HAYWARD: WE ARE PUZZLED AND DISAPPOINTED THAT RACHEL ALEXANDRA…IS PASSING UP THE GRADE I RUFFIAN
NYRA is not pleased with the decision of Jess Jackson to run Rachel Alexandra in the non-graded Lady’s Secret at Monmouth Park over Saratoga’s Grade I Ruffian this summer. Having allocated a stall to last year’s HOY, Hayward and company clearly feel burned.
"We are puzzled and disappointed that Rachel Alexandra, who performed so well at Saratoga last year, is passing up the Grade I Ruffian to run in a non-graded race at Monmouth over the same distance," said NYRA president Charlie Hayward.
If she keeps her current pace of a race every six or seven weeks, Rachel could still appear in the Personal Ensign or try to repeat in the Woodward.
Tags: charlie hayward, jess jackson, monmouth park, nyra, Paulick Report, personal ensign, Rachel Alexandra, Ruffian Handicap, woodward stakes
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:33 am
They are going to keep her on Powder Puff schedule like Zenyatta.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:44 am
Boring.
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:00 am
What is there to be “puzzled about” ?
Mr. Asmussen / Blasi require 5 weeks between races.
The repositioning of The Lady’s Secret allows for an a possible appearance
in either the Grade 1 Ballerina on August 28th (less likely) or better yet…
Grade 1 Personal Ensign August 29th or Grade 1 Woodward Stakes on September.4th.
Horse of the Year championships are not won by competing against mediocrity in August.
In this deep year, it will be won by competing and beating the best on Breeders Cup Day.
The repositioning of the Lady’s Secret allows for a good start to that end.
It’s all so simple if you can read the stakes calendar.
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:03 am
It’s insulting to NYRA and the Saratoga fans, frankly. Although JJ has long said openly that he expects his champion horses (Curlin, included too in the day) to be well compensated for the effort.
What is so disenguious is the suggestion this that this particular decision isn’t about the money.
From the DRF - “Mike Dempsey, the racing secretary at Monmouth Park, said, “There are no appearance fees for anyone involved, and there is not a charity involvement at this time, even though something could come together later on.”
Seriously? They just bumped an ungraded race from $150k to $400k, contingent exclusively upon Rachel starting, and that’s not considered an appearance fee? Right.
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:03 am
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
and NYRA’s bare minimum of $250,000 for a Gr I will turn plenty of others away
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:04 am
The move certainly doesn’t scream confidence.
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:15 am
If Jerry Moss issued a press release announcing that Zenyatta’s next race would be in an ungraded stakes at Del Mar, he would be crucified.
I can only hope this latest of several weenie moves by Rachel Alexandra’s camp will be equally as criticized.
Hard to fathom it, but Zenyatta has actually WON five Grade 1 races in the time span since Rachel was last entered in one (September 2009)!
July 2nd, 2010 at 10:08 am
I guess the old adage: “Keep yourself in the best of company and your horse in the worst “is getting a workout this summer. Someone grow some balls, the horses deserve it.
July 2nd, 2010 at 10:09 am
They’re putting her in soft spots because they don’t want her to get beat again. I don’t care how much Asmussen touts her, she ain’t what she was. Her fire is gone and don’t expect to see her on the track in 2011.
July 2nd, 2010 at 10:19 am
Purplesky nails it. I sometimes wonder why I bother following this alleged “sport” at all.
July 2nd, 2010 at 10:33 am
Somebody could say something about JJ announcing where she will run 3 weeks in advance… usually you all are knocking him for waiting till the last minute….
July 2nd, 2010 at 10:35 am
Purplesky nails it? I doubt Rachel faces anything like St. Trinians at Monmouth Park in the non graded race.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:01 am
Why is NYRA both “Puzzled and disappointed”?
Was there an expectation of her running in Saratoga?
Did the connections say they weren’t coming for the whole meet?
How is a 400k ungraded race any different than the money allowance “preps” that are run every week at home tracks, but for only 50k?
Rachel and Summer Bird both went to Monmouth last year and prepped. Why is this year a big deal?
This is the dumbest non-story I have read in a while on this site.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:16 am
If it is the spacing of races that is important to Jackson, then Rachel could still run at Saratoga in the Personal Ensign. This will be a good field and I think it is 1 1/4 miles, which will be a good test for her, and most important I have tickets! This year the Breeders Cup is going to determine Horse of the Year, Rachel still has a shot if she wins a race like the Personal Ensign then beats Quality Road, Zenyatta and the rest in the Classic.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:27 am
RA winning the BC Classic has as much chance of happening as British Petroleum being nominated Corporate Citizen of the Year in Louisiana.
