RACHEL ANNIHILATES ‘EM
Rachel Alexandra absolutely destroyed her male opposition in Sunday’s $1,250,000 Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park, coming from just off the pace of Munnings, taking command on the turn for home, and romping home to a six-length victory for Calvin Borel, who is now a perfect-eight for eight on the Medaglia d’Oro filly now carrying the colors of Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and trained by Steve Asmussen.
Rachel Alexandra paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite.
As expected, Munnings, coming off that impressive win sprinting in the Tom Fool, went right to the front under John Velazquez and set fractions of :22 4/5 for the opening quarter mile, :46 2/5 for the half-mile and 1:09 4/5 for six furlongs. Borel had Rachel Alexandra just off his right hip, and Summer Bird was close behind in third, along the rail. Papa Clem raced close up in fourth.
On the turn, however, Borel let Rachel Alexandra extend her stride and she was quickly in front. When the field hit the top of the stretch, it was really only a matter of how big her margin of victory would be. She galloped to the wire in yet another incredible performance that may be the equal of her 20 1/4 Kentucky Oaks victory (her last start for trainer Hal Wiggins and breeder Dolphus Morrison, after which she was purchased by Jackson and Harold McCormick) or her 19 1/4-length victory last time out in the Mother Goose. This was her second victory over colts and geldings, following her one-length Preakness win over Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.
Jess Jackson said he didn’t know where Rachel Alexandra would go next either, saying, “We’ll see how she comes out. Her next race will be decided by us when she tells us.” Jackson did say the Breeders’ Cup at Oak Tree on a synthetic track is not an option, though he does want to face the unbeaten, reigning filly and mare champ Zenyatta. “We’re not going to the Breeders’ Cup,” Jackson insisted. “I’ve said that from the beginning and I mean it. I’d like it on a neutral course and I don’t like synthetic tracks.”
While there is plenty of racing remaining in 2009, Rachel Alexandra has clearly becoming the pro-tem leader in the race for Horse of the Year. She has won all seven of her starts this year–four of them Grade 1 and two Grade 2–and is now 10 for 13 lifetime.
The Haskell topped a big weekend for Asmussen and Jackson. On Saturday, Asmussen saddled Soul Warrior to an upset victory over Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park and took the Jim Dandy at Saratoga with Jackson and Gulf Coast Farm’s Kensai. Kensai looks to be the favorite for the Travers Stakes at Saratoga later this month–unless Jackson and Asmussen opt to run Rachel Alexandra. That seems unlikely, however, since the filly may be better at 1 1/8 miles and the Travers is run over 1 1/4 miles, longer than she’s ever been.
Rachel Alexandra, produced from the Roar filly Lotta Kim, became the second filly to win the Haskell, joining 1995 winner Serena’s Song.
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
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Tags: Calvin Borel, harold mccormick, haskell invitational, jess jackson, monmouth park, Paulick Report, preakness, Rachel Alexandra, Ray Paulick, steve asmussen, stonestreet stables, zenyatta
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Oh wow. This just gets better and better!
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Gotta love the way she looms at at the quarter pole each time.
Best since Secretariat!
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:38 pm
SARATOGA BOUND? Please!!!
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
The only thing I didn’t care for was Calvin getting into her fairly deep into the stretch. She already had them well in hand and was still running hard.
August 2nd, 2009 at 6:02 pm
How many track owners are now willing to schedule a “special” stakes race - and ready to open up the money vault - to get this superstar into the starting gate?
August 2nd, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Rachel is incredible. Horse of the Year… Unless she races against Zenyatta and gets beaten by Z.
Calvin Borel hit Rachel a bunch of times left then right handed. He didn’t look back once today except near the wire. Because horses are so fragile, he could have put his whip away sooner and saved her for the Travers and later races.
August 2nd, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Tiznowbaby, I agree with you. I dread to see horses running their hearts out, winning easily while being whipped almost to the wire.
