Rachel works this morning; still no decision made
DiscreetCat
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from Bloodhorse:
Preakness Stakes winner Rachel Alexandra worked a half-mile in :50 1/5 over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs early May 25. Co-owner Jess Jackson explained that the filly is doing well but that no decision has been made over whether she will contest the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was also expected to work at Churchill later in the morning.
Preakness Stakes winner Rachel Alexandra worked a half-mile in :50 1/5 over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs early May 25. Co-owner Jess Jackson explained that the filly is doing well but that no decision has been made over whether she will contest the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was also expected to work at Churchill later in the morning.
Comments
I don't expect him to hit the board unless he jumps the fence and runs into it.
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BIRDSTONE
Its too bad these birds arent trained by Zito, ida put a grand on em to win. As normal theres a good chance the zito horses will be at the top of my ticket or if not at least im all the gimmicks
No decision was made Monday on either Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra's status for the June 6 Belmont Stakes nor for who will ride Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the Triple Crown finale in New York.
Rachel Alexandra worked an easy half-mile in 50 1/5 seconds in early dawn over a sloppy Churchill Downs track, with a rain shower materializing half-way through the move. About two hours later after the mid-morning renovation break, Mine That Bird got a "leg-stretcher," going the same distance in 51 seconds under jockey Calvin Borel.
But neither camp was any closer to a commitment afterward. Owner Jess Jackson, who purchased Rachel Alexandra and turned her over to trainer Steve Asmussen six days after she won the Kentucky Oaks, said there is no timetable on deciding whether to run in the Belmont, wait for the June 27 Mother Goose against fillies or compete in neither.
That left Borel, who gave up Mine That Bird for Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, in a lurch, a situation that eased at least temporarily when trainer Chip Woolley said he and co-owner Mark Allen would wait possibly as late as early next week before finalizing a jockey for the Derby winner.
Woolley had said he wanted a commitment by Monday or he would name another rider. Mike Smith, who rode Mine That Bird to a rallying second in the Preakness, has another commitment in California on June 6, Belmont Day.
"Out of respect for Calvin, we're going to give them a little bit more time to make their decision what they're going to do," Woolley said. "We would like to have some closure on it, for sure. Anybody would. But that's the nature of the business when you've got two really good horses vying for the same rider.
"Nobody really likes being in a situation like this, but it happens. Especially when you have filly like her and a colt like mine that are both on the top of their game, and you got the same rider on both. It's a tough choice on the rider, and tough on us as trainers."
Woolley said he wanted to give Borel every opportunity to complete his personal Triple Crown.
"I mean, he win me a Derby, so he deserves the time it takes for him to make the conscious, right decision," he said. "And nobody knows, really, if that filly is going to be running in the Belmont. So it could workout where it's not even a decision for him. I think a little bit of time is not too much to ask."
Jerry Hissam, Borel's agent, said neither he nor the jockey had any comment on the situation.
Borel, who had shown up earlier at Asmussen's barn wearing a Rachel Alexandra ballcap, looked decidedly glum when he arrived at Woolley's barn. But he was his usual smiling self after Mine That Bird worked to Woolley's specifications.
"He worked good, like his old self," Borel said. "That's all he needed. Keep him happy and we'll be all right."
Woolley called the work "super." "Calvin said he was really bouncing; I'm tickled where we're at right now," he said.
Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, were on hand for Rachel's work.
"She's progressing. We still can't make any decisions, but she's recovering nicely," Jackson told reporters, referring to the Preakness. "For the time that has lapsed, only nine days, she's right on course for being in top shape. But we can't make that decision until we now.
"It's up to her. She'll tell us when she's ready. And it might not be as soon you would want. We can't take a chance and make a declaration, but we're still considering the Belmont. We have to monitor her make sure we preserve her, because she's so special."
No filly has won two legs of the Triple Crown.
"There is a component of her legacy," Jackson said. "But that's not the principle concern. The principle concern is the horse herself. It's not about winning, about the money. It's about keeping her sound and letting the public enjoy her. It's not necessary for her to go in the Belmont. When she's exercised and run constantly through the year, then we have to be more conservative and cautious about her. She's so special, you think of her as a great champion. At the same time, you don't want to push her past her limits. That's the concern we have with the Belmont."
When it was suggested that it sounded like he was leaning against the Belmont, Jackson said, "I'm not going to put a probability on it."
While Asmussen defers to Jackson for the ultimate decisions, he acknowledged that one concern could be Belmont's cavernous track, which often gets dry and loose. Borel said even in victory, Rachel struggled over a Pimlico track in similar condition.
"When you're talking about Rachel, everything is a concern," Asmussen said. "We want her to stay at this level and be the champion we feel she is."
Jackson said Robby Albarado "probably" would ride Rachel Alexandra if Borel opted for Mine That Bird. Albarado rode two-time Horse of the Year Curlin for Jackson and Asmussen.
Jackson was noncommittal when asked if Borel would keep the mount for future races if he opted for Mine That Bird before a decision was made and then Rachel Alexandra did not run in the Belmont.
"I told him he could have her for the year if he stays with her," Jackson said. "So we'd have to look at that opportunity as well. Calvin is in business. I think he'd be pleased to ride either one financially. I think his heart is with the filly, though, but I'm not sure."
Jackson said he'd love for Rachel to meet unbeaten older filly champion Zenyatta at some point. But he said it won't be in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic, which Zenyatta won last year over Santa Anita's synthetic Pro-Ride surface. The Breeders' Cup will be at Santa Anita again this fall.
Curlin finished fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic, with Jackson and Asmussen expressing reservations about the surface beforehand.
"If she runs at all on the plastic, it will be because she's so damn good that she can beat the boys in the Classic, not the Ladies' Classic," Jackson said. "(But) I don't want to race on plastic at all. I shouldn't have run Curlin, and I'm not going to run her - unless she has no other frontier to conquer."
My take on it (with no inside information, just gut feelings): If Woolley had made Borel commit today, Borel would have opted to wait on the filly, and if he sat out the Belmont, then so be it.
And Woolley, besides being a good guy who does think of the bigger picture and what's good for the sport, thinks it's unlikely that Rachel will run, which makes it easier to wait on Borel.
Today's big winner: ABC. Imagine if they had to broadcast the Belmont without either the filly or Borel going for his own Triple Crown sweep.
I'm inclined to agree.