If Mr. Jackson switches trainers or the jock, I will be furious.

Just say no to drugs, Steve.

Ditto what Joe said – and here’s hoping Jess follows fan sentiment on this one.

Let G Rarick train her!

The thought that she is leaving Wiggins and going to Assmussen is absolutely disgusting. Curlin was a maiden winner when he was sold to be pointed to Derby preps and moved to Assmussen. This is a made horse and the reward is for the nicest guy in racing to lose her??

Jess Jackson didn’t even say he would leave Borel on her when he was interviewed by phone this evening on TVG. Just made it clear he was calling the shots now. He did not sound like he was anxious to run her against colts either but yeah, right.

Most of all, he wanted us to all know that she will be bred to Curlin. And I am betting that is next year.

I also am wondering if Wiggins will get to keep her. Sure hope so.

And I can only hope that Jackson shows the same restraint that the filly’s former owners did, which I’m thinking he probably will based on they way he campaigned Curlin.

I’m just glad IEAH didn’t buy her.

I guess nobody thought of speed, stregnth, and durability in a race horse till Jess Jackson came around.

What is the deal with Asmussen. Why exactly is he so tight with Jackson. Or rather, Jackson’s advisors.

This story is completely tarnished now.

Karma is going to catch up with this crew.

If Jackson removes her from Wiggins’ care, then that is all kinds of wrong. Please, Mr. Jackson, do the right thing and leave her with her trainer and her jockey. Furthermore, would you let him call the shots?

[...] Wednesday evening, news broke that Jess Jackson and partners had bought Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra, with a plan to race, then breed the filly to Curlin at the [...]

Damn!

I think this is great. Her old owner probably got quite a windfall AND really got to enjoy this filly for a time. I loved the way Jackson campaigned Curlin – conservative enough but not afraid of challenging him and showing his talent.

Are people forgetting that Jackson is the only owner in recent times to actually consider public opinion in making decisions with Curlin? He owns the horse…he had no need to do that other than respect and appreciation for the sport and its fans. This man has stood for reform for in the way of transparency in sales, drug free racing, uniform rules, and he emphasizes durability and longevity in his breeding program. Really, wtf is everyone’s problem??

And yes, so excited she will now get a shot against the boys.

I do hope he keeps Borel and Higgins.

So can one assume that the lawsuit between Jerry Brown @ Thoro-Graph and Michael Lauffer had to be settled before this deal took place?

That suit contended Lauffer bought half of her from Dolphus Morrison based upon the analysis and advice of Brown.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2009/April/28/Consultant-files-suit-over-Rachel-Alexandra-deal.aspx

For the record IEAH did look at buying a part of her about the same time Lauffer did. They passed on the deal based upon the vetting results with a small ankle chip – since fixed.

Erin, you ask wtf is everyone’s problem. My problem is that a really nice guy, who’s done nothing wrong, just got a terrific, once-in-a-lifetime filly moved from his barn for absolutely no reason.
Can Jess Jackson, as the owner, do what he wants? Of course. But, that doesn’t make it right.
Rachel was doing fabulous with Hal Wiggins. Why did she have to be moved?
Jess Jackson touts integrity. I think the right thing to do in this situation was leave her with the trainer whose obviously done a terrific job of developing her.
I really dislike this move.

First, no announcement has been made by Jackson about the trainer so let’s not put the cart before the horse. However, it’s really likely she will go to Asmussen, and no, it’s not what I would have wanted. But she’s not. my. filly…

“Can Jess Jackson, as the owner, do what he wants? Of course. But, that doesn’t make it right.”

Why is it “not right” that someone pays 50% of $3-4 million for a racehorse and then wants to make his own choice (oh the audacity!) about who trains and rides her? I think that right comes with a horse’s price tag. Rachel Alexandra is not a public commodity.

“LOL @ them challenging Curlin. They sent the horse to Dubai to get appearance fees and to beat up on inferior competition. They abandoned the Arc charade after running second in his first start on turf! Lets also be clear about another thing, Ole Jess wasnt being “sporty” keeping Curlin racing as a 4yo, they couldn’t retire him at 3 because of the ownership scandal.”

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t…so Jackson does take the challenge, and you criticize. He doesn’t take the (Arc) challenge, (and no, it’s not because they want to do what’s best for the horse) and you criticize him for that. This guy can’t win for trying.