I didn’t see your post until I posted mine and I hesitated to even mention the whip use. I counted 5 left hand hits and 3 right hand hits. I thought it was overdone because Rachel was cruising and passing horses with ease and opened up on her own. So why punish her?
August 2nd, 2009 at 6:33 pm
monster
August 2nd, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Calvin is afraid he will cost her a race with overconfidence so he rode her out? I didn’t like it either. He needs rearview mirrors when he rides her.
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I wouldn’t have minded if he’d still been scrubbing on her. I just thought the whip was completely unnecessary. She looked like she had her mind on her business.
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I wish someone would tell Calvin Borel that the fans are out to see Rachael Alexandre and not him. His showboating is not only annoying but also unsafe. When he raised up in the saddle near or at the wire to throw kisses to the crowd his weight shifted and she leaned left. Wiggins told him to “protect my horse” and quit the theatrics. I hope Asmussen puts a stop to his antics as well. If a trainer saw that jive years back he’d lose the mount.
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I think the pressure will be on Jerry Moss to run Zenyatta against Rachel on a “neutral” track, preferably Saratoga. Zenyatta just beats the same old allowance horses over and over again. That’s getting boring. Zenyatta has to go East to race Rachel, or take on colts in the Pacific Classic and/or Breeders Cup Classic.
For the record - Rachel spanks Zenyatta.
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I agree about Calvin’s whip waving. I thought the same with Street Sense. He throws the horse off balance in the gallop out (if not before the wire on occasion) with those antics and I can not believe he still does it with her. I enjoy his effusive joy, but I cringe when I see a horse have to deal with it. He is pretty athletic, too, or he’d land on his ass at some point.. I recall Kent D was asked why he didn’t celebrate on the gallop out after winning the 2000 KY Derby and he said Fusaichi Pegasus would have planted him in the dirt;)
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 pm
If she wins the Travers, should she get the Eclipse as 3yo colt of they year?
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Calvin Borel gave us a great demonstration of why flogging should be banned.
We do not inflict flogging on humans, even for the most awesome crimes. Why do we allow horses, that have not committed any offense, to be publicly flogged?
Come on PETA. Where are you now that Rachel Alexandra needs you ?
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Steve Zorn,
lol!
All the brilliant three year olds went to the sidelines with injuries — except her.
I feel blessed to be witnessing this year — Well Armed’s Dubai (because I’m a Tiznow fan), and Sea the Stars, Goldikova, Rachel and Zenyatta any time they run.
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Oh, my God, 14 races. Oh Lord, the stinkin’ weather.
Ray, they weren’t “showers” - it was a MONSOON!
The 1999 Gulfstream ticket office sold “seats” to patrons - mere concrete platforms, adorned with rusted iron spikes, where seats that had once existed had been thrown away.
I thought that record for corporate racing incompetence would stand for quite a while, & that it did. But now, it has fallen.
When the thunderstorm hit, the massive pools of water that collected underneath the seats of the uppermost deck found an outlet - through a hole in the ravaged infrastructure of this dilapidated track.
The waves poured through the ruptured ceiling of the tier below - drowning the fans who, at 12 noon, were confident that they’d be sheltered from the impending storm.
The TVG tent on the apron threatened to collapse under the weight of the water, but, unfortunately, it did not.
Moral of the story: Buy a “$1,000,000″ VIP tent that gets hit hard by the 2004 Kentucky Derby monsoon & collapses.
Spend $100 on a rectangular blue tarp & four poles at your local hardware store, & you’re dry.
How could anyone not vote for Rachel as the Horse of The Year?
No Luck: In the 3-horse Regent Stakes, my wife opted for Fearless Leader. Sunday Giesha was mine. The three-card monte game ended when the Ten of Spades was flipped & D’Wild Ride was underneath it.
Better Luck: Chatted with a cameraman who was filming the active paddock from the 3rd floor window & discovered that he was John Hennegan, one of the two brothers who produced the wonderful film, The First Saturday In May.
They’re now working on a film about Larry Jones, which should be even better than TFSIM. By coincidence, John & I this year had both been at Delaware Park, on Larry Jones Appreciation Day (yep, it poured buckets on that day, too).
No, Really, This Happened Next: Went downstairs to apologize to a friend who hopefully hadn’t taken me seriously when, earlier, I gave him my best bet - who then finished dead last, which, of course, could not have pleased his trainer, Larry Jones.
Time to find a new hobby.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:21 am
WOW, what a race! Words cannot describe how I felt watching Miss Rachel Alexandra defeat the Colts, again. Rachel Alexandra DEFINITELY should win 2009 Horse of the Year!
I would love to see her race against Zenyatta, but that would ruin Zenyatta’s perfect winning streak, because I have no doubt that Rachel Alexandra would leave Zenyatta in the dust, like she does every other race horse. May God Bless the Rachel Alexandra Team and Calvin Borel, forever! I will be visiting Curlin at Lane’s End next month and I can’t wait to tell Curlin all about his Future Girlfriend! I LOVE Rachel Alexandra!! Thanks Jess Jackson.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:35 am
I have to agree with everyone else regarding Calvin Borel and Whipping Rachel Alexandra. I like Calvin, but I thought there was no need to hit her when she was so far ahead of the other horses. Hopefully Jess Jackson will tell him to be kinder to this Awesome horse. Besides, Men should never hit a Lady.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:44 am
I suspect Borel’s order’s were - keep Rachel Alexandra to her task and finish strongly - thus the stick - with an eye toward the 1 1/4 mile Travers - Rachel Alexandra proved vulnerable - although she now appears to be a bigger, stronger version of her former self - at the 1 3/16 mile Preakness in which she was almost caught by Mine That Bird -
personally I hate to see jockeys go to the stick as it is usually the poor, exhausted, displaced, bleeding, sore individuals stumbling in 4th and back being punished with the whip - Kentucky, by the way, has a very good whip rule which is not enforced
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:59 am
some wonderful stuff here ! Jackson has found his legacy! Rachael is being compared the immortals and Calvin is creating an ass of himself ! while i am a staunch fan of Borel’s riding ability and old world riding style (which I hope catches on with some our Latin performers) we don’t need to encourage Peta, Garrett. We do have a steward’s stand, hopefully equipped with rule books. (if they print them anymore in NJ) and this performance merits an inquiry into the grandstanding brought on by a meteoric rise to prominence. We have had a few super stars falls off (Gary Stevens, Arlington Million) when they have introduced this contemporary brand of riding style. .Stewards are there to create law and order and mete out punishment for “carelessness”. They are there to protect the horses as well as the jockeys and public. While being accused of being “high paid spectators” in recent years, perhaps they can search themselves (collectively and quietly) to impose themselves on these childish, impetuous infractions that are clearly covered in that little black book of rules, that they should revisit from time to time and that also includes what are affectionately known as “pinheads”.
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:46 am
Ann Banks,
I would like to see if Rachel has distance limitations. 1 1/8 is entirely in her wheelhouse. Her toughest win was the Preakness, but that was two weeks after a big effort in the Oaks. Her sire was not a consistent winner at 1 1/4 (did he win any at 1 1/4?). Her bottom side doesn’t scream mile and a quarter either.
I wouldn’t see her getting 1 1/2 against quality males — but then again, where are these quality males.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 am
Maybe I am the lone dissenter here, but how do we not know that Assmussen’s instructions were to make her finish up in preparation for a possible Zenyatta race this fall. If Rachel just cruises the last eighth of a mile Zenyatta might run her down in that situation. As for Borel showboating…give me a break. He risks life and limb daily for our enjoyment and now we tell him not to enjoy the moment. I think his emotion is great and something this game needs more of. I have known Calvin for 25 years and he is one of the great people in this game. Calvin loves this filly more than all of us combined, I doubt that he would do anything to put her at risk.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
Monte, fine but Borel could wait to celebrate once his feet are back on the ground.
