RACHEL TO RETURN TO MONMOUTH IN LADY’S SECRET
The following press release was sent to the Paulick Report by Jess Jackson announcing that Rachel Alexandra will be running in this year’s Lady’s Secret at Monmouth Park:
Rachel Alexandra, who electrified Monmouth Park with her victory in last season’s Haskell Invitational (G1) en route to being named America’s Horse of the Year 2009, will return to the scene of her triumph on Saturday, July 24, in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at a mile and an eighth.
Jess Jackson, who owns the 4-year-old filly by Medaglia d’Oro in partnership with Harold McCormick, confirmed Thursday that Rachel Alexandra will make Monmouth her next stop as she pursues another title in 2010.
“We had a great experience at Monmouth Park,” Jackson said, “and we appreciate the overwhelming show of support the fans there have given us. It’s the perfect place to start what we hope will be another championship run.”
Rachel Alexandra sealed her Horse of the Year 2009 title with victories over colts in the Preakness and Haskell Invitational, and a win over older males in the Woodward at Saratoga.
This year, she ran second twice before capturing the Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 12.
The Lady’s Secret was originally scheduled to be run on Aug. 1 as part of the Haskell Day card. However, with Rachel Alexandra running, the race has been moved to July 24, and the purse has been increased to $400,000. If Rachel Alexandra is unable to compete in the Lady’s Secret, the purse will revert to the originally scheduled $150,000.
Tags: jess jackson, lady's secret, monmouth park, Paulick Report, Rachel Alexandra
July 1st, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Is the condition of Rachel running in the Lady’s Secret that the purse increase from $150,000 to $400,000.?
Why do people continue catering to and pampering this megalomaniac?
July 1st, 2010 at 3:34 pm
It’s called a business decision.
July 1st, 2010 at 3:54 pm
And Monmouth just took away the thunder of Spa’s opening weekend, and will now control the first two weekends with the Haskell. They do work it well.
July 1st, 2010 at 3:58 pm
How ironic.
They rename the Lady’s Secret stakes at Oak Tree to The Zenyatta stakes….
yet on the east coast it will be Rachel who will contest the stakes race
named for the daughter of Secretariat + Great Lady M. (Icecapade).
Long live the memory of The Iron Lady and her 25 wins in 45 starts made while traveling all around the country. Racing - the way it should be.
July 1st, 2010 at 4:15 pm
If she doesn’t race in the Personal Ensign on Sunday, Aug. 29 or reprises her run in the Woodward again I’d think NYRA will be miffed that they gave her a stall all throughout the meet but she raced in Jersey.
July 1st, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I think it’s an odd choice that’s she’s not going into a graded race now that she’s rounding in to form.
July 1st, 2010 at 6:37 pm
The timing must be right for whatever else they have in mind. One race in July, one in late August or early September…then maybe one more or wait for the BC?? Wow, our time with Rachel is going to be over very soon.
July 1st, 2010 at 7:12 pm
VERY strange! Why is she apparently ducking GI fillies? I feel like they want to make sure she’s fresh as a daisy come BC time, but if she runs another group of overmatched fillies off their feet, is that REALLY going to give her what she needs? Say she wins this (obviously) and then goes back and wins the Woodward, and then wins the Ladies Classic. With only two GI races, there’s no way she’s HOTY again. Personally, I think it would be hilarious if St Trinians shipped to run against Rachel, but an ungraded stake probably isn’t worth her time at this point.
According to something else I read, Monmouth called Zenyatta’s people but they declined. Because why run her in an ungraded race that she’d have to ship for?
July 1st, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Jess shakes down Monmouth again, what a shocker. And give me a break with the press releases already.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Proper training and R and R is the reason for the selection of The Lady’s Secret Stakes.
Monmouth Park can be flexible enough to move the race back 7 days
so Rachel can shoot for a possible objective race at Saratoga later in the meet.
Rachel doesn’t need a Grade 1 win at this point. All that matters
is that she js ready for her best in whichever race she enters on Breeders Cup Day.
________
As per Thoroughbred Times:
Indeed, Monmouth General Manager Bob Kulina said that Rachel Alexandra’s connections chose the July 24 date at his track because of its place on the calendar, 15 weeks before the Breeders’ Cup World Championships November 5-6 at Churchill Downs.