Horse Chestnut, nice observation on Zenyatta’s 5 Grade 1 victories. According to some observers, that’s a Powder Puff schedule. Huh??
Jess you can talk all you want about a Championship schedule, but what Championship could you possibly be challenging for in 2010?
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:31 am
Nice try Jess. Your girl is on as much of a Championship run as Team France at the World Cup.
Don’t worry though, your compliant eastern media and fans will fully support you in your phony campaign. While they bad mouth Zenyatta’s connections who continue their streak of GRADE 1 challenges leading to the Breeders Cup Classic.
Grade 1 races are what counts for Championships not $400K allowance races. RA has none this year and it looks unlikely that she will win any Grade 1 races.
Older Mare Eclipse: Zenyatta.
HOTY: TBD
RA: Who???
Championship campaign to what?
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Freespirit: Rachel has faced and beaten horses far better than St Trinians during her career, as has Zenyatta. I would hardly call St Trinians a good frame of reference.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:19 pm
I was just referring to her last race is all. I realize that. I didn’t want to start naming all the horses Rachel and Zenyatta have beaten. I only meant if you compare Zenyatta’s last race, I didn’t consider it a powder puff race.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Don’t let the small margin of victory by Zenyatta fool you. In the grand scheme of things, any race Zenyatta contests which is restricted to fillies and mares is powder puff.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Mike in SB -
RA has no chance at 1 1/4 miles.. NONE.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:50 pm
John Greathouse,
Congratulations on winning the Mother Goose Stakes (Grade I) with your Devil May Care. Regarding your point of $$$$$$. I think I would take the $150,000 winners share from the Ruffian and the Grade I status rather than the $240,000 and no grading from Monmouth. Now we all know that Mr. Jackson is not going to sell RA so he doesn’t really give a hoot about the graded status of the race unless you consider Eclipse awards. But I would think many if not most breeders would take the Grade I status of the Ruffian for their horse. You are a perfect example. You will race a nice horse and then be willing to sell the horse for a fair price. What are your thoughts?
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Wouldn’t be surprised if JJ could get NYRA to reduce the distance of the Personal Ensign to 9 furlongs if he made her appearance in the race contingent on it.
Also, Horse Chestnut is the one who nails it.
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Patrick - it’s not Z’s fault all the other f/m competition in this country looks like powder puffs compared to her. Here’s to hoping she sees the boys on the track again this year, and before the BC Classic.
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Erin, if we’re all agreed that the rest are powder puffs, why are they wasting their time and ours putting her in those races? As far as seeing Zenyatta against the boys before the Classic, we all have our fantasies.
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Yep. And fantasies, along with hope, are what racing’s all about.
It’s easy to make judgments against owners of personally beloved and nationally revered mulitmillion dollar champion racehorses from an armchair.
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
It’s easy to make judgments of any kind on any subject from an armchair. I’m sure you do it as much as anyone. Isn’t it great?
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:06 pm
He doesn’t owe Saratoga anything. Do what you feel is best Jess.
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Rachel will not make it to the Breeders Cup.
July 2nd, 2010 at 3:01 pm
The race at Monmouth is 9 furlongs. RA can’t get 10 furlongs against top competition (which is why IF she does show up at the BC it will be in the Ladies Classic on Friday not the BC Classic on Saturday against Zen and the big boys.)
Ripvanwinkle and HollywoodHit both said it all for me above.
July 2nd, 2010 at 3:37 pm
The owner is the risk taker and one of the privileges of ownership is choosing when and where to enter your horse. A smart owner attempts to enter his horse where it has a good chance to win. In the case of Jess Jackson, he doesn’t need the money nor the publicity nor the fame, so he and his trainer can do as they please without regard to strident voices among race fans and media.
July 2nd, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Dustin Stones, you’re correct that ownership has it’s privileges and that Jess probably doesn’t need the money.
Where you err, if I may respectfully point out, is that Jess certainly needs fame and publicity.
Rachel is having difficulty carrying the weight of her owners ego. Forego and Kelso together couldn’t carry that weight.
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Yes … thanks to Mr. Moss everyone is going to run a easy schedule. All Mr. Jackson wants to do is whip Zenyatta. Nothing else matters so why stress the horse ?
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Ray
Thank you for the kind remarks. A Gr I is obviously the spot all of us want to be in but at this stage RA has won plenty of them and 400 opposed to 250 is significant.
