Rachel Alexandra to Race Zenyatta ???
Big weekend for
Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra
By Art Wilson - Inside Horse Racing
We know where the undefeated Zenyatta will be racing this
weekend. She'll be trying to break the record of 16 consecutive
victories in unrestricted races that she shares with Citation, Mister
Frisky and Cigar when she runs in Sunday's $250,000 Grade 1
Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park. She would become the first
three-time winner of the stake if she gets the job done while carrying
a career high-tying 129 pounds. She also carried 129 pounds in last
year's Vanity.
Meanwhile, Jess Jackson is hemming and hawing about where
reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will race on Saturday.
She's 0 for 2 this year after winning all eight of her starts in 2009
and hasn't looked like the same horse that beat the boys in the
Preakness, Haskell and Woodward a year ago. The options for her
next race include the Stephen Foster Handicap or Fleur de Lis at
Churchill Downs, the Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park or the Obeah
at Delaware Park. The last three are races for fillies and mares, but
she would face males in the Stephen Foster.
If Jackson needs any advice it would be to avoid the Foster. Rachel
Alexandra needs to win a race and regain her confidence before
taking on males again. The guess here is that Jackson will announce
soon that his standout 4-year-old filly will race in the Fleur de Lis,
which would be her seventh start at Churchill. She's won three times
and finished second three times at the storied track.
On Sunday, Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in 49.40
seconds at Churchill with Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle. Which
raises another question. Who will ride Rachel Alexandra this
weekend -- Bridgmohan or Calvin Borel? While trainer Steve
Asmussen did not blame Borel for the Medaglia d'Oro filly's upset
loss to Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne at Churchill on April 30,
Jackson was not as forgiving with his post-race comments. It
wouldn't be a major surprise if a jockey change is imminent.
Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra
By Art Wilson - Inside Horse Racing
We know where the undefeated Zenyatta will be racing this
weekend. She'll be trying to break the record of 16 consecutive
victories in unrestricted races that she shares with Citation, Mister
Frisky and Cigar when she runs in Sunday's $250,000 Grade 1
Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park. She would become the first
three-time winner of the stake if she gets the job done while carrying
a career high-tying 129 pounds. She also carried 129 pounds in last
year's Vanity.
Meanwhile, Jess Jackson is hemming and hawing about where
reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will race on Saturday.
She's 0 for 2 this year after winning all eight of her starts in 2009
and hasn't looked like the same horse that beat the boys in the
Preakness, Haskell and Woodward a year ago. The options for her
next race include the Stephen Foster Handicap or Fleur de Lis at
Churchill Downs, the Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park or the Obeah
at Delaware Park. The last three are races for fillies and mares, but
she would face males in the Stephen Foster.
If Jackson needs any advice it would be to avoid the Foster. Rachel
Alexandra needs to win a race and regain her confidence before
taking on males again. The guess here is that Jackson will announce
soon that his standout 4-year-old filly will race in the Fleur de Lis,
which would be her seventh start at Churchill. She's won three times
and finished second three times at the storied track.
On Sunday, Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in 49.40
seconds at Churchill with Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle. Which
raises another question. Who will ride Rachel Alexandra this
weekend -- Bridgmohan or Calvin Borel? While trainer Steve
Asmussen did not blame Borel for the Medaglia d'Oro filly's upset
loss to Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne at Churchill on April 30,
Jackson was not as forgiving with his post-race comments. It
wouldn't be a major surprise if a jockey change is imminent.
Reed Palmer Photography