Mother Goose Winners

re: Mother Goose Winners

Michelle — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:58:02 GMT

I rode Mom's Command in Virginia and she was the fastest horse I had ever been on! Very, very good mare. Very sweet

re: Mother Goose Winners

bowlofflowers — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:03:44 GMT

I would also rank Affectionately up with the top fillies of all time. She raced colts many times with respectable finishes. And carried 137lbs to post against fillies while giving away up to 23 lbs and STILL won.

re: Mother Goose Winners

A. Frasr — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:51:22 GMT

All these fillies deserve much respect, but Cicada is my vote for the top spot (at this moment). However, that changes with the hour.

re: Mother Goose Winners

Marina — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:39:55 GMT

Rachel is obviously a talented horse. We can all acknowledge that. But to me, she hasn't really stamped herself as great yet. If you watch her Preakness you'll notice just how close Mine that Bird was to catching her. And why is everyone harping on about her Mother Goose? Okay, yeah, she set a track record, and I really don't want to diminish that in anyway, and of course it's an amazing accomplishment, but people. She was running against TWO horses. And personally I had never heard of them before. In my opinion, Rachel has the potential to become one of the best racehorses we've seen in a while. But she has to fully prove herself. She needs to beat Zenyatta, for one thing. Chances are they'll never meet up, but the question whether or not Rachel can beat her will always be there. And IMO the Preakness field was not the strongest it could have been, so I'd like to see her beat some actual competition. Don't get me wrong, I fully respect Rachel as a good horse. And she has amazing potential. But if she wants to be great, she has way more to go.

re: Mother Goose Winners

Carol — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:01:54 GMT

Rachel Alexandra is never going to be tested like most of the great ones on this list were. She'll run a handful of races against subpar competition and then they will retire her with everyone singing her accolades. Racing has changed. :(

re: Mother Goose Winners

Lydia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:16:25 GMT

Wow. Very difficult task, this one. I honestly think I could do this 10 times and not put them in the same order twice ... with the exception of my top two selections ... Shuvee and Ruffian.

re: Mother Goose Winners

hmb0725 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:05:22 GMT

Ruffian #1!!

(I agree with MIKE S.)

re: Mother Goose Winners

MikeM — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:23:32 GMT

RA's Mother Goose was awesome. Although only two others who ran, it was amazing how easily she won and broke the stakes record. All things being equal I can't see Zenyatta beating her unless their is some one good enough to soften her up. Also, RA physically looks like she is a different species of race horse.

re: Mother Goose Winners

LDP — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:00:01 GMT

Kam,

QR is Quality Road. He was the winner of the FOY stakes and FL Derby at Gulfstream. He was also the early derby fav before his quarter crack knocked him out. He's been training well and will probably be in the upcoming Travers. He has also finished not worse than second in his career so far.

re: Mother Goose Winners

Zen-Master — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:14:46 GMT

I'm old enough that I saw Ruffian run several times in 74-75. Ruffian really was something special to watch. Also,if memory serves, until yesterday Ruffian had held the "Mother Goose" stakes record for all these years. So Rachael trimming more than a full second off of Ruffian's time says something about her greatness too.Allbeit she was only running against 2 other fillies,so never really any REAL pressure on her in the race.But make no mistake,Rachael's for real.Now,all my memory lane high priestest thoughts on Ruffian,(I loved that horse),and my well-deserved due respect comments on Rachael,I still can't help in closing by saying that if it happens,"Rachael WILL NOT beat Zenyatta"!!! I don't care what track,what distance,dirt or polly. Take it to the bank folks.Or in this case to the betting window.Just my opinion.....

re: Mother Goose Winners

Oldtimer in VA — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:56:04 GMT

I put Sky Beauty on top, with Mom's Command second. Ruffian + Go For Wand etc = all great fillies!

If the Mother Goose was run somewhere other than Belmont, I'd have a different order.

re: Mother Goose Winners

da3hoss — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:33:03 GMT

I think RA will have to move up to the older mares or to the colts, or she'll be racing by herself, or against second tier fillies whose owners don't mind place and show money...the other better fillies will be wanting to win graded stakes for themselves and will avoid RA...