“They’re very interested in keeping Rachel [Alexandra] on a five-week schedule,” Kulina said. “They worked back from the Breeders’ Cup because that’s their objective, and July 24 worked well for Steve’s pattern. The distance of 1 1/8 miles was what they wanted. We had contact with them long before this and told them we’d do whatever to make a race work with their schedule.
“We’re pretty excited that we’re able to do this.”
July 1st, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Ah the puppet masters said “JUMP!” and Monmouth said “How High?” I love Monmouth but I give them less respect for bowing to The Puppet Master.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:26 am
What an ambitious campaign by the reigning HOY. Two losses in ungraded races, a GII victory over a lackluster field followed by another ungraded race at Monmouth. What’s next? An optional claimer at Saratoga? And this is supposed to be the path to the BC Ladies Classic?
She was a truly great horse in 2009 but this is just sad.
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:04 am
Every California owner and trainer that had a filly or mare beaten by Zenyatta in the last few years should all ship their horses to Monmouth Park for this.
This is absolutely incredible.
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:34 am
Rachel was very carefully managed and placed last year. Nothing new this year. NYRA should tell Asmussen to get her a stall down at Monmouth.
Jess, your horse is outstanding, but the truly great horses for the ages don’t have to do what you are doing. Run her at Saratoga. What are you afraid of?
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:43 am
Besides the choice, what will the weight be that she is going to carry? She is just starting to carry more than the 121 she carried last year. Time for the big girl pants…129. How nice of Monmouth to up the anti. Jess knew Zenyatta would not race there especially with the lack of a graded race. Why fly in this 6 year old mare for an ugraded race? Not worth the stress she would endure. What type of competition will she meet especially with Saratoga racing? That too, I am sure is a factor.
NYRA can not compete with this type of deal. It is a slap in the face to the Saratoga crowd who expected to see her race here. Slim chance but who knows. As Lost In the Fog (one of my favorites by the way) said, optional claimer???? for the spa.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:26 am
With the reigning HOTY eyeing an ungraded stakes at Monmouth, well that may be good for the Jersey Shore, but it’s sad for thoroughbred racing. First off, is Rachel STILL not ready to take on stiffer competition? If not, then why not? Last I heard they were listening to Rachel and they were going to let her tell them what she wanted to do. Don’t you remember the words “We will let Rachel tell us what she wants to do?” Is Rachel really saying she wants to find an easy spot? “It’s the perfect place to start her championship run” Wake up Mr. Jackson, her run already started. Hmmmm.. Kind of a puzzle but also just more of the same old, tired rhetoric from her owner.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:36 am
What a difference a year makes! Last year, The Haskell on the way to an historic campaign & this year an ungraded race with an inflated purse that might as well be an appearance fee.
Apparently, the current wisdom dictates the fans simply want to see the “stars” and have no desire to see great racing. Personally, I’d prefer to see RA (or any horse annointed as “great”) lose in a challenging spot than be campaigned in such an anemic fashion.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:37 am
I am a huge Rachel fan but have to say, this decision makes no sense to me. Why would you fly her to Saratoga and then race her at Monmouth in an ungraded race? I undestand the concept of spacing our her races adequately, but this makes it look like they are still not sure she is ready for the stiffer Saratoga competition. Hopefully, we will still see her race at the SPA later in the meet.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:38 am
If all the players stay healthy and show up, HOY will be decided on Breeders Cup Day, and only Breeders Cup day. What happens before then will be irrelevant.
Monmouth has always looked for ways to get the best horses to the shore, that is why the Haskell is worth a Mil and why trainers get appearance fees to show up. They created the Monmouth Stakes for Big Brown and now its graded, like I’m sure this one will be next year. And finally, this ungraded stakes is now worth 150,000 more than that G1 @ the Spa.
And us Spa fans need to realize that NYRA is the one slapping us around. Spa has turned into just another meet. Remember when there was a Graded Stakes EVERY DAY? You could go for a week or a couple of days and see the best in the world, now you see NY breds. NYRA needs to stop throwing Spa in our face and expect us to show up.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:47 am
Not exactly a sign of confidence on the part of Mr. Jackson.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:23 am
Being an owner of a few NY breds, I take offense to comments made against them. Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby and if I remember correctly, he is a NY bred. Breeding only means(as I am sure you are aware) where the horse was dropped. Many are bred in KY but are registered NY breds or Fla. etc. because of the foaling laws. There were and still are some very nice NY breds. They are part of racing and need some respect.
NYRA is lucky to be running this summer. We need to be commenting on the way they deal with the fans and ways to bring in more revenue to NY racetracks than criticizing NY Breds.
