Monday, August 24, 2009

Rachel In the Woodward

Well after a spectacular work by the fabulous filly, Rachel Alexandra, Monday morning, Jess Jackson revealed to the world that his history making filly will be out to make even more history, as she will be entered in the Woodward Stakes. For all who may not follow racing regularly, the Woodward is a race for 3yr old and up, meaning this will be Rachel's first try against older males, and if her work was any indication on how she will perform, then it looks like she'll send these colt's, like she did her 3yr old peers, home crying.
Rachel again performed like a dream in the morning, her trainer put it as seeing other horse work and thinking that they went well, then you watch Rachel, and she just does everything better. Rachel worked a quick six furlongs with fractions of 12.24, 24.39, 36.23, 47.86, 59.6, and the final time was 1.11.84. This filly just starts up and just keeps on galloping. She consistently ran internal times within the low 12's or high 11's per furlong, clicking off the fractions methodically. If she runs like this on Woodward day, there is no east coast older horse that can dare breath the same air that she does.
There are many reasons why this race is a major stepping stone for Rachel Alexandra and her legacy, one being it is her first try against older males, after already winning against 3yr old colts and fillies in Grade one races. Another is that she will stretch her winning streak to nine in a row, including five consecutive Grade one races, the last four being the KY Oaks, the Preakness, the Mother Goose, and the Haskell Invitational. Two of the last three were against males, and some of the best 3yr old male in the division. These reasons are all great, but there is one more that stands above all others, and that is that no other filly, of any age, has ever won the Woodward.
Rachel has already had one of the best season's by any filly, and many people would consider hers a good one for any colt. This year Rachel has gone against history many times, and overcome it. First it was the Preakness, where no filly had won the race for 85 years. In that same race she also won from a post position that no horse in the history of the race had ever won from, and that includes both males and females. The in her most recent start she became only the second filly to ever win the Haskell Invitational. She has broken time and margin records alike, setting two stakes records this year alone, and winning the Mother Goose by a record 19 lengths.
By saying all of this, i am not saying Rachel will win, nobody can know that for sure, not until they cross the finish line, but Rachel is no stranger to setting new standards and breaking the mold. He owner is also a sportsman, who enjoys challenges, and doing things differently. He did so by bring back his star three year old, to race as a four year old last year, you may have heard of him, Curlin? Jackson has also proven this year that he'll take on all comers, by racing Rachel outside of her division, and now stepping up with her again. This could be a filly for the ages, so lets just sit back and watch her run!

2 comments:

  1. History shall be made...Go Rachel!!! and thanks for the well written story LDP!

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  2. Thank you very much Brian. Lets hope this filly does make some history next week. That would be the perfect cherry on top to your trip.

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