NEWS
Connections plot future for Rachel Alexandra
Posted: Monday, August 30, 2010 3:08 PM
RACHEL ALEXANDRA
Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
by Phil Janack
With a large and widespread national operation, trainer Steve Asmussen is used to losing a lot more than he wins—and he wins a lot. Some losses, however, are more personal.
Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra came up short in the $300,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course, reeled in late by longshot Persistently, in her first attempt at 1 ¼ miles (video).
Monday morning at his barn on the Oklahoma Training Track backstretch across Union Avenue from Saratoga’s main track, the sting remained evident.
“The outpouring of support that the filly gets, you feel that,” Asmussen said. “You don’t like to lose, but it hurts worse. It does, I imagine for a multitude of reasons.
“You’re not wanting to lose. You’re not planning on losing. At the same time, you remember how she made you feel when she won, and how much she’s done for you.”
For the third time in five starts this season, the four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly finished second. She opened the year with a pair of runner-up finishes before winning her next two leading into the Personal Ensign, in which she was the 2-to-5 favorite in a field of five that included Grade 1 winner Life At Ten, a winner of six consecutive starts for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Life At Ten pressed Rachel Alexandra through the first six furlongs of the race, which may have made the difference in her first start at the classic distance.
“She was blowing extremely hard when she came back, but I thought her recovery time was acceptable,” Asmussen said. “She laid down a lot, which she does. Her routine [Monday] morning has been very normal. She walked well, her appetite was good. Nothing is completely out of line or unexpected.”
Asmussen spoke with Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables, who co-owns the filly with Harold McCormick, about what is next for Rachel Alexandra.
“We’re just going to see how she comes out of the race,” Asmussen said. “We’ll definitely wait until she goes back to the track, and then we will speak again. She’ll probably go back to the track on Wednesday morning. We’ll wait to take her back to the track and then discuss where she is. We’re very disappointed with yesterday’s results.”
Trained by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who conditioned Personal Ensign to 13 wins in as many starts from 1986 through '88, Persistently entered off a 1 1/8-mile allowance victory on July 30. Her last Grade 1 start came in the 2008 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), in which she finished fifth.
“With all due respect to Rachel, we went in there thinking that we were going to have to see what happened,” McGaughey said. “I did feel like we probably could get a mile and a quarter. Not that I went into it with a lot of confidence that we were going to win, because you can’t do that against a horse like that, but I also didn’t think that we would embarrass ourselves.”
McGaughey mentioned the $350,000 Beldame Stakes (G1) on October 2 at Belmont Park as a logical spot coming out of the Personal Ensign. Asmussen, on the other hand, will wait and see with Rachel Alexandra.
“Right now, we’re dealing with her running second in the Personal Ensign, the day afterward,” Asmussen said. “Her physical condition and how she goes back to the track is the focus exactly right now. The schedule that is out there has been out there. I’m sure that is not the issue at all; it’s just how she’s doing. We’ll have discussions with Mr. Jackson and go from there.”
Phil Janack is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Kristl, Red Creek, NY on September 15, 2010 at 10:33 AM
I watched a replay of the race, and was distressed to see Rachel under constant whipping in the stretch. Rachel doesn't need to be whipped down the stretch. If she wasn't winning, it is because she COULDN'T and beating her down the stretch was completely unnecessary. I am not opposed to a tap or two to get their attention, or straighten them out, but heavy handed whipping down the stretch isn't great for racing's image. Rachel is a wonderful filly and doesn't deserve that treatment (no horse does, in my opinion). Shame!
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Posted by: David, Lexington, KY on September 08, 2010 at 12:46 PM
I was at Saratoga for the Personal Ensign to see
Rachel Alexandra perform live for the first time. I have watched all her races on TV this year as I did last year. Having been a horse racing fan for more than 60 years, I have seen several horses have that one incredible year and then go down hill from there. Rachel is now in that category. She should be retired. She should go out now while the memories of her brilliant 2009 campaign are still so strong and clear and untarnished by what will certainly follow should her connections continue to try to resurrect that which can never be resurrected.. Rachel Alexandra is one of the best three year old fillies to ever grace American racetracks. She has given her best and she inspired all of us who love our sport to believe that there is nothing to compare with watching a beautiful thoroughbred perform when it is at the pinnacle of its abilities. Let us all salute the beautiful and gallant Rachel Alexandra for all that she has done and now bid her a loving farewell as she moves on to a new career as a top broodmare. There is nothing left for her to prove on the track.
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Posted by: Connie, Belgrade, MT on September 02, 2010 at 09:30 PM
Hy Whats, be carefull when mentioning Masn O'War! I happen to own a quarter mare whose 5th grandsire was Big Red. Her 4th grandsire was Ironsides. I had her bred to a qtr horse with nothing but TB blood in Three Bars, Oh yeah, the mare was a grand daughter of Three Bars. You can't even find TB as closely related to Red as my horse is. He even looks like him, big red and a shield on his forehead. Man O'War and Zen are my two all time favorites.
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Posted by: Kevin, Staten Island, NY on September 02, 2010 at 04:26 PM
Good points about the BC from Bob from Richmond. RA might become the best..er..most hyped horse never to win...errr..step foot in the starting gate at the Breeders Cup
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Posted by: whatsinarkansasanyway?, anywherebutArkansas, CA on September 02, 2010 at 04:15 PM
OK Afleet, youve broughten up Ruffian, Goldikova, Rachael Alexandra in all types of posts. Whose next? Personal Ensign, Miesque, heck maybe even some boys Man o War or Secretariat and Phar lap. Lets keep things recent. Not our fault zenyatta has been in the winners circle more times than youve been at the window cashing tickets in your lifetime. If Rachel and and zen ever get together in the BC make sure RA gets a good long look of Zenyattas face in the paddock cause she only will be seeing her ass in the stretch. And its a huge ass at that.
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