Jockeys shouldn’t twist and monkey around on top of exhausted horses. They should let their horses slow down at their own pace and keep them straight and balanced, then turn them around slowly to return to the stand. Stewards should see to it for the trainers who don’t.
Effusive demonstrations before and after the wire shift weight around on top of fatigued and vulnerable horses with loosened muscles and soft-tissues. Some outriders grab horses too fast and twist their necks to slow them down fast like it was done to Big Brown after the KY Derby. Once again, the welfare of horses is ignored to accommodate shoving a microphone in the winning jockey’s face before the next commercial break.
Borel’s dangerous inside move on Mine That Bird helped him win the KY Derby. However, there is a 50% chance for such hole to disappear in any given race with potential catastrophic consequences. It worked beautifully and Borel was made a hero but he could have turned into a villain too.
Bravo to A$$mussen for continuing to race Rachel with only a simple bridle. TP, should give it a try: less is often more in horse racing. For example, after winning the Tom Fool Hdp the first thing that Munnings’s groom did was to remove the lower part of his drop noseband. Gee, I wonder why? Would it be… to help his horse breath easier?
Hopefully Pletcher and others trainers will be inspired by what Rachel is NOT wearing on top of her nostrils.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:10 am
I,too, think Calvin Borel is an exceptionally good jockey, BUT! So he loves RA. Let us assume he loves his girl-friend. Does he also beat his girl-friend? Tough love ??
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Excellent post by Joe.
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
The entire issue of this brilliant filly not going to CA for the Breeders’ Cup is a just one more glaring example of why synthetic tracks have caused more problems than they have solved.
For the non CA based horses that do go and run in the BC, they already have a built in excuse. If they don’t run well, just put a line through it and blame it on the track.
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Bob Hope, you say: “Jackson has found his legacy! ” (in Rachel Alexandra etc.)
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that:
1. Neither Jess Jackson, or any of his people found that horse.
2. Neither Jess Jackson, or Steve Asmussen had anything to do with developing that horse.
He just had the money and the ambition to buy her. She was an already made superstar when they aquired her. As far as I am concerned, they are just managers/care takers of the animal.
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Please tell me someone is willing to take ABC/ESPN (and maybe NBC Universal, as well) to task for not carrying the Haskell on one of their channels.
I have both TVG and HRTV so short of not going to Monmouth to see it live I still was fortunate. However I cannot for the life of me determine why anyone with pulse in the sports media didn’t jump at hammering out a deal to broadcast that race. Everyone knew it was going to be something to see and it delivered.
Here we’ve had brewing for months (and will continue to) a story that could easily generate vastly more mainstream interest in the sport and yet only TVG carries the signal? They do a fine job but they only reach 30 million +/- households and without the big channels stepping up no matter how good the story / race is if your fans cannot watch it they’ll just shrug their shoulders and move on.
Like the proverbial tree that falls in the woods - if a marquee horse race happens only on the narrow focused wagering channels does it matter?
Monmouth deserves praise for getting the talent to the race and making this a solid meet. Yet this weekend was a squandered opportunity on a much more broad level.
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Rachel is so much faster then Zenyatta. I hope they don’t meet because it would ruin the great ness of Zenyatta. They are both very good but Rachel is great. It was awesome watching that race. Where was the NTRA and ESPN yesterday? Monmouth doest it again. Great job.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Great post Glimmerglass, I couldn’t agree more. No wonder this sport has fewer and fewer followers.
August 9th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I missed the whipping when I saw this race at the OTB, but in another site, someone who claims to know the business sez Borel was looking for a record. They claim that’s why he was whupping up on her.
I have no way of knowing, if that’s true, then RA “connections” should be taken to the woodshed.
I just watched the race on YouTube, and it’s certainly sad to see that when the horse has the race in the bag.