Rachel Alexandra installed as the 4/5 ml favorite for the Haskell

DiscreetCatDiscreetCat Moderator
edited July 2009 in Horse Racing Forum
from the Louisville Courier-Journal:

Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra, seeking to beat the boys for the second time this year, drew post No. 6 for Sunday's Grade I $1.25 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

Rachel Alexandra was made the 4-5 favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds. Belmont winner Summer Bird drew the No. 2 post and is the third choice at 7-2.

The second choice at 3-1 is Munnings, who won the 7-furlong Woody Stephens race on the Belmont undercard.

The field marks the first time since 1987 that the Haskell has landed two Triple Crown race winners.

Asked if he thought Summer Bird could beat Rachel Alexandra, trainer Tim Ice said, “I think we'll give her a run for her money. I'm not making predictions. Calvin found out about that.”

In the Belmont Stakes, jockey Calvin Borel predicted that Derby winner Mine That Bird would win, only to finish third.

He will ride Rachel Alexandra on Sunday as she seeks her fourth straight Grade I victory. She won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 ¼ lengths, became the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness and captured Belmont's Mother Goose in stakes-record time.

Haskell Invitational

Post time 6:14 p.m. Sunday at Monmouth Park, Oceanport, N.J.

Purse: $1.25 million

Distance 1 1/8 miles

Television: TVG

Duke of Mischief * Coa/Fawkes * 15-1

Summer Bird * Desormeaux/Ice * 7-2

Papa Clem * Trujillo/G. Stute * 12-1

Munnings * Velazquez/Pletcher * 3-1

Atomic Rain * Bravo/bin Suroor * 10-1

Rachel Alexandra * Borel/Asmussen * 4-5

Bunker Hill * Carmouche/Ryan * 30-1

Comments

  • DanipDanip Member
    edited July 2009
    She has a good shot at winning IMO. She does not have BD or MTB pushing her through hot fractions or closing like a rocket on her this time. Yes i know that SB is a very good closer, but i think MTB is better, and for speed horses i think BD is better than Munnings if you want to send a quality speed horse to press the pace. Also i think 1 1/8 is too short for SB, and maybe too long for Munnings. RA should win, but we'll see how the race unfolds. I hope she goes and shows those boys whose boss.
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