Many racing fans are prepared to state emphatically that Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are two of the best, if not THE best, fillies of the past half-century. The list from which to chose, however, is longer than most think. Below is a reminder just how extensive that list is. With almost half the year...

Thoroughbred racing in 2010 consists of three universes, all moving in parallel lines. One is the Triple Crown trail, which possesses an aura all to itself and is oblivious to any other existing worlds. The two other realms have been meandering through space, occasionally veering off their axis. On one...

“The queen is dead. Long live the queen.” OK, so it’s not quite as dramatic as Charles VII’s ascension to the throne of France following the death of his father. But the way people are talking, one would think Queen Rachel has abdicated her throne after only two months and a “shocking” defeat at the...

March 10 – Zenyatta will face eight opponents in Saturday’s Santa Margarita, conceding from 12 to 19 pounds. Her main threats appear to be the La Canada winner Striking Dancer (115 lbs), trained by the always dangerous Kenny McPeek; La Canada runner-up Gripsholm Castle (112), who ran a big race in her...

March 1 – The first NTRA poll of the year is out and Zenyatta tops the list with eight first-place votes and 150 points, while Rachel Alexandra managed five first-place votes and 145 points. You don’t often see the returning Horse of the Year fail to earn the No. 1 slot in the first poll, especially...

Oaklawn Park made all the right moves with their big Apple Blossom announcement. They put up the money, they changed the distance, and in short they dangled one heckuva carrot in front of Jess Jackson and Jerry and Ann Moss. It all makes for great theater and great anticipation. But there are logistics...

This is not really a blog, but a preview of what will appear in this space over the next couple of weeks. Rather than simply take a few weeks off from the blog, every two or three days I will reprint the original recaps of some of my favorite races and stories of the decade, mainly Triple Crown and Breeders...

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...

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,...

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...