What's going on with Stardom Bound? Somehow I totally lost track of what's going on...is she still on schedule for a late summer/fall campaign?

re: Mother Goose Winners

da3hoss — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:06:22 GMT

As you all know from my posts, for me, you can't simply be annointed as a "great" horse.

RA just ran the best Mother Goose ever. Her record puts her in the same league as the great fillies and mares...she is poised to possibly become one of the greatest race horses ever, she has an owner who wants to race her and we are alive to see it...

re: Mother Goose Winners

apindyswain — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:14:48 GMT

ITSINTHEAIR GREATEST FILLY EVER

re: Mother Goose Winners

Janesville Liz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:04:24 GMT

based on that performance, I would move Rachel to number two on my list. She was brilliant, but there will never be another Ruffian, but Rachel is close.

re: Mother Goose Winners

KAM — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:31:27 GMT

LDP,

Who is QR?

re: Mother Goose Winners

LAZMANNICK — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:50:41 GMT

LDP:

Before I begin I just want to say that I abolutely love Rachel and I absolutely love Zenyatta.

What I don't like are some of the analagies some people on this blog make.

To make it clear, both these horses are stars and nobody, including and maybe even especially myself, should try and take away or diminish what they have acdcomplished.

But put a few things in perspective....

especially for those who say Rachel is the greatest ever or even belongs with the all-time greats. To me, she is moving in that direction but she isn't there yet. (Zen is in the same boat).

How would she fare in a hypathectical Mother Goose against the list of Mother Goose winners including: Shuvee, Chris Evert, Ruffian, Serena's Song, Sky Beauty, Go For Wand, Open Mind, Mom's Command, Cicada and throw in Genuine Risk(not in the Goose....Just where do you think she would finish? would she win.....and if she did, would it be by twenty?

And if you think her time is so great, don't be so mislead. Belmont was a supper highway Saturday...$7500 claimers did 6-furlons in 1.09.2...MSW 7-furlongs in 1.21.4...in a minor stake the mile was in 1.33.2 (faster then in Rachel's race), etc. etc.

And don't be mislead by the margin of victory. The other two horses raced against each other in suicidal fractions not designed to win. When Rachel went by they obviously had nothing left and because there was only three horses in the race they were already guaranteed a pretty good workout purse, so what did they have to lose....(JR and Castellon aren't that nieve to think they would discourage Rachel). I think it ws set up to add more hype to the Travers (as stupid as a omment like that seems).

Rachel has good speed. Could you imagine what would have happened if she did go for the lead and battled through fractions like those and then have one of the other horse sit off the pace and then come at her from behind. Do you think she would have won and if so do you still think she would have won by twenty?.

I'm not trying to diminish Rachel's accomplishments, she's great and is what racing needs right now, but her Beyer rating for such an overwhelming performace was only 111, which is excellent, but certainly not in the 120 range which some of the bandwagon jumpers-on that are raving so much would have us believe.

And don't diminish what Zenyatta has done. In the Apple Blossom her only race on dirt she blew away a champion and actually had the largest margine of victory in her career. (Maybe her best surface is dirt, who knows).

And Zenyatta's finishing time from the 3/4's home was actually faster than Rachel's. True Rachel was eased the last little bit, but Zen never really got going until inside the 1/8th pole (which suggests 1-1/4 miles would be ideal for her).

