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LADIES' CLASSIC DIARY AUGUST 6, 2010 With the announcement that reigning Horse of the Year RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) would make her next start in the August 29 Personal Ensign S. (G1) at Saratoga, the debate is already heating up on whether or not she'll finally face ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]). That super mare is entered in Saturday's Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1) at Del Mar, but the dual champion has never really taken a shine to the Polytrack at the seaside oval. There's still time for trainer John Shirreffs to change his mind and ship her east for the Personal Ensign. Yet another small, lackluster field will line up against the great mare in the Hirsch. Princess Taylor (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) was last seen running second in the grassy Beverly Hills H. (G3) and is still looking for her first stakes win. Made for Magic (Cape Canaveral) captured the Milady H. (G2) in May, but has been trounced by both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra this season. Spring Style (Ire) (Pivotal) hasn't even managed to place in a stakes yet during her career. Dance to My Tune (Stravinsky) ran second in the Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1), but Zenyatta suffered a horrible ride from Mike Smith in that event and still managed to pull out the victory. And lastly, Rinterval (Ire) (Desert Prince [Ire]) led in the seven-furlong Chicago H. (G3) before being overtaken on the wire by champion female sprinter Informed Decision (Monarchos). Based on the competition she'll face in the Hirsch, Zenyatta could easily race in that Del Mar event and still go on to the Personal Ensign. In the past, Shirreffs has used the New York detention barns as his excuse not to ship into Saratoga, Belmont or Aqueduct. It was a valid reason, considering the number of good horses who melted down in the security barn prior to their races, but that fallback is no longer valid. As of Saratoga's opening, the security barns have ceased operation. The big question, in my mind at least, is even if Zenyatta shows up, will it be the same show as it could have been last year? Rachel Alexandra seems to have lost a step this season while Zenyatta is still going strong. Would a match-up between the two really be something their connections want or, at least in Rachel's case, something to be avoided at all cost? It's almost a guarantee that Zenyatta will take on the boys again in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), while Rachel is looking more and more likely for the Ladies' Classic (G1) one day prior, if she even makes the Breeders' Cup at all. Based on performances thus far, the match of the century is shaping up more to be a race between a superstar and a former great. Division leader: The Zenyatta-Rachel Alexandra match was supposed to take place earlier this season in the Apple Blossom Invitational S. (G1) at Oaklawn Park. Both sides finally agreed on running, though Rachel owner Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables insisted on a change in date to April 9, and each had a prep race in mind to prepare for the long-awaited contest. Zenyatta, who had a very short retirement following her Breeders' Cup Classic victory as she was officially brought back in January, continued adding to her unbeaten record when taking her seasonal opener in the Santa Margarita. However, jockey error on the part of regular rider Smith turned what should have been another easy win into a suspenseful trip in the latter part of that race. The now six-year-old mare unleashed her monstrous late run nearing the far turn, but Smith decided not to go around the field and instead sent her in between rivals. The opening he was headed for closed up, leaving Zenyatta with nowhere to go. She had to check sharply, then angled out and regained her momentum in time to run down longtime leader Dance to My Tune. The fault lay entirely with Smith as Zenyatta could have easily blown right on past down the center of the track. That is what she does, inhaling fields with her huge late run, and Smith took her out of her game for a moment. Thank goodness for him that Zenyatta was able to overcome her rider's inexplicable behavior and still get the win. On the same day that Zenyatta was running in the Santa Margarita, Rachel Alexandra was making her four-year-old bow in the New Orleans Ladies S. at Fair Grounds. Unfortunately, the Steve Asmussen charge didn't enjoy the same consistent training schedule as her West Coast counterpart. Messy winter weather kept the bay miss from the track more often than not, and she showed her lack of conditioning. Tracking outside of the early pacesetter on the backstretch, the bay lass took the lead rounding the turn but found company in the form of Zardana (Brz) (Crimson Tide). The old Rachel would have put that rival away easily, but she couldn't handle the challenge in her 2010 debut and wound up finishing second. Jackson and Asmussen both immediately took Rachel Alexandra out of consideration for the Apple Blossom, though that didn't stop Zenyatta from traveling east to post yet another dominating victory against a field of nonentities in the nine-furlong dirt test. Rachel Alexandra showed up 21 days later in the La Troienne S. (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs and tried to lead all the way around only to be caught by a head on the wire. She hasn't lost since and showed signs of her previous stellar form when demolishing the Fleur de Lis H. (G2) and Lady's Secret S. by a total of 13 1/2 lengths. The only problem is that she's now taken to facing less than quality competition. Zenyatta on the other hand, has made just one other start this year, that coming as a third straight win in the Vanity H. (G1). It was in that 1 1/8-mile affair that the Shirreffs runner faced the first real challenge of her entire career in the form of a mare named ST TRINIANS (GB) (Piccolo). The pair resided in the back of the six-horse Vanity as the longshot leader set steady splits on the front end. St Trinians got the jump on Zenyatta in the lane and took off for the wire down the center of the track. Zenyatta powered after her, but for a brief moment seemed to stall as St Trinians kept pouring it on with her wacky stride. I believe, for the first time, Zenyatta was forced to change into a higher gear, giving her just enough to get past St Trinians in the shadow of the