Rachel has had a rough year, but we Rachel fans still love her and are highly anticipating her next start. Where will Rachel race next? Looking at the Race Schedule for the next month or two, the following are some possible choices (in order of the highest to lowest possibilities):
1- 10/2/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/8 $350,000 Beldame (open to fillies and mares 3 year old & up) at Belmont Race Course - the distance is good for Breeders Cup prep, the timing is perfect for JJ's current schedule pattern. It is all female, so the competition may not be as fierce as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, considering her recent loss in the Personal Ensign, this seems the logical choice. Many other articles are already pegging her to run here, so this is the MOST LIKELY.
2- 10/2/2010 (Grade 2) 1-1/4 mile $250,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (open to 3 year olds & up) at Hawthorne Race Course - the distance may be good for Breeders Cup prep, the timing is perfect for JJ's current schedule pattern. It's a grade 2 so the competition may not be as fierce as the Jockey Club Gold Cup. However, since it is with males, it might be more of a challenge and I am not sure Rachel's connections would be willing to risk it. Given her upsets this year this race is LESS LIKELY.
3- 10/2/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/4 mile $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (open to 3 year olds & up) at Belmont - the distance may be good for Breeders Cup prep, the timing is perfect for JJ's current schedule pattern. I doubt JJ would really enter her here. The competition is much scarier than the aforementioned two races as this is often used by top horses as a prep for the BCC. Given Rachel’s success record this year, this race is UNLIKELY.
4- 10/9/2010 (Grade 2) 1-1/8 mile $300,000 Monmouth Cup (open to 3 year olds & up) at Monmouth Park - this is barely a choice because the timing may be a little too close to the BCC for JJ's current schedule pattern, it's a grade 2. Unless he plans to not run Rachel in the Breeders Cup at all, or burn her out for the Breeders Cup races, this race is VERY UNLIKELY.
5- A "Custom-Made-For-Rachel-Race" (with a bumped up large purse moved into whatever date JJ wants) conjured by some opportunistic track president/official who wants to attract Rachel and her fans to boost slumping track attendance. JUST KIDDING (... or not)
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I hope they change something before anything... jockey, trainer, hardware, work with company, something! And for crying out loud fix that tongue. Her races have been kinda lackluster, along with her workouts, IMO. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I like Calvin, but he is heavy handed. It seems clear to me, she doesn't like that, and almost slows down when he starts working on her. Maybe it is just me. I don't really have an opinion of Asmussen yet...but since leaving Wiggins, her perfomance (and maybe I'm humanizing her too much)and happiness doesn't seem to be has high as before. Sure, they won races after JJ bought her, but they were basically playing with the same deck of cards the rest of the year. She was already fit and happy, and winning. When Rachel had the winter off, and they had to build her back from scratch....you can see the results. I don't think we can really blame last year's schedule on her performance anymore, that was a year ago. There has been lots of time to get her back to a top form. I'm am fairly new to horse racing, but have had horses almost all my life. I know that every horse is different, and good trainers (for any disipline) need to realize that. The way you approach training (dressage, reining, racing, doesn't matter) is to know the horse, love the horse, they love and respect you, figure out what makes them tick and always emphasis their good qualities. Set them up for success, and always do things to boost their confidence. You aren't going to make a short stocky QH a world class grand prix dressage horse, so don't try. On the other hand, there is no better breed to cut cattle than a QH. Rachel was great at running in the front, why force her to change that? She obviously just ran for the love and fun of it! Not that they shouldn't have tried getting her to rate, but all that fighting her for months, and obvious unsuccessfulness at it should have been a clue. I am thinking that was a waste of time. I am kinda wondering if Asmussen is trying to make her fit into his training style more than, him emphasizing her obviously high qualities, and him changing his training somewhat to help her be the best she can be. Square pegs in round holes never work. We all know she can be one of the best. I know that this was kinda off topic, but I just hope they change something before they race her again. Another loss would not do her justice, and I would hate for her to retire on a sour note. Ger her HAPPY, fit, and just let her fly.
ReplyDeleteDear Lindsay: Many of the blogs and sports writers that I have been following since I became a diehard Rachel fan have mentioned that Rachel might have been better off with Wiggins and that she may have been riding the momentum last year of his previous training efforts with her. And Dear God, Calvin whipped her at least 26 times last Sunday!!! I am glad that you have submitted your opinion because I feel that you have made many good points. I don't know whether it's JJ's ego or Asmussen's ineptitude or Calvin's heavy hand, but something has got to change. She still has the heart and anyone watching Sunday's race would know that for a fact. I fear for her because I know that she will do whatever is asked of her--a change needs to be made.
ReplyDeleteRachel Alex
ReplyDeleteThanks, I guess you can say I made some unfortunate points. I don't know if JJ has much to do with her not doing well except for keeping Asmussen/Borel. JJ has not kept her in one state, or ran predecable and under matched fields over the last 2 years. I can also see, Rachel has likely 2 more races left in her career, and would changing trainers, really change that much? I can see an immediate impact with a new jockey though. I hardly ever rode my horses with spurs and whips, didn't need to. I would be nieve to think jockeys would run without whips, but to rely on them so much, can be very detrimental. Sometimes you smack them, and they got nothing left. If I'm not mistaken, in other countries there is a limit on the number of times they can hit the horse. I can promise you that after the last year, she knows she is about to get whipped towards the end of the race.... it just makes me think...is she thinking about that when she comes around the turn or running. Anyways, I don't know why she never works with company. I would imagine doing the same workout every week would be boring! Work her with someone, let her out front, and then pressure her down the stretch. Make her work in those workouts, and get better times. Boost her confidence. *crosses fingers* Maybe Asmussen is reading this, haha. I hope she can make it to the BC, I'm going both days, and would LOVE to see her in any race, and run well.
Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the whipping, no question.
I read the definitive book about Ruffian by Jane Schwartz, and she wrote that Frank Whitely specifically admonished her jockey NEVER to hit her and the one time that he did hit her, Whitely really laced into him. And you are right: in England, for example, I hear that jockeys are not allowed to whip horses as they are in America or they get big fines.
Ah well...I think you make a lot of sense and I can only hope that they rethink the way they are handling her.
If she goes to the Beldame, I will be there, cheering her on. Everybody seems to be deserting her (except for our Pixie and some others).
I will love her forever and just hope that she stays safe.
I read a couple articles by Monty Roberts about whipping. I know his popularity in the US isn't has high as it was, mostly due to some personal family problems, lying etc...but there is no denying, he knows horses inside and out. He has race horses, breeds them, and works with problems race horses. He has problems with the whip, and there is where i also read in some countries you can only hit them 5 times, if the jockey disobeys this rule, they are suspended for 3 days. Anyways...
ReplyDeleteI will always love Rachel, no matter what. I have lived in Lexington, KY for the last 10 yrs, and never really got into horse racing till the last couple years. Other than going to Keeneland for the fun of it, I never followed it because I always kinda felt bad for the horses. I saw a horse euthenized on the track one day at Keeneland, and I swore of racing for a few years (and steplechasing forever) Rachel was a horse that caught my attention, with her beauty, poise, and her unbridled joy to run. I saw it last year and thought, "man, there is something to this horse...look at her fly, she loves it". She is the horse that started it for me...and many many more I'm sure. I want to see her happy most of all, and by happy...I mean happy on the track. She isn't ready to have babies yet, she still wants to run, and I think she has more to prove! So I hope they open there eyes in the Rachel camp, and shake things up. I bought tickets to both days of the Breeders Cup, just to make sure I see Rachel. *crosses fingers* I hope she tightens up in the next couple weeks, and she does really well in the Beldame (that is where i think she should go) Maybe get some revenge on Persistantly :)
I hope Rachel runs in the Beldame at Belmont...
ReplyDeleteI think this would be a good opportunity for Rachel to get her confidence back ...love Calvin, but not the excessive whipping...last year Rachel seemed to be happy and loved to be running, I think they should mix up the training..she is so intelligent (you can see she just knows that), maybe break up the boredom....but I hope that it is not true that fans are deserting her...She is as beautiful,
and athletic and charismatic as last year...
I believe she has a lot left to give us out on the track. Rachel Alexandra is #1! It is her
personality and achievements that have brought her so many fans!