Speaking of breeding, a real slap in the face happened in this year’s Derby, Phipps’s bred the mare but the credit, because they sold the mare in foal, was given to WinStar since the foal was dropped on their farm. They didn’t even get credit for the breeding! Big mistake whomever was in charge of that sale. This could have been their first derby winner in the history of their breeding.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:29 am
Anne:
“Besides the choice, what will the weight be that she is going to carry? She is just starting to carry more than the 121 she carried last year. Time for the big girl pants…129.”
Big girl pants. LOVE it!
Rachel wasn’t protected last year because they were going after HOTY. She hadn’t established herself yet. They challenged her and won their title. But this year, they’re acting like she’s the pursued and they’re over-protecting her. How is the HOTY not ready for a GI after three starts? In late July? I think the fact that Zenyatta’s running this year spooked them. And I’m going to change my mind about something — I think they ARE pointing her for the BC Classic. There’s no other reason for this move and JJ’s made is clear that he’s extremely passionate about awards. They don’t want to take ANYTHING out of her at all. Last year, she was done by early September. Earlier in the year, before she’d started, I think THEY thought she would be as great as she was last year. But she proved to be mortal and in the meantime, Zenyatta just zoomed past them. Heck, Rachel’s not even the leading older filly this year, much less a legitimate HOTY candidate. She may not even be the second leading older filly.
I just don’t think that anyone can complain about Zenyatta’s campaign anymore. At least she’s run in GI company, and at least she’s run in handicaps and she’s carried serious weight. Rachel ran in one handicap where she carried baby weight. So even if the Ruffian had been that one crucial week earlier (wonder if JJ tried to get NYRA to move it up and change conditions), it’s STILL a handicap and they have to know that she’d carry more than 124. Zenyatta won her 17th carrying 129. I’m sorry, but that means more.
Rachel didn’t win HOTY because of only one race but this year, that seems to be what JJ is trying to do. Maybe because Rachel just didn’t move forward like they’d hoped. I dunno. Of course, the “one race” scenario only DOESN’T count when it’s on the West Coast. This year, it DOES all seem to be coming down to the BC, as JC said.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:48 am
Comments in these reply’s solidify the fantasy aspect of this sort of discourse. The repliers can feel important, although unknowledgeable. I keep hearing about graded and un-graded as if that really determined greatness. Look at most of the Grade 1 that Zenyatta has won. Same old allowance competition guised as Grade 1 (except for recent St. Trinias). Let the owner and trainer do what is BEST for THEIR horse. Bettors are spectators — do you understand SPECTATORS. Your opinion means ABSOLUTELY nothing, as far as determining what is BEST for any particular horse. I think Jackson has learned, the hard way, not to be influenced by the unknowledgeable public, AND, sportswriters!! (Apple Blossom rush).
Rachael will prove to be the best female running when it counts. Sure Zenyatta doesn’t need to race in an ungraded stake, BUT, another Grade 1 doesn’t improve her greatness, EXCEPT, for marketing, as that IS what Zenyatta is all about. Why not fly to Monmouth, instead of having everyone fly to her, and her surface, placing them at disadvantage. Flying around — NOW THAT’S WHAT GREATNESS IS ALL ABOUT — something that Zenyatta has yet to prove. No, give me Rachael any day!!
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:26 pm
In other breaking news….Reigning Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints, are scheduling their 2010 games on Friday Nights against High School teams.
When asked about this, the team owner said he had consulted with Jess Jackson on how to plan a second championship run.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
This year Horse of the Year is based on the Breeders Cup Classic….only.
Why, because Jess Jackson says so.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Frank:
Flying is what greatness is about? Interesting point of view. And when you look at it, Zenyatta has actually covered more miles than Rachel. Somebody put those numbers up somewhere, and they didn’t even include Zenyatta’s trip to Churchill last year. So don’t fool yourself. Just because Rachel can move from track to track — from one home barn to the next, given Asmussen’s operation — doesn’t mean she’s actually traveling.
And if the Mosses actually cared about awards like JJ does (and I think it’s clear that they don’t — they’re after something bigger), then what sense would it make for them to travel to an ungraded race, to face a horse who isn’t even close to being the leader of the division? HOTY was last year. What Rachel has done this year makes her merely a pursuer. The leader of the division is so obviously Zenyatta. She has nothing to gain by facing Rachel in this race. Their goal is the BC Classic, which they’ve stated repeatedly.