And point me to where the courts dictated that Curlin race as a four year old because of the Midnight Cry fiasco.

And such is horse racing.

I’ll continue to enjoy this great filly and wish her nothing but success.

In my humble opinion, there’s a lot worse things in racing to be upset about.

NY Times Drape has her price as 3-4 million. If that is true, then Jackson is the best bargain hunter in the world. But it’s not true.

Barbara, I noted in all my posts above that it was basically a foregone conclusion that’d she’d go to Asmussen. So I guess what I said would happen happened but my personally not reading about it til a few hours later is…really…funny?

Drape’s low quote of $3 – $4 million is ‘most likely’ the price that each Stonestreet paid AND Harold T. McCormick too; most other published but speculative reports are pegging the value between $8 – $10 million total.

Then again Jess (via consultant Ric Waldman) tried to convince the court in Nov 2008 that Curlin was only worth $20 millon and that his bid of $4M for Midnight Cry’s 20% stake was competitive.

From the Oaklawn Park website, here is a quote from Hal Wiggins:

“You must be patient in training horses,” he said. “I am from the ‘old school’ of horsemanship. Even a horse with only a small ailment, you should stop on the animal immediately. Believe me,this pays off in the long run.”

I feel so sorry for Mr. Wiggins and for Rachel. It is such a big change in the middle of her racing campaign. I hope that JJ and A$$mussen were considerate enough to let her groom stay with her for at least a few weeks. I always feel sorry when thriving horses leave a great barn, but it is nothing like what poor claiming horses go through, especially the fallen graded stakes winners. They have lost any sense of belonging somewhere with somebody many barns ago.

Noelle, that is excellent news about Manny! Karma is a biatch – and she found his new address in La La Land. Yes, this sport and it’s “suspensions” are a complete joke.

On former owners of RA – oh yeah, they suck, too. It’s not like she wouldn’t maintain significant residual value. But on the other hand, it’s their lottery ticket to cash. And no more expenses like insurance. I have wondered if the low ball price rumor was meant to help them gyp Wiggins;) Oh, yes, I can be mean. So lets get that out of the way.

I don’t think Jackson is a scuzz bag. However, what Wiggins did seems to be the best for RA to the point of events as of 5:15 this a.m. Sorry that Jackson felt the need (once again, somewhat like Curlin) to change the most influential people in RA’s life. As to Asmussen, well that would be another entirely different thread, don’t you think?

Never dis the horse. If you want to dis the connections, fine. But never the horse.

I think RA sold for alot more than 3-4 mil. However, unless they got some type of fertility med check…I wouldn’t start running to the bank with black type winners foaled. I’m sorry to hear they are probably going to run her in the Preakness. Seems the former connections found the perfect mix and philosophy. Just say some prayers for the horse and the staff that are saying….what happened? Money happened RA, groom and Wiggins…MONEY!

Eilise, those great race mares and their produce records are exactly what I thought of when he announced his sorta hokey sounding “super horse” theory.

Tesio had a theory that these great race mares left their “nervous energy” on the track and that nervous energy was “the source for willpower and determination in superior horses.”

http://books.google.com/books?id=3RXyUI8wpbYC&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=tesio+superior+mares&source=bl&ots=w1ZMfq9zx2&sig=Ej4iGTmOGnCxXADOc3pyylak1rg&hl=en&ei=JxwDSqr1O47SlAft9rDcBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1

Who knows, but there does seem to be something to the fact that so many great race mares don’t pass on their winning ways.

I lost a lot of the good feelings I had about racing from the weekend. I’m so stunned and disappointed that lovely filly is going to a cheater like Asmussen. I hope at least Wiggins got a big payoff.

I want to cry. I want to quit. Freaking DRUGS and the people that use them.

Asmussen is over ever since racetracks tightened up their doping rules. He didn’t even get a Derby starter this year. But now Asmussen gets the glory for a horse that somebody else trained. It’s just sad.

And I’m another that doesn’t want to see Rachel in the Preakness. It just smells too much like Jackson-Asmussen are trying get their ugly mugs in front of the camera.

And I’m not dissing the horse but I don’t see her as a lock to win against Grade 1 colts by any stretch. She only dusted glorified allowance horses in the Oaks. They should put her up against a filly like Zenyatta before running her against the colts.

