles — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:00:01 GMT

That is a very interesting article about Thorn Song, Jason. I have so many questions about the use of this procedure. Dr. Herthel said they have treated only a handful of laminitis cases with stem-cell therapy. Is this because it is generally ineffective against laminitis? I wonder if there is a way to use this therapy as a preventative measure for horses at risk of developing laminitis. I remember that Barbaro, just like Thorn Song, was afflicted with a foot abcess prior to the laminitis taking hold. Could that be signaling the onset of laminitis, and used as a cue to administer stem-cell therapy as a prevention?

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Footlick — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:42:06 GMT

Ditto to all the other props to Jason for the article in Thorn Song. This is a huge step in the treatment of laminitis.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Footlick — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:41:08 GMT

Rachel- After I posted I thought I shouldn't have stated it that way-lol. Sorry.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Zookeeper — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:54:08 GMT

Jason,

Ditto on Greg J.'s comment re: your much needed and much appreciated article on Thorn Song. This story is turning out to be quite positive instead of the lurid scandal it could have been. (Sigh of relief!) Horseracing does not need another ugly turn of events. Here's to a full recovery for Thorn Song and Bravo to Dr. Herthel for still trying when all hope appeared lost.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Rachel — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:48:54 GMT

Footlick, I'm not biased, well, except Rachel and I share our first name and my last name starts with "A", LOL...I love Zen and last year I thiought she may have beaten Rachel at 1 1/8 or longer...if Rachel carries her form and grows into herself, well, it'll be a horse race...3 I hope...from 1 1/8 to 1 1/4!!

I hate match races but I love rivalries...this has all the makings of a beautiful rivalry if both parties race all year, and not just one race and whoever wins first "retires", especially with QR factored into the equation.

Someone had to start doing more than talking about it...Mr. Moss could have just as well been the first to actually put something into motion, too...in fact if I remember, it was HIM who said we'll be everywhere she (Rachel) is, everytime, so what's the big deal?

Jason, thanks so much for someone finally giving an "official" Thorn Song update. I had emailed the clinic yesterday to just ask if he was alive, they were so nice.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

LAZMANNICK — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:48:21 GMT

2:24

Good post and right on the money. You're not the one that should say sorry.......maybe some of these prima donna owners should start paying attention to what's going on. Some people say that Jackson's good for racing. Is he? Jackson's good for Jackson and he doesn't care about anything else, especially, so it seems, the industry.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Zookeeper — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:35:33 GMT

Footlick,

My thoughts EXACTLY regarding Mr. Jackson jumping the gun and talking to the press before consulting Zenyatta's connectons FIRST.

I completely understand Mr. Moss' reaction. If this is sour grapes to some, so be it... RACHEL, are you Mary in VT? You seem to be of the same mindset.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Jason Shandler — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:18:37 GMT

Thanks Greg. It's nice story. Dr. Herthel will be a guest at a conference on stem cell next month and will talk all about the subject of treating laminitis with this procedure. He says it will be the future of medicine. Exciting news. He is a true pioneer in equine medicine.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

2:24 — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:16:32 GMT

I am a fan and supporter of Rachel Alexandra. But frankly I'm getting a little sick and tired of Jess Jackson and Steve Ausmussen's little game. It seems like they will not run Rachel unless they can control everything and that every situation is 100% ideal for them. So what if Rachel isn't at her absolute best by the Apple Blossom. Horses rarely fire their best race every time they run. I'm sure Zenyatta will not be fully tuned for that either, having not raced since the Breeder's Cup and only having a prep 3 weeks out. Horses in the past ran in important races when the situation is not ideal for them or when they were not completely tuned for it (I can name plenty of examples). There is certainly time for them to get a prep and run her back without risking her health. Hell, agree to try and run in a number of races and if the horses are healthy, show up and run. Is the $5 million purse not good enough?

Up until recently I always thought that Zenyatta might be ducking Rachel but it seems to me that Rachel is the one that might be ducking Zenyatta. Something has got to be rotten in Denmark if you can't get your horse to a $5 million dollar race on two months of preparation at an acceptable fitness level. I still love Rachel and will root for her but I just had to vent on my frustrations. Sorry, I could be completely off here.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Greg J. — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:14:35 GMT

Jason,

Great piece on Thorn Song and his whole ordeal, Cleared alot of the details up! Bravo to Dr. Doug Herthel, Who knows? Maybe down the road this will be THE cure for Laminitis, Thanks again...

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Footlick — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:00:57 GMT

Jason- sorry about commenting on a topic that isn't relevant to this blog. I will keep myself under control-lol!

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

Footlick — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:59:56 GMT

Rachel- why are you so biased? What is so great about Jess Jackson deciding this? Why could he not have contacted the Mosses and tell them that he was speaking to Mr Waltrip about this and he would like their input as to what races would be appropriate? Instead, he springs this like he is being the big sports magnate, that he's doing this and that the Mosses should just follow what he says like sheep. I would be pissed off too. Mr Shirreffs was told about it by a reporter! Then asked to give a comment on something he or the Mosses knew nothing about. The press knew about this before the other horses connections did. What does that tell you? I hope the Mosses tell him where he can put his series of races. If he wants to meet Zenyatta, he can come race against her. All agreeing to play obviously means doing what Mr Jackson wants, as usual. I guess that's sour grapes to you. But to me, it was just another headline and ego stroke for him. If he did it correctly and told them about it before he told the press, I would applaud him for it. The fact that he did it this way is just a way to say look how great I am. I hope they turf her.

re: The Fastest 3YO You Haven't Heard of Yet

gw_bushwacker — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:06:59 GMT

draynay,

The only talent you know is the 2/5 favorites everybody knows. I have yet to see you tout a horse BEFORE they run a big race or fast time. Now you are on Christine Daae but you sure didn't

"discover" her. Everybody who follows the sport closely sees the same thing you did after her last race and many knew it before. If you don't stop patting yourself on the back for what everyone else can see you are going to break your arm someday.