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Miz Kay,
Please explain to me what traveling Zenyatta has done except to the Apple Blossom. Moving from track to track IS traveling because TO A HORSE his home his changed, track conditions have changed, wheather conditions have changed. Don’t know how old you are, BUT, look at Citation, Cigar, Lady’s Secret, Goldikova —- the TRULY greats. They DID NOT sit home and wait, they went out and LOOKED for challengers. Goldikova has faced the boys, 6 or 8 times already, and recently beat them again at Royal Ascot recently! Note: She beat them all ON THEIR PREFERRED SURFACE, adding to her greatness.
And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don’t hold you’re breath looking for Zenyatta to run in the Breeders Cup. Her campaign will center around winning EASY consecutive races then ducking the BC. The public hasn’t caught on to the marketing of Jerry Moss. That is what the retirement scheme was all about before Horse Of The Year. Remember he was in the record business — MARKETING, MARKETING. There is no way he will risk running in the BC. There will be some “legitimate” excuse. Remember she scratched at Churchill once before when it rained. She will NOT run in the BC!! Is she better than Rachael, wellllll, let her ship and let’s find out. Zenyatta HAS NOT been campaigned as a champion, therefore she IS NOT a champion any more than Pepper’s Prize. Zenyatta is the best SYNTHETIC horse, the best — and that is all she proved.
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Frank Talkalotti, you crack me up. Comparing Peppers Pride to Zenyatta says you know Notalotti.
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:32 pm
We will see when Zen races against real “class” horses on “real dirt!! Zen has mostly beaten horses racing in Ca., on Synthetic tracks— that’s why the comparrison to Pepper’s Pride (confined opposition). The Apple Blossom the only exception, beating a good field the first time, BUT, mediocre at best the second time.
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:48 pm
No, Frank Talkalotti, We have already seen, and Zenyatta could retire tomorrow and be consisdered as one of the best mares who has ever raced.
But keep on moving the goalposts for Zenyatta, as well as making excuses for other supposed champions.
July 2nd, 2010 at 3:21 pm
As I said — Marketing.
Please, Champions establish goalposts. And, no one has to make an excuse for a champion. Citation for example. Horses were not even mentioned in the same breath until Secretariat.
Question: What greats have you seen to draw a comparison as to what great actually is?
July 2nd, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but at this time last year, Zenyatta had raced only once. There is plenty of time left in the racing year. People do tend to forget what happens in late winter, spring and most of the summer months. If Rachel uses an ungraded stakes as a prep to launch a late summer/fall campaign, who cares? We don’t know who will show up to run against her so it might turn out to be a very tough spot.
Let’s wait and see how the year shakes out and hope against hope that everybody stays healthy. In just over four months, all these stars will be retired.
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Oh, okay. Frank’s a troll. Got it. Frank, I don’t know how old you are, either. I’m guessing either very young or very old. The way you do go on! I don’t know why the “Zenyatta un-retirement was about getting HOTY” meme is still going around, since she was officially un-retired several days before the HOTY ceremony. Of COURSE they were disappointed she didn’t win. It could have gone either way. Zenyatta DID get HOTY votes. But it’s JJ who’s all up in his business about awards. The Mosses just don’t care. When have they ever issues a press release about a “championship run?” Actually, when have they ever issued a press release?
Zenyatta has, at this stage, shipped more miles than Rachel. Not only that, but everytime Rachel’s vanned somewhere, she winds up at home because she’s always in Asmussen’s barn. Now, when you fellas talk about Zenyatta’s easy schedule, you either leave the BC Classic out completely, or you ridicule and marginalize every horse she beat. But BEFORE the race, you were all bleating about how she’d finish up the track to the best field ever assembled. Confusing. Why you guys are like this, I don’t know. It’s gone beyond East/West bias. Now it’s just some weird living entity that you’re lobbing around the Interwebs.
Y’know, it’s possible to be a fan of Zenyatta’s and think she’s a great horse without being terribly misinformed. Do I have to dig up all those quotes from horsemen again? Don’t MAKE me quote Angel Cordero here, Frank! And since you mentioned Citation, I’ll just mention this — one of the races in his streak was a walkover. See what happens when you get selective?
Lastly, I went to Del Mar to see Cigar. So shut up.
