Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Filly Rachel Alexandra To Miss The Breeders’ Cup 2009
Posted on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Co-owner of Preakness winner filly Rachel Alexandra, Jess Jackson, doesn’t plan to run the star filly in the Breeders’ Cup 2009 on November 6-7 at Santa Anita Park, after the poor performance by his 2-time Horse of the Year Curlin in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Curlin had dominated on traditional dirt surfaces but struggled to a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Santa Anita‘s Pro-Ride synthetic track in the only out-of-the-money finish of his career. Curlin won 11 of 16 races and was retired as thoroughbred horse racing’s leading money earner with more than $10.5 million.
“I have a very strong dislike for plastic surfaces and I don’t believe she should be exposed to that,” Jess Jackson said during a conference call Wednesday. “I’m not going to run her on plastic. We don’t need to risk her that way.”
Filly Rachel Alexandra, who could run against the boys this summer, has raced on synthetic surfaces before, cruising to a convincing win in an allowance race over Keeneland‘s Polytrack last October. That race came well before her rousing victory in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, and before she was purchased by Jackson and his Stonestreet Stables.
“I’m 110% with Mr. Jackson,” said jockey Calvin Borel, who jumped off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. “It’s his horse and he’s going to do what’s right for the filly, and I can’t blame him.”
That means a matchup with Zenyatta, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner, might never happen. The 5-year-old mare, coming off a win in the Milady Handicap last month, has campaigned almost exclusively on the synthetic surfaces in California.
“Love to see her,” Jess Jackson said, “but they’re going to have to come to the East or some other neutral track.”
Filly Rachel Alexandra returns to the track for the first time since her stirring Preakness win against the boys when she runs in Saturday’s $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park where she’ll be a heavy favorite in a field of five that includes Florida Oaks winner Don’t Forget Gil, Hopeful Image, Flashing and Malibu Prayer.
Tags: Don't Forget Gil, Flashing, Hopeful Image, Malibu Prayer, Rachel Alexandra
"Filly Rachel Alexandra To Miss The Breeders’ Cup 2009" was posted on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 at 10:04 pm and is filed under Breeders' Cup, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Owners & Breeders, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Saturday, June 27th, 2009 5:36 pm By billy
The real reason they’re not going to the Breeders is Zenyatta.
The rest is just fluff.