Rachel, Zenyatta and what's good for racing

And so if not the Belmont, where will she race? That’s the question, as the poet would say.

Rachel Alexandra will have a workout Monday morning at Churchill Downs, said her trainer, Steve Asmussen.  And that could be the first step toward an answer. But at this point, two things seem clear: She has many options, and the most attractive options are all in New York.

For the remainder of the year, New York has a virtual monopoly on lollapalooza possibilities. For 3-year-old fillies, the only Grade I stakes that aren’t sprints or turf affairs are in New York: the Mother Goose on June 27 at Belmont, the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 25 at Belmont, the Alabama on Aug. 22 at Saratoga and the Gazelle on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct.

The goal and ambition for Rachel Alexandra is a campaign that leads to horse racing’s highest honor, Horse of the Year. Already she has won the country’s most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies, the Kentucky Oaks; and, of course, she already has raced successfully outside her division, beating “the boys” in the Preakness. History argues that to be considered for the golden Eclipse Award a filly should defeat males. (Azeri is the only exception.) And so Rachel Alexandra already has a good argument. No other horse is more dominant within a division. Zenyatta, yes, is equally dominant, but Rachel Alexandra has won outside her division.

Were she to remain with 3-year-old fillies for the rest of the year, Rachel Alexandra would still make a cogent argument that she deserves the sport’s top award if she wins, say, three of the major stakes in New York. She may be the most famous racehorse in the country at the moment, and wherever she runs, a festival will break out. Each race will become a celebration of her talent; each race a headline event.

Of course, she could again step outside her division and run in the Haskell on Aug. 2 at Monmouth or the Travers on Aug. 29 at Saratoga. But there seems little incentive to do that, except, or course, for the money involved. Both races offer $1 million purses.

But Jess Jackson, the majority owner of Rachel Alexandra, isn’t motivated by money. Without hesitation, he turned his back on millions of dollars by racing Curlin as a 4-year-old. But that golden Eclipse motivates Jackson, along with a desire to establish Rachel Alexandra as one of the best fillies of the last 50 years. And, of course, he’s motivated, as much as any owner in the game today, by a desire to promote the sport.

And a Rachel-Zenyatta showdown would promote the sport. It would be one of the most anticipated races of the year. One of the most anticipated races in many years. It would be Ali-Frazier, Dodgers-Yankees, Fischer-Spassky.

In 1944, on her way to becoming the first filly ever to earn honors as the Horse of the Year, Twilight Tear won 14 of 17, and seven times she won against males. The next year, on her way to earning honors as the Horse of the Year, Busher won 10 of 13, and four times the filly won against males. But they never raced against each other. In her first start of 1945, Twilight Tear bled severely and was retired. The sport no doubt anticipated a showdown, but it never happened.

This one can. And it should.

If Zenyatta is to have any chance for Horse of the Year, she has to beat either males or Rachel Alexandra. And if Rachel Alexandra is to be regarded as one of the greatest fillies the sport has seen, she has to beat Zenyatta.

The Zenyatta connections have said they have no incentive to race their champion outside of California. And Jackson has indicated he’s reluctant to race Rachel Alexandra on a synthetic surface.

But the most compelling reasons for their meeting aren’t pragmatic and have nothing to do with trophies or even posterity and history. As the ever eloquent Jay Hovdey said, the owners should make this happen for the good of the sport. Their meeting would create the one race that could excite the entire country. And, fortunate for racing, these owners – Ann and Jerry Moss with Zenyatta, Jackson with Rachel Alexandra – are among those who might actually do what’s best for racing.

And the most attractive place for a showdown could be the Beldame on Oct. 3 at Belmont. Yes, New York has a virtual monopoly on lollapalooza possibilities.
 

Comments

[chalres]

Funny, Personal Ensign never left her New York base when she went undefeated and that didn't seem to tarnish her greatness. Zenyatta is the reigning Eclipse Champion Mare. If they want her they know where she is. Zenyatta has nothing to prove. If they want to race her go get her. Personal Ensign did the same thing.

[TurfRuler]

Rachel and Zenyatta are not the only filly/mares on the planet and their winning their next race is not guaranteed especially if they face other established filly/mares that are planning on campaigning this year.

[weatherbird]

Mother Goose
Haskell
Personal Ensign
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Breeders Cup

[dave]

Zenyatta won't leave California and the polytrack. How is that good for racing?

[Glenn Craven]

I agree with your assessment that Rachel has little incentive left to beat males, and all the reason in the world to go after Zenyatta. I blogged about it myself. (Anyone who cares can read my blog on that at http://fuguefortinhorns.blogspot.com/2009/05/target-zenyatta_23.html )

But, since Zenyatta is staying home in California (per trainer John Shirreffs, see http://fuguefortinhorns.blogspot.com/2009/05/zenyattas-five-race-2009-homestand.html ), the Beldame showdown isn't likely to happen.

I think these two (soundness willing) will collide in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic, if at all. The only other possibility in my mind would be if Jess Jackson decides to go after Zenyatta early, and to prep for the Ladies Classic in the G1 Lady's Secret at Santa Anita.

But I don't see why Rachel's connections would do that, unless it's just to get a feel for the track. I think they'll try to sweep the 3-year-old filly G1s in New York and build her win streak, then take a one-off shot at Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup.