from Arkansas News:


LITTLE ROCK — A network that is exclusively horse-racing zeroed in on a woman holding a hand-lettered sign near the Hollywood Park paddock.

“Rachel who, Go Zenyatta,” it said.

There is more to racing than the Triple Crown, and there is a wondrous four-legged female out there not named Rachel Alexandra. Unbeaten in 10 races, Zenyatta is the queen and Rachel Alexandra is the princess in waiting.

At the moment, they may be the best thoroughbreds in the country. Getting them together to settle Horse of the Year is the problem, but there will be clamor for such a showdown if the owners of Rachel Alexandra choose wisely and she keeps winning.

There are various options for the 3-year-old filly other than the Belmont on June 6 and majority owner Jess Jackson says he will wait until next week to decide on her next race. Hopefully, he’ll opt for a race against fillies in New York on June 27.

Rachel could follow up with other races against her own sex or take some time off and meet the boys again in the Travers at Saratoga in late August. Either way, the goal is to extend the current six-race winning streak.

Just the other day, somebody from New York wrote that Rachel Alexandra could beat up on the fillies and then take the safe path and run in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.

There is nothing safe about that route because Zenyatta is in California, waiting for all invaders. In addition, there is Jackson’s aversion to the artificial surface at Santa Anita Park, home of the Breeders’ Cup again this year. He said Monday that he regrets running Curlin on the plastic surface in 2008 and that Rachel will not run “unless she has no other frontier to conquer.”

For a variety of reasons, Zenyatta did not race until long after the Triple Crown races of her 3-year-old year were history. Her seven victories last year at 4 included an easy one over 2007 champion older female Ginger Punch in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park.

She returned to the races Saturday after a lengthy vacation, a scenario when heavy favorites are often vulnerable.

Down the backstretch, Garrett Gomez moved Life Is Sweet to the center of the track and left a gaping hole — Arkansas running back Michael Smith should be as fortunate this fall — for Zenyatta. She headed for the opening and Gomez shut her off.

Jockey Mike Smith backed up and took the overland route. Gomez saved every inch and was still no match for the champion.

It was Smith who chased home Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness aboard Mine That Bird.

“As far as Rachel Alexandra, she’s such a great filly and I don’t want to ruin what she did,” Smith said. “But Zenyatta is Zenyatta.”

Both are winners and their contrasting styles — Rachel plays catch me if you can while Zenyatta lags behind and then swoops her opponents — would only add to the intrigue.

To face Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta might have to travel, maybe for a race in New York in early October. Desperate for positives, thoroughbred racing needs to make it happen.

Zenyatta is a paper champion or even more like a State champion like Pepper's Pride.
She will not take on colts and will not leave the West Coast.

Champions run at Saratoga or Belmont and her connections refuse to do either.

Zenyatta will never beat a G1 winning colt, will never beat a Derby winner and will never win a Triple Crown race. Rachel has done all of the above. There is no comparison.

You're an idiot, Draynay.

Originally Posted by Draynay

Zenyatta is a paper champion or even more like a State champion like Pepper's Pride.
She will not take on colts and will not leave the West Coast.

YouTube - 2008 Apple Blossom Handicap - Zenyatta

Originally Posted by DiscreetCat

You're an idiot, Draynay.

CAT KEEP THAT UP AND YOU BE ON THIN ICE LIKE ME...

Yes Discreet we are all aware that she left the state once but she didn't make it very far did she !!!

She is the California state champ good for her. No races out east ? None in her entire career ? She won't take on Music Note on dirt ? She won't take on colts ? She just wants to run on the same poly track beating horses she has already beat ?

If that is not a paper champion what is ???

Give me a break .... its a joke.

9:30 Come On Get Your Pj On And Get In Bed You Got School Tomorrow ...you Too Cat..you Gotta Go To Work ...oh! That Right Cat It's Only 5:30 There You Can Play A Little Longer......

I've already finished going over Thursday's races. I'm passing.

Originally Posted by Draynay

Yes Discreet we are all aware that she left the state once but she didn't make it very far did she !!!

She is the California state champ good for her. No races out east ? None in her entire career ? She won't take on Music Note on dirt ? She won't take on colts ? She just wants to run on the same poly track beating horses she has already beat ?