Wow.

This really bothers me, too, but some of you guys need to take a deep breath and step away from the ledge.

Wow. I learn so much here. “Trainers lose horses to other trainers everyday.” Really? Guess what, Rachel is not an everyday horse. And, for fun, since it apparently happens every day, name the last KY Oaks winner to change barns.

SB was sold at auction by a guy who was dispersing all of his horses. Last time I checked she was in a stall on May 1, not in the KY Oaks field, much less a winner. So exactly how well did that barn switch go for her?

I don’t think moving horses is rare, I think moving horses as rare as Rachel from a nice guy like Wiggins who developed her and her success…to a guy with a violation record longer than my arm is not good for the horse, the fans, or the sport.

Let me be very truthful, while my main concern is for Wiggins and I do think she should have been left with him – if she was going to Baffert, Mott, Tagg, or many others, I’d have no comment.

If Rachel Alexandra’s former owner, Dolphus Morrison, had his druthers, her next start won’t be against the boys.

“Colts should run against colts, and fillies should run against fillies,” Morrison told The Post. “There are a couple of reasons for that. I just think the classics are realistically a showcase for our stallions, and 3-year-old fillies don’t have the internal structure and strength [to compete against males].

“I think the stress of a couple of those races leaves them vulnerable to getting ruined. There are a lot of examples. It’s just not smart.”

Everyone still unhappy this guy isn’t still racing her?

What a shame this Hugh Hefner lookalike, egomaniac can step into our sport and BUY anyone he wants. Now to run her in the Preakness. Switching her to Assmussen. What a greedy self centered individual. Go back to suing everyone and stomping your grapes. Get out of our business. Prove you can breed, raise and train a quality horse and you will gain respect. Just another Paragallo.

Ray is right about the emotion. She really does seem to belong to everyone in a way. Which only a superstar horse can do.

I have already taken my shots over the move out of Wiggins barn. At least they left Calvin on. I don’t think she should go back in 2 weeks against competition that is so stiff compared to what she has seen. The sheets guys don’t like it as the Oaks was a huge number I guess. Moss wrote a great piece about it today on espn.com. But I am excited and hope she does well and comes home safe. And wins. One thing Jackson must have thought of when choosing a rider for his investment. Is who will know her best, and take care of her if it is not her day? Borel.

Here’s a quotes from Randy Moss regarding Rachel Alexandra’s “burning desire to run”: “her exercise rider struggled to keep her from breaking into a full-speed run and had to wrestle with her to finally bring her to a stop.”

Here’s a quote from Larry Jones regarding Eight Belles burning desire to run: “You have to pull on her in the morning to get her to stop. With Hard Spun, you’d tell him to stop and he’d say, ‘OK.”

I’ve never been one who thinks fillies shouldn’t run against colts, but if you read articles about Eight Belles from before the Derby and articles about Rachel now, the descriptions of the fillies are disturbingly similar.

I really wish Rachel’s owners would rethink their decision to run her in the Preakness and give her more time to recoup from the Oaks, then run her against the boys later. Failing that, I hope she can’t get in because of a 14 horse field.

I cannot believe the disgusting plan of collusion to keep the filly out of the Preakness.

1. I don’t think the filly should run for her own sake but by god, I support them running her and the fans that want to see her.
2. Jess is an a$$ to take her from Wiggins and the former owners are just a$$es all the way around for the way they did the deal so fast and yanked the rug out from underneath Wiggins.
3. The Zayat/Allen/Mary Lou conspiracy is just beyond stomach turning behavior with no regard for the sport or the fans and wrapped in sanctimonious bullshit about how Jackson stole Calvin from the Derby winner – NO, Mark “I Bribe YOU” Allen and Ahmed “Gutless Wonder “Zayat – Calvin ASKED to ride the filly – and then Zayat outrageously suggested he was saving the sport from an Eight Belles situation?? Obviously he thinks she would break down AFTER kicking the crap out of all those big strong male horses, doesn’t he?

Just so disappointing to see the fear of the filly and the antipathy for her new owner spill over to screw the fans.

Laughing Larry…

From Stonestreet Stables Press Release/Caroline Shaw Public Relations [...]…