wire. Zenyatta took the win and appears to have suffered no ill effects from her run, but the same can't be said for St Trinians. No one can doubt her heart, tenacity and sheer determination following the Vanity, but the effort it took to look a champion like Zenyatta in the eye has sidelined the five-year-old for the rest of the year with what trainer Mike Mitchell calls body soreness. Zenyatta has divisional honors all but wrapped up and, in my opinion, has a good shot at Horse of the Year. Her main competition for that honor is Quality Road (Elusive Quality) and Blame (Arch), who will have a match-up of their own on Saturday in the Whitney H. (G1). It doesn't really matter at this point whether Zenyatta runs in the Hirsch then goes to the Personal Ensign, or skips the Hirsch entirely in favor of the Spa race. Rachel Alexandra has taken a step back this season, and that's just not something an opponent can do when going against a juggernaut like Zenyatta. Let's not forget: LIFE AT TEN (Malibu Moon) has done nothing wrong this year, racking up a four-for-four mark. The Todd Pletcher trainee is actually riding a six-race win skein that started against allowance rivals last November. The chestnut faced nothing but allowance types for the past two season, but in December of last year Pletcher finally entered her in a stakes event. The move paid off as Life at Ten recorded a 1 3/4-length victory in the Snit S. at Aqueduct. Her conditioner didn't throw her to the wolves following that modest score, instead sending her to the Rare Treat S. back over the inner dirt. That is when things began to get interesting. Life at Ten ran away with that 1 1/8-mile affair, leading every step of the way before crossing under the wire 5 1/4 lengths the best. She reverted to stalking techniques for her graded bow in the Sixty Sails S. (G3) next out, overtaking longtime leader and eventual Princess Rooney H. (G1) heroine Jessica is Back (Put It Back) to triumph by one length. The Delaware H. (G2) was coming up during the summer, but instead of sending her to the traditional track prep of the Obeah S. (G3), Pletcher decided to saddle Life at Ten in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) at Belmont Park. The mare was sent off the second choice in the Phipps and actually stumbled out of the gate. That didn't stop her from taking command, and Life at Ten drew off for an easy 2 3/4-length victory. The Del 'Cap proved to be just as easy, but the chestnut will now face a much sterner test when going in the upcoming Personal Ensign. Despite everything I said earlier about Rachel Alexandra not bringing her 2009 form forward, she'll still be tough while facing a rival with a similar running style. If she loses to Life at Ten in the Personal Ensign, I'd say Rachel Alexandra's racing days will be limited; a new career in the breeding shed awaits. It would be a real coup for Life at Ten, also, to have a win over a reigning Horse of the Year on her record. Even if Zenyatta is likely to repeat as champion older mare, this isn't an Eclipse Awards Diary but a Breeders' Cup Diary. Life at Ten could move into early favoritism for the Ladies' Classic. Three to watch: UNRIVALED BELLE (Unbridled's Song) gives some indication that a Life at Ten upset over Rachel Alexandra is possible. The four-year-old beat the Horse of the Year in the La Troienne before falling far short of Life at Ten in the Ogden Phipps. The Bill Mott charge also captured the Rampart S. (G3) earlier in the season, and really seems to be coming into her own this year. Last Sunday, she bumped with Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon) out of the gate, stumbled and engaged that one in the Ruffian Invitational H. (G1) at Saratoga. Unrivaled Belle kept the pressure up throughout and the two fillies pulled off from the rest of the field, with Malibu Prayer eventually drawing off at the end. Trainer Bill Mott has indicated that Unrivaled Belle came out of the Ruffian in good order, but will not go in the Personal Ensign. Instead, he's looking to try her in some shorter races to see if she might be better suited for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). I may have to give her up to my Sprint Diary-writing co-worker. MISS SINGHSIX (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) has been chasing Life at Ten this year, running third to her in the Sixty Sails and second in the Del 'Cap. The Marty Wolfson charge took full advantage of that rival's absence to capture the Obeah, but I doubt she'll ever be able to catch her adversary on even terms. The chestnut has a nice late kick, but Life at Ten's early turn of hoof is just too strong. FUNNY MOON (Malibu Moon), who scored in the Shuvee H. (G2) at Belmont Park before finishing third in the Ogden Phipps and Del 'Cap, is the exact opposite. Unlike Miss Singhsix, Funny Moon likes to stay in touch with the front but her late run isn't powerful enough to run down Life at Ten. If someone could combine Miss Singhsix and Funny Moon, they'd have the perfect challenger for Life at Ten. For now, the pair are running for place money, though they've still proven to be best of all the rest out there. Hard knocker: St Trinians dominated in her first four starts stateside for new trainer Mitchell. The bay mare opened her U.S. campaign with a four-length win against allowance/optional claiming rivals at Santa Anita in March 2009, added a seven-length allowance score from Hollywood to her line in December, then made her stakes bow on this side of the Big Pond in the Paseana H. on January 9. Rallying for the 3 3/4-length win in that 8 1/2-furlong test, St Trinians tried graded company next out and was crowned in the Santa Maria H. (G2). Mitchell decided to test his new stable star and sent her against the boys in the Santa Anita H. (G1). St Trinians offered little run that day, but did manage to rally for sixth in the 14-horse field. Her next task came in the Vanity against Zenyatta, and the combination of those two grueling runs was more than enough to knock her out for the year. St Trinians is a hard-knocking sort for even attempting those types of horses, let alone offering up a threat. Mitchell plans on brining her back into training sometime in November or December, with the intent on running her in major distaff stakes next year. In terms of a Zenyatta rematch, though, the conditioner offered up this statement to the Daily Racing Form: "I hope the Mosses stick to their guns and retire that mare."
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