People wonder why these animals are retired but they don’t stop and think about the HIGH cost of insurance etc. In RA’s case it might cost $300,000, $400,000 or $500,000 just to insure her while racing. On the Farm it is half of that. NYRA has its own set of problems and for that we all are sorry, but cash is cash and personally I don’t blame them
JMO
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:18 pm
This has absolutely nothing to do with money. Zero.
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Draynay,
Love that circular reasoning. JJ chooses a non-graded stakes race for RA but somehow it is Jerry Moss’ fault. Ridiculous.
And when exactly do you expect RA to finally meet Z? It isn’t going to be the BC Classic. Zenyatta will be there but RA isn’t going to tee it up against that caliber of competition at 1 1/4 miles.
As Ripvanwinkle said above:
“RA winning the BC Classic has as much chance of happening as British Petroleum being nominated Corporate Citizen of the Year in Louisiana.”
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Barry is correct. It’s ludicrous to think that a billionaire who spent $10m on the filly is concerned about a $150k disparity in purses.
Give me a break.
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:53 am
plan your work and work your plan!!! it is simple but effective ! there are no gimmees!
July 3rd, 2010 at 8:41 am
You guys crack me up. Who cares if it’s graded or not what matters is the race and the competition.
Zenyatta was invited 3 weeks in advance and they declined because they want to continue to hide in California. I don’t blame them Zenyatta isn’t much of a dirt horse anyway.
July 3rd, 2010 at 9:34 am
Dray
we can certainly agree to disagree about that last line of yours
For the life of me I can’t understand why people don’t LOVE Z
What does she have to do for you?
July 3rd, 2010 at 7:28 pm
In Dray’s case, Zenyatta could NEVER do enough! She could stop the oil leak in the gulf and it would NEVER be enough. In the dog show business we say he is kennel blind.
Dray finds all the blogs and many of us have read his nonesense for a long time. I guess he is jealous because he doesn’t own Zenyatta, who by the way could have been bought by such a knowledgeable person of horsflesh, such as himself, for a cheap 60 grand. If he owned her, I doubt you would be hearing such ridiculous statements about her race record and ability. Very sad indeed.
July 4th, 2010 at 3:49 am
I too thought Zenyatta was a light weight compared to RA until I watched her race at the Vanity Handicap. Nothing like being there. Zenyatta definitely knows where the finish line is.
Don’t you think it’s more important, to have two top class horses showcasing the best that thoroughbred horseracing has to offer, and try and draw in more fans into the sport? I don’t know about the rest of you,but we need RA & Zenyatta to bolster a somewhat lackluster year. Get a clue people, without more fans and bettors this sport is dead!
July 4th, 2010 at 11:17 am
This is the Apple Blossom all over again - race date moved, inflated purse, and extend the length of the race. Ironic how Moss wasn’t chastised for accepting an appearance fee for running Zenyatta in the AB but it’s ok to chastise Jackson for doing the same. It’s pretty easy to tell which side of the RA/Z coin people are on when they’re outraged over the increased purse. You folks need to get off your hypocritical soapbox.
For NYRA to be insulted speaks more about their financial instability and wanting someone to bail them out then it does about Rachel shipping to Saratoga and running at Monmouth. NYRA is making a mountain out of molehill.
As for Jackson choosing an ungraded stakes over the G1 Ruffian, it is equally puzzling and disappointing. I get that the timing makes more sense for the schedule they want Rachel to stay on, but to choose an ungraded stakes makes no sense whatsoever.
July 4th, 2010 at 11:49 am
I’m VERY happy to see Rachel run in the race named for the Iron Lady that Santa Anita spit on.
July 4th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
guess again guy’s its always “about the money” no aperance fees? ask Dempsey about the kickback Monmouth gave Baffert to bring one of his stars to Monmouth!!!!!
July 4th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
This isn’t about timing and it isn’t about money. It’s about dodging real competition. JJ and Asmussen both know that RA isn’t likely to beat top graded-stakes-winning older females. They’re trying to buy time in the hope that somehow she returns to form before it’s too late. They know that a loss in the next race (which would make her one for four on the year) would pretty much end any discussion of her being among the top mares in 2010.
My only beef with JJ’s choice of her next race is his attempt to whitewash it as anything but what it actually is - a lack of confidence in his horse’s ability at this point. And of course, the racing press is displaying the double-standard for all to see by characterizing this as a “money” or “timing” decision. Imagine what they would be saying if jerry Moss entered Zenyatta in a non-graded stakes race!