Rachel Alexandra to pass on the Travers; will face older males in the Woodward

DiscreetCatDiscreetCat Moderator
edited August 2009 in Horse Racing Forum
from Bloodhorse:

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Aug. 24 that top 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra will run in the Sept. 5 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) and that stablemate Kensei would contest the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers Stakes (gr. I).

Asmussen, accompanied by Barbara Banke, announced the plans following workouts by both horses at Saratoga Racecourse. Banke is the wife of Jess Jackson, whose Stonestreet Stable races Rachel Alexandra in partnership with Harold McCormick.

Working over the main track, Rachel Alexandra went six furlongs in 1:12, according to Asmussen, and Kensei was timed in :50 for a half-mile clip.

"I think she deserves a chance to run in the Woodward," Asmussen said of the decision to run the filly against older males. He noted that although Rachel Alexandra has defeated 3-year-old males twice, she would obviously not be voted 3-year-old champion in that division because of her gender.

Asmussen said Kensei is "doing extremely well" and that if he won the Travers, it "would be his career."

Kensei notched his second consecutive grade II victory when he won the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga.

Comments

  • KP-HR2k9KP-HR2k9 Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    wow i see we reading RA news at the same time different source :thumbup:
  • DiscreetCatDiscreetCat Moderator
    edited August 2009
    I know.....kinda spooky, LOL.
  • rayphilrayphil Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    not that excited...rather her run against qr then her stablemate..her race is going to have a big field of 5 or 6...
  • DanipDanip Member
    edited August 2009
    She faces weak fillies, she faces weak colts, now older horses aren't enough either, some can never be pleased. She will be, if she wins, the only filly to ever win. You know back in the older days people would be falling all over themselves to see if she won, today it's, oh it's not that big of a deal. You know why not just step back and take a look at what she has done and admire it, then look at what she may do next and enjoy it, not find faults with the great things she's accomplished.
  • FlyinLateFlyinLate Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    So who all is now gearing toward the Travers?
    MTB, QR, Kensei...who else?
  • DanipDanip Member
    edited August 2009
    Flyin,
    Others gear towards the travers are Charitable Man, Hold Me Back, Summer Bird, Warriors Reward and Our Edge.
  • FlyinLateFlyinLate Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    Danip wrote: »
    Flyin,
    Others gear towards the travers are Charitable Man, Hold Me Back, Summer Bird, Warriors Reward and Our Edge.

    Only one I'm not familiar with is Our Edge.
    Any info on him?
  • DanipDanip Member
    edited August 2009
    Flyin
    Ive heard the name before, but the only thing i know is that Zito trains him, i can see if i can find some more info on him.
  • DanipDanip Member
    edited August 2009
    Flyin,
    Our edge won last months Barbaro stakes by seven length, and has won three of five starts so far. So he is lightly raced but looks to be getting pretty decent. I wouldn't count him out, just because Zito is a master at pulling upsets.
  • DiscreetCatDiscreetCat Moderator
    edited August 2009
    It would be kinda cool to see Rachel face Quality Road in the Travers, but even then, it's a very tall order for Quality Road to stretch from 6 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. I'll likely be on Kensei, but we'll see.

    PS - I think the fact that Asmussen/Jackson already have such a strong Travers contender in Kensei (along with the older East Coast horses being far from dominant (aside from Gio Ponti, who won't run), definitely had an influence in their decision. I also think Einstein was announced for the Pacific Classic before the Rachel news came out.
  • FlyinLateFlyinLate Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    DiscreetCat wrote: »
    It would be kinda cool to see Rachel face Quality Road in the Travers, but even then, it's a very tall order for Quality Road to stretch from 6 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. I'll likely be on Kensei, but we'll see.

    PS - I think the fact that Asmussen/Jackson already have such a strong Travers contender in Kensei (along with the older East Coast horses being far from dominant (aside from Gio Ponti, who won't run), definitely had an influence in their decision. I also think Einstein was announced for the Pacific Classic before the Rachel news came out.

    I've been a strong supporter of Kensei since he won in May (I think it was the Derby Trial). Been following him pretty strongly since and he's done nothing but impress. It also says alot for me that they left RA out, meaning they feel Kensei has a VERY strong chance of winning that Rachel could tarnish.

    Speaking of Einstein, DC do you know what happened to him in the AP Mil? I was there live. He didn't look to good in the paddock but I def did not expect such a poor run out of him. Did Pitts say anything after the race?
  • DiscreetCatDiscreetCat Moderator
    edited August 2009
    Einstein's flop in the Million remains something of a mystery. Highly doubtful he'd be wheeling back in the Pacific Classic if there was any kind of injury concern. Could be that he didn't like the soft ground; a lot of horses don't.
  • FlyinLateFlyinLate Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    DiscreetCat wrote: »
    Einstein's flop in the Million remains something of a mystery. Highly doubtful he'd be wheeling back in the Pacific Classic if there was any kind of injury concern. Could be that he didn't like the soft ground; a lot of horses don't.

    Soft ground would have been my initial concern but he did run well (and win) Derby weekend on Churchill's wet turf. Maybe the turf courses are just quite different.

    I guess we'll see how he fires in the Pacific Classic
  • DanipDanip Member
    edited August 2009
    So, i know it's early, but who does everyone like for the Travers. I like Our Edge, with Zito as an upset master for a trainer, plus his score in the Barbaro looked very impressive. Then i will have SB, and QR. It's too soon for QR i think. I would never ever run my horse in a field like this going the farthest he's ever gone off of one race in five months.
  • DiscreetCatDiscreetCat Moderator
    edited August 2009
    Just a quick note on Our Edge, i was going over some workouts earlier and noticed that Our Edge worked the fastest five furlongs (on the training track) by over a full second last week. Only a dozen worker or so, but just wanted to pass that along.
  • DanipDanip Member
    edited August 2009
    Well, i'm going to take that as a good sign. My more sensible option is SB, and i can see him sitting right behind, Our Edge, QR, and CM, getting a nice stalking trip, then blowing on by.
  • rayphilrayphil Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    i watched the our edge race last out and he got the dream setup with garcia at delaware but he didnt run against much...think its going to be the logical QR...he just looks like he put on some weight with the break he had...and he is very fresh and should sit the trip...1-1 post time...the borel horse could round the exact...
  • FlyinLateFlyinLate Senior Member
    edited August 2009
    I'll be supporting Kensei here.
    Quality Road, IMO, is a bad bet.
    #1-Layoff and stretch out
    #2-Will likely be a short price

    Yes, he may be fresh, but I think he'll need a race to be 100%.
    He's a big bet against for me. Does that mean I think he has no chance? No, not at all. I just dont think the price will match the risks.
  • MonarchosMonarchos Junior Member
    edited August 2009
    FlyinLate wrote: »
    So who all is now gearing toward the Travers?
    MTB, QR, Kensei...who else?

    No one exciting, I can tell you that! Quality Road is going to have an easy time if everything goes his way :).

    -Sparky
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