Sizing Up Rachel's Competition in the Personal Ensign

This coming Sunday, Rachel Alexandra will make her fifth start of the year in the 1-1/4 mile $300,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. Not only is this the first time Rachel will be running in Grade 1 competition this year, but it will be the first time ever that Rachel will take on the Classic distance of 1-1/4 mile. The closest she's ever come to this distance was over a year ago in the Preakness when she covered 1-3/16 mile and won by a length. The outcome of this race will be pivotal to Rachel’s career as it will reveal whether she is indeed back to form and perhaps even ready to conquer the 1-1/4 mile Breeders Cup Classic in November.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA at post position 2, as the 2-5 favorite, carrying the high weight of 122 pounds, will of course be ridden by Calvin Borel. We Rachel fans know all about her "downs and ups" this year with her initial races turning out to be narrow losses, and then wins in her next two races. Rachel fans are anxious to see how she is progressing. But how about the competition? Is there any cause for worry?

LIFE AT TEN at post position 4, at 5-2 odds, carrying 120 pounds, ridden by Johnny Velazquez, is a 5 year old out of the prolific stallion Malibu Moon.  Life At Ten has been on an outwardly impressive 6 race winning streak including the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps and the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap. However, this is not as formidable as it sounds because only 3 of those 6 races were stakes races. She has a lifetime record of 7 wins in 14 starts. Still, Life At Ten has proven herself at the classic distance of 1-1/4 mile when she won at that distance at the Delaware handicap. She is a front runner, which is similar to Rachel, however Rachel although generally being a front runner, has the ability to also stalk (Kentucky Oaks) or even come off the pace (Mother Goose).

Life At Ten

MISS SINGHSIX at post position 1, at 10-1 odds, carrying 116 pounds, ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr, is a 5 year old out of the Irish stallion Singspiel.  She won the Grade 3 Obeah and came a gamely second to Life At Ten at the Delaware Handicap. She has been in the money in her last four consecutive races and seems to be improving. She's had a lifetime record of 5 wins in 20 starts. Miss Singhsix running style is that of a closer, and that could be an advantage for her considering Rachel and Life at Ten have similar running styles and "could" sneak past the two front runners on the (unlikely) chance they tire each other out in a duel for the lead in such a long race.

Miss Singhsix

CLASSOFSIXTYTHREE at post position 5, at 20-1 odds, carrying 116 pounds, ridden by Javier Castellano, is a 4 year old out of Include. She has a lifetime of 5 wins in 21 starts, but has never won a stakes race. However, she was in the money in the past 8 consecutive races and seems to be improving. She came in 3rd in the Ruffian this year. Her running style is that of a closer.

PERSISTENTLY at post position 3, at 20-1 odds, carrying 116 pounds, ridden by Alan Garcia, is a 4 year old out of Smoke Glacken. She has a lifetime win of 3 in 13 starts, but never won a stakes race. She won an allowance race her last race going into the Personal Ensign. Persistently has the running style of a closer.

I've listed the above according to how I think they will finish. But anything can happen in horse racing so don't bet on it.

The 1 1/4 mile, $300,000, Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga is this Sunday August 29, 2010 at 5:56 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will be covered on television by TVG and HRTV.