If that is not a paper champion what is ???

Give me a break .... its a joke.

Yes, she's a California horse. What's your point? We all know that if she was running at Gulfstream, you'd be calling her the greatest of all time.

No races out east? Which "out east" races has Rachel Alexandra run in, during her entire career? The Preakness? She wouldn't even have run there if she hadn't been sold to Jackson. Does that mean Rachel has only been a great filly for a couple of weeks now? And did she become great before or after she won "out East"? I'm confused.

Zenyatta hasn't taken on Music Note on dirt? You've got to be freaking kidding me. Music Note was competing ONLY in 3yo races "out east", races that Zenyatta wasn't even eligible for. Much like the Triple Crown races, which according to you gives Rachel some kind of edge over Zenyatta. And when Music Note DID finally race against older horses, she got destroyed. And not just by Zenyatta, either. I might also point out that Zenyatta clobbered the 2007 Breeder Cup Distaff champ Ginger Punch in that Oaklawn race i posted. And Ginger Punch had been running "out east" for quite a long while. But i guess Zenyatta's convincing win ON DIRT over the Breeders Cup champ @ Oaklawn doesn't amount to a hill of beans, as far as you're concerned. I guess that means Rachel Alexandra's wins at Oaklawn don't matter then either.

Zenyatta also owns a win on grass, btw. But i guess that doesn't count either, because it came in California. So what does that make Zenyatta's record? 1 for 1? Or maybe half a win for half a start, because Oaklawn is only halfway to the east coast.

I won't be responding to anymore of your posts, Draynay. You're just an internet troll who posts these "Zenyatta is a paper champion" comments looking to stir up some trouble and create attention for yourself. This garbage has gone on for too long now. First it was Quality Road who was "light years ahead of any other 3yo", then it was Dunkirk, now it's Rachel Alexandra. After she loses, it'll be someone else.

Btw, thanks for letting us all know that Rachel Alexandra is good. We never would have figured that out, if not for your insightful posts here on HRT.

the big horse almost became horse of the year in 2008....i have nothing more to say than.....
"bring on the filly" .......you can like a horse, but don't knock a proven unbeaten champ, that
carried 126lbs and won under wraps.....i can't wait for the match up....shit the other 2 horses
that ran 2nd and 3rd the other day might beat her.....lol..i try not to get caught up in this type
of bull-shit......you must think " shoemaker was a average jockey!!!!!.....

Turfman..........as A Gambler And Bettor I Dont Get Caught Up In This Stuff Either....its Up To The Owners And Trainers And Racing Writers To Create Ridiculous Hype At Times......the Bottom Line Is Both Of The Fillies Are Champs Right Now...see No Reasons For Arguing About It.....draynay......however Gets Over Fixated On A Certain Horse As We All Remember The 139 Quality Road Post..lol..lol...

and that 139 was all in 1 day...lol

Discreet as usual you don't know what you are talking about. The facts are the facts and if you think I am the only one who thinks Zenyatta's Pride is taking the soft route you are dead wrong. How do you compare Zenyatta's Pride who only stays in California a real champion ? What kind of credit will she deserve beating the same fillies over and over again. To compare her to Rachel Alexandra in MY OPINION is just plain nuts. Rachel has taken on the best 3 year old colts and beat them by daylight.

Champions face the best and take on new challenges the connections for Zenyatta's Pride have no interest in doing that and that makes her a paper champion any way you want to look at it.

Rachel Alexandra didn't win by daylight in the Preakness. She beat 3yr old fillies by daylight.

Draynay...is It Me Or Did You Refer The The 3 Yo Crop W/o Qr As Allowance Horses..man I Wish I Had A Penny For Every Stupid Thing You Say...maybe I Would Of Been Able To Buy Ra.....

don't get him going it 's almost bed time he got school tomorrow

Hardspun ..... Maybe you should watch the Preakness again because no matter how many times you watch it you will notice RA crosses the wire and beats the Derby winner by a length and a foot. DAYLIGHT !!!

Watch it again and you will see you are wrong.

I gotta admit i thought Ginger Punch was the real deal until Z thought she was all oats and ate her up lol