PixiePoet and Rachel Lovers:
ReplyDeleteI watched not only Sunday’s race over and over again,
and all of Rachel’s races this year trying to see if there was
anything different than last year. I also looked at all the workout
videos – she wants to run and looks like she loves it(but workouts are only 6 and 7 furlongs under a controlled pace). Here’s what I noticed: last year Rachel was slendor built- which everyone already knows and this year her chest, barrel, and hind quarters look twice the size. They wanted to build muscle and put on the weight she had lost during her campigan last year but she is much bigger this year. Maybe they put too much weight on her. Muscle mass is heavy and she still has those same long slendor legs that now have to support all that new weight to carry that she didn’t have before. I looked at pictures of Ruffin and she also had those long legs, slendor body and was lightening fast – like Rachel. In a lot of the races they will have horses carrying more weigh (5 to 7 pds on average) than others to help even the playing field. Just trying to think outside the box on this. Also SA has a schedule and a lot of race horses he is charge of, most follow a similar workout routine. Could it be as simple as that and not being considered? Rachel still runs her heart out. People say her campigan last year was the reason for what she has done this year, but other horses that this has happened to don’t try to keep winning and place a lot further back then second and you can tell their heart isn’t in It – Rachel’s is. What are your thoughts?
Lindsey,
ReplyDeleteI've from Indianapolis and I've got tickets for the Breeders Cup as well (both days)..they don't mail them until about a month before the race. I can hardly wait.
@rachel fan: The HRTV commentators also said she seemed to be lugging a lot of weight on her body in this last race.
ReplyDeletePixie Poet
ReplyDeleteI watched TVG (HRTV I don't watch anymore because of things they - couple of sports casters (there are also a couple on TVG and when they're on I turn them off as well) like to say negative things about Rachel............very interesting But she's the been "lugging" more weigth all this year. Now I wish I would have taped that station as well. By the end of the day Sunday the track was deep (same on Saturday)and it favored closers. I wonder if she was sinking deeper into the track with the weight and making it even more grueling to run. At the end of her races this year she is breathing heavier than last year (and that could be the extra weight). I hope the Rachel camp considers it...I love her and want to see her to continue to race next year as well....but not if it is going to harm her. Maybe with the more relaxed works she's not burning off the weight but slowly adding. I'm glad HRTV made that comment...maybe that is the difference in a nutshell. Thank you!!
RachelFan,
ReplyDeleteyour post makes a lot of sense ....maybe they did put too much muscle on her ..and that obviously can make a huge impact ....she is
certainly breathing heavier than last year, and that probably is the reason ...I didn't think about the track being so deep ...I agree, I want to see Rachel continue to run, but not at
risk to her health. I hope that her camp can figure this one out. Love you, Rachel!
Rachel lost her first race because she just wasn't ready. Then Asmussen started messing with her natural style and tried to rate her, the result was an unhappy feisty Rachel who lost a lot of energy fighting her rider. Her works were good though her stride wasn't fluid. The end result was a loss by a head to Unrivaled Belle. They then stopped messing with her style and she reeled off two impressive wins. Then they wanted to see if she could run 1 1/4 at Saratoga. Wrong track to try to get the distance - it is a deep and tiring track and as fast as the horses looked like they were running, the finishing times in all the races were subpar. The horses hooves were leaving prints 5" deep! That is a tiring track. She was in a speed duel with Life At Ten, dismantled her at the 6f mark and started to run off only to be passed at the 1/8 pole by Persistently. A very solid effort by Rachel though it does sting that she lost. She was blowing hard after the race and was tired, but the turfwriters failed to mention that all the horses were tired after running on the surface. I was there at Saratoga for Travers day and for the PE and saw it with my own eyes.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'd like to see is her gallop longer and have longer works. There's no need to work at 4f just after a race, it does little to help and is only a glorified stretching of her legs. They should also let her do some speed work to get some of her kick back, she loves to run fast so just let her once or twice a week do a blow out. I'd also like to see Asmussen relax her schedule a bit, working every Monday like clockwork may not be what is best for her. They may be over training her and leaving her not enough for the race.