That being said, and as good as a race between the two of them would be, and in spite of some of my comments in the past, I really don't want to see them race against each. Why? Because I really don't want to see either of them get beat and once this happens, the buzz the two have created will be gone becuase there will never be a re-match.

re: Mother Goose Winners

ruffian316 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:36:04 GMT

Everyone should be respectful when commenting on these great fillies. I have always loved Ruffian...but there is room in my heart to enjoy other greats as well. Appreciate greatness while you can. Rachel has proven she is no fluke...give her time to leave her legacy. Each of these fillies brought something amazing and memorable to the sport, and none of us can argue that (-:

re: Mother Goose Winners

LDP — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:05:13 GMT

Laz,

I think the jocks thought that RA wouldn't be able to resist going into the lead, and even if she didn't being so close to their ridiculous pace may tire her out. That seemed to be the only way left to possible get her beaten, run her into the ground, it almost happened in the Preakness. Needless to say RA has had rest this time around and her speed lasted. Jocks know that closing into her doesn't work, stalking her doesn't work, so why not force her to run a rediculously fast pace? That is probably what both jock thought they needed to do if they were ever going to get her beat. To me, i think there is one horse who could have a chance at beating her, and it's not Zenyatta. QR, though he ran over tracks that were pavement, was an undeniably fast horse. If the two of them hook up in the Travers you have two horses with identical tactics. Both are speed horses, but don't need the lead. Both have incredible turn of foot and both are built. QR, i think was reported at 17 hands, so he's a big boy, as tall as the great Zenyatta. The reason i feel QR has more chance of beating RA is because of his simalar tactict to RA. Zenyatta simply, IMO can't catch this filly, she's too fast, and she proved yesterday that her speed can last, seeing as how she was only 3 lengths of that blazing pace yesterday and still had one heck of a kick. You need a horse that can stay with RA stride for stride w/o burning out, because she will run you into the ground. QR has proven himself to be speedy, but he also proved he can hold that speed. Zenyatta would have to close into a huge lead that RA will have opened up if loose, or will open up with her turn of foot by the time they hit the stretch. IMO i don't think she'll catch her. QR wouldn't have to catch her, he could match her. Though honestly i wouldn't want a match between those two, it would be to much like the Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure match. Anyhow, you are right she looked awesome.

re: Mother Goose Winners

LAZMANNICK — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:23:10 GMT

LDP

I like your enthusiasm. On my previous post it might sound like I'm belittling Rachel. I'm really not. I just don't get how an experienced jockey like J.R. would do what he did on the front end if he was trying to win the race. It just doesn't make sense. And Castellano. To push like he did at the 1/4 (22.2) and the 3/4's (1.08.4) when he didn't have to.....I don't know.

That being said, Rachel looked awesome today and ran awesome too.

re: Mother Goose Winners

LAZMANNICK — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:22:18 GMT

Stanley:

Get hold of yourself.

A nice workout, two fillies going unbelievably fast when they weren't even pushed, great time and an easy score............

Without taking anything away from Rachel, something about the tactics and the late scratches in this race smell. It's like the track was trying to generate a lot of interest and excitement, possibly for the Travers.

re: Mother Goose Winners

LDP — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:22:06 GMT

Lexi C,

Eased a little. Calvin was standing at the furlong pole, as Rachel cantered effortlessly past the wire. This has to rank among the best Mother Goose performances. I didn't think it could be done with only three competitors, but that was a sight to see, even on TV. Maybe she'll come to DE park, lol, i doubt it. If she did i'd be there in a heart beat. She is the greatest filly i've ever seen, the greatest horse i've seen. Please don't diminish her. I am part of a new generation of fans, i've seen replays of greats, and this race ranks up with them. It was indiscribable.

re: Mother Goose Winners

stanley marcinkowski, Plowville, Pa — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:44:48 GMT

next years' BC f&m will be great with RA and Zenyatta

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stanley marcinkowski, Plowville, Pa — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:40:33 GMT

Wow, wow wow! RA beat the clock. 1:46 1/5. She takes a back seat to no filly. With such a easy race, hopefully we can see her in Delaware Handicap

re: Mother Goose Winners

Lexi C — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:31:21 GMT

RACHEL ALEXANDRA JUST WON THIS RACE IN A NEW RECORD OF 1:46.33!!!!

BUT I LOVE RUFFIAN, RUFFIAN WAS EASED, AND RACHEL I THINK WAS EASED A LITTE, SHE WON BY APP. 20 LENGTHS, AGAIN!