Body of Work:
It’s ALL about the goalposts with these people. It’s so strange. Is this Team Edward overflow or something? Why is this going on? What’s SO strange about it is that Rachel GOT HOTY last year. It’s not like Zenyatta got it and these folks all thought Rachel got ripped off. So I can’t figure it out. It’s a real shame, though, that they can’t see greatness. They’re missing out.
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Frank,
…”flying around-now that’s what greatness is all about.”
You east coast guys are all the same. You just cannot stand a California horse being mentioned among the greatest thorougbreds of all time.
You measure Zenyatta with a different set of values as you would any horse from the east.
This “flying around-now that’s what greatness is all about” was never, ever thrown at #35 Ruffian (whom made it once out of New York to New Jersey), #48 Personal Ensign, #70 Shuvee (whom never even made it out of New York), #72 Go For Wand, #80 Ta Wee, #90 Davona Dale and #91 Genuine Risk.
Those female ‘greats’ never made it west of the Mississippi River, let alone out of the state of New York.
Why would Zenyatta be judged any different.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Kay, I have that information that you are referring. I copied it. I think Jeremy Plonk did the work up on it. And…you are correct with your facts. If Frank is so bent on your info being incorrect he can go to Jeremy’s website. He does handicapping for Keeneland.
I think it is a shame that someone has to criticize a horse that has won 17 races in a row no matter what the surface. No horse has accomplished this feat on dirt, turf etc. in a very long time. Let’s just be thankful that we have witnessed such a blessing. Heaven knows when we will see another triple crown winner. Zenyatta shows her heart each time she comes onto the track. I have never witnessed a horse put on the performance she does. She looks at her fans and enjoys them all. If the right side doesn’t see her, she moves so they can….she is a character with a human performance. Maybe Moss trained her to do that being the record producer he is and all. I flew to Cal. to see her run in the BC Classic. It was worth every dime! As Kay said, no one said it was a group of second class citizens at the time of the race. In fact, she was not the favorite. She proved again what she is made of. Not many can recover as she did, come from behind in a race like that and win! Z has her issues especially for her size yet they give her weight and the Z team accepts the challenge. Not sure how many colts carried 129 last year or this year here in the US. Strap it on Frank. See how you do.
Oh, Mr. Jackson is also into marketing. Remember, he sells wine. Look what a great job he does with his Stonestreet stallion’s ads. All described in wine bottles. Clever!
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Not that this is supposed to be about Zenyatta (g), but horsemen were utterly gobsmacked after the Classic, and they’ve been equally enamored since. Also, people like her connections. I don’t think Jess is doing himself any favors with his circus. And for all the people who don’t think Zenyatta would beat Rail Trip, Ron Ellis wants to avoid her. That tells you something.
It IS kind of fun watching the walk-back by the Rachel champions, when their whole house of straw has been built upon the contention that Zenyatta has been running against cream-puff competition. It horrifies me to think that Rachel isn’t right, that there’s something either mentally or physically wrong with her. I trust that Asmussen’s keeping her safe but when you see moves like this, it’s worrying. I totally get what Zenyatta’s people are doing. They DID explain how she came back from Oaklawn, although unlike Jeff, they didn’t belabor anything or use excuses. They are putting the horse first. I hope Rachel’s getting put first, too.
John:
Awesome list. I expect every single person to completely ignore it.
July 3rd, 2010 at 12:08 am
Have you noticed how the the army of east coast turf writers who last year were (and this year continue to be) so critical of Zenyatta’s supposedly easy campaign (”she didn’t beat anybody”) have nothing to say about Rachel being entered in a non-graded stakes race? If ever there were objective proof that there has been a double standard in judging these two great horses this is it! Imagine how the turf writers would be crucifying Jerry Moss if he had done something like this!
I also find Jess Jackson’s attempts to manage the public and press perception of this move to be ludicrous. The press release states: “…will make Monmouth her next stop as she pursues another title in 2010.” Then goes on to day, “It’s the perfect place to start what we hope will be another championship run.”
Is he delusional or simply confident that the turf writers have consumed enough of the JJ Kool-Aid that they’ll play along again this year? What title or championship is he talking about? The “I lost two of my first three races to horses that nobody will remember, then won a non-graded stakes, then lost one of the next two, then showed up with a 3 for 6 record that included at best one G1 victory and got my butt kicked at the Breeders Cup championship”?
July 6th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
RACHEL was never that good to begin with.
Weak 3 year old and handicap division in 2009. Just because she beat the sorry boys 3 times last year does not make her that great.