Just wanted to clarify that to go longer than 8f, horses need speed, stamina/endurance, and soundness. Speed is the one element that cannot be trained into a horse, the horse has it or it doesn't and it's something Rachel has in spades. Stamina is speed over time, and is something that is easily be attained through training.
ReplyDeleteRachel's next work will be a week later than normal which is smart. It gives her time to fully recoup from the race and she'll get more out of her upcoming works. If she's ready before her first offical work, let her blow out a fast gallop for several furlongs in the middle or towards the end of her regular 1.5 mile gallop before restraining her. It'll only help her mind and help regain her speed. They might think about increasing her regular gallops a couple times a week to 2 miles aiming for around 13.5 seconds per furlong. There is enough time between now and the BC to add that little something extra that was missing in the Personal Ensign the last furlong. If this is done she'll have the foundation to go 10f at CD in the Classic on a track that doesn't punish early speed. Rachel's team can continue on as they have been doing and blow away the field in the Beldame and the BC Ladies Classic, but instead wouldn't it be fun to watch her win for fun in the Beldame and go on to win the Classic and silence her critics?
Lindsay loved your post. I have questioned RA's training all along. I have had my head bitten off, so stopped voicing my concerns. I questioned her weight months ago and I am still questioning it.
ReplyDeleteAlso the rating, workouts that do not enhance or go with her running style. I disagree with just about everything they have done. i also agree that it seems they are trying to fit RA into their scheme instead of working with her positive qualities etc.
I'm not a race horse trainer, though I have trained horses and I was a serious runner when I was young. I you want to race fast you have to run fast, if you want to run distance you have to work distance if you want to do both you have to train at both.
A heavy horse no matter how much muscle cannot run long and fast, yeah secretariat did it but; he was a stallion. Females don't have as much muscle to weight ratio as males. RA is carrying to much fat (IMHO).
I get the feeling Steve has a templete that he uses for 4 yr olds and is trying to force RA into that training schedule without looking at what is going on with her or actually looking at her.
Look at her she is beautiful, stunning, BUT!! if you really look you can see she is to broad backside to large girth and if you really look this is not the look of a GR1 race horse. She is to heavy. She is beautiful and she looks healthy but; she to heavy. She is also not being trained to handle this weight or being trained to run fast or long. I just shake my head and wonder at how well she's doing in spite of all this mishandling.
Imagine what she could do if trained proberly..
Nancy - I also love you post. To bad RA doesn't have connections that want to help her win, instead of wasting months teaching her to run slower. Shakes head.
ReplyDeleteI don't think her connection are bad people I just don't see them learning from their mistakes. Makes me sad...
She does seem a bit heavy, though I don't think she's carrying as much excess weight as others might think. She's not a skinny 3yo filly anymore, a lot of the weight is a natural byproduct of her maturing. They can work on distributing her weight a bit differently, she's carrying a tad too much on the front end. Not much but it may be enough to effect her turn of foot.
ReplyDeleteAfter the experimenting stopped on getting her to rate, she regained a lot of her speed back. IMO the biggest missing piece is tweaking her training. They need more speed work so she can regain more of her kick, and they need to do more stamina work by galloping 2 miles several times a week instead of the 1.5 miles. By doing both her body will adjust and redistribute the weight away from her front end.
I think Jackson and his wife care deeply about Rachel. I spoke with Barbara as she walked to the saddling paddock at Saratoga - she had a twinkle in her eye when she spoke about her. I think the issue is with Asmussen and trying to get Rachel to fit into his training scheme rather than develop a scheme tailored to her. I honestly don't know of any other top tier horse that works as often or on as tight a schedule as Rachel does. Who cares if she works 7 days out, then 8, then 5, then 10. Why does it have to be every 7 days? I think Asmussen is not getting out of Rachel what he could because he's not as willing as he should be to listening to her needs. That's not to say I think she's mismanaged, because I don't think that at all.
I couldn't agree with you all more. Longer workouts, faster, let her run, with company, stagger days....whatever. I absolutly agree. Asmussen although a good trainer has a template, and she doesn't fit it. Now what is he to do... That is the whole problem right there. :/ Glad to hear they are changing the schedule up some! Maybe they are reading this, hehe.
ReplyDelete