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LADIES' CLASSIC DIARY AUGUST 14, 2009 The debate continues. What debate is that, you ask? Why, the one between those who believe RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) and ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) will meet up for the race of the century and those who think it will never happen. I have, reluctantly, gone over to the latter category. As much as I want that match, as wonderful as it would be for horse racing, as beautiful a sight it would be to see, I no longer consider it even a remote possibility. A number of spots have been bandied about around the office in relation to the perfect spot for Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta to face off. The Woodward (G1) at Saratoga on September 5, the Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2) scheduled for October 3 and the November 27 Clark H. (G2) at Churchill are but three. Unfortunately, the owners of the two superstars have their own agendas for their horses. Zenyatta is preparing for the Breeders' Cup in California (no definitive word yet on if she's going to the Classic [G1] or Ladies' Classic [G1], so until then I still claim her for my Diary) and the chances of her leaving the state before the early November championships are about zero to nil. The odds don't increase all that much for her heading east after the Breeders' Cup. Not that she couldn't handle the trip, but Zenyatta has spent nearly her entire life in California. She's accustomed to the climate and season changes of the West Coast. I, personally, think she would be at a disadvantage if she's suddenly transported to a much colder, wetter climate, which pretty much characterizes the weather in the East during the fall months. You better believe that owner Jerry Moss and trainer John Shirreffs are also aware of that issue. If she continues her undefeated mark straight through the Breeders' Cup, there's a good chance Zenyatta will close out her career right there. Rachel Alexandra heading west, on the other hand, is not going to happen, according to co-owner Jess Jackson. The dark bay miss has successfully raced, and won, on a synthetic track early in her career, but Jackson is vehemently against the all-weather surfaces and has stated he will not allow the filly to compete on the "plastic" in California. She will probably continue running past Breeders' Cup time, and Churchill Downs' Fall Championship meet appears the best place to see her later in the season. Division leaders: Whether Rachel and Zenyatta will have a meet-up is still to be determined. Until then, I and other racing fans can still enjoy watching the duo beat up on their respective competition in the interim. Rachel continued her domination of the three-year-old ranks by once again embarrassing her male rivals on August 2. Under overcast, rainy skies on the Jersey Shore, the bay lass took to the track with six others for the Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park. Regular rider Calvin Borel sat chilly on his filly, keeping her to the outside of pacesetter Munnings (Speightstown), who set splits of :22 4/5, :46 2/5 and 1:09 4/5 on the backstretch. Rounding the turn a little wide, Rachel shifted into the incredibly high cruising speed that transforms her into a flying machine. She glided home over the sloppy, sealed, track, eventually finishing six lengths clear of Belmont S. (G1) winner Summer Bird (Birdstone) while running nine furlongs in 1:47 1/5, just 0.41 seconds off the track record set by Spend a Buck in 1985. The win marked Rachel's second score over the boys and netted her a career best 116 BRIS Speed rating. There are now five races under consideration for her next start. Four Grade 1 races at Saratoga are among the possibilities -- the $600,000 Alabama S. for three-year-old fillies on August 22, $400,000 Personal Ensign S. against fillies and mares on August 30, $1 million Travers for three-year-olds on August 29 and $500,000 Woodward for three-year-olds and up. She will also be nominated to the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G2) on September 7. One week later, and through no fault of her own, Zenyatta endured the first real challenge of her career while going for her third title defense of the year. The dark bay juggernaut had previously defended her 2008 wins in the Milady H. (G2) and Vanity H. (G1), and was going for the hat trick in the Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1) at Del Mar on August 9. Jockey Mike Smith settled his late-running mount in last, 13 lengths back of the pacesetting Lethal Heat (Unusual Heat) through the first quarter, 7 1/2 lengths behind at the half and 6 1/2 lengths adrift through three-quarters. Lethal Heat was doing a good job of slowing the pace down on the front end, and Smith either wasn't paying close enough attention or just had that much confidence in Zenyatta. Whatever the case, the five-year-old champion needed every inch of the stretch to get up for the head victory. Smith admitted after the race he'd "underestimated the company," but I think he's just allowed himself to be lulled into a false sense of security, which is perfectly understandable. He's often described Zenyatta as loping along home, and did so again for this one, saying she never actually started running until the wire. The Trakus calculations released by the track back up Smith's statements. Zenyatta ran her last quarter-mile in :22.49 and reached her maximum speed of 40 mph at the wire. Another factor that probably contributed to the close finish was the 1 1/16-mile distance, which is a bit short for Zenyatta. Nonetheless, I think Smith will be paying a bit more attention in her next race, which could be another title defense in the October 10 Lady's Secret S. (G1) during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita if Shirreffs follows the same pattern. Let's not forget: Apple Blossom H. (G1) winner SEVENTH STREET (Street Cry [Ire]) earned a hard-fought victory in the August 2 Go for Wand H. (G1) at Saratoga. The game filly broke from the inside post, but floated herself wide entering the backstretch. She moved up to press the early pace in the 1 1/8-mile test, never more than a half-length back of leader Color Me Up (Aptitude), who was running off the rail to her inside. Entering the lane, Seventh Street found herself circling the turn well wide, allowing Spritely (Touch Gold) to get the jump on her and the rest of the field by charging through on the rail. That one took over for much of the stretch, but Seventh Street would not be denied, rallying to take command right before the wire and drawing off to record a 1 1/2-length score. It was a rainy day on August 2 in the Northeast, and the Go for Wand, like the Haskell, was contested over a sloppy, sealed, track. That didn't seem to faze Seventh Street, nor did switching to her left lead in midstretch. The August 29 Ballerina S. (G1) going seven furlongs at Saratoga had been under consideration for the Godolphin colorbearer, but following her win in this nine-furlong test, the 1 1/16-mile Ruffian H. (G1) on September 12 at Belmont is now being contemplated by her connections. On a side note, Seventh Street probably won't get a chance to avenge her defeat at the hooves of SEATTLE SMOOTH (Quiet American) in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1). Seattle Smooth's connections had been pointing the bay four-year-old to the Go for Wand, but revealed that she is getting a 60-day break and will likely not run again in 2009. We can still look forward to her showing back up in 2010, though, so be on the lookout for her in next year's Diary. Three to watch: JUST JENDA (Menifee), BE FAIR (Exchange Rate) and CAPTAIN'S LOVER (SAf) (Captain Al) may not be on the same level as Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta or even Seventh Street, but they are still a talented threesome who I believe deserve a shot in the Breeders' Cup. Just Jenda, owned by Cindy Jones and trained by her husband, Larry Jones, returned to the winner's circle on July 19 with an easy 8 1/4-length score in the Serena's Song S. at Monmouth. Racing in second behind a reasonable pace, the chestnut miss pulled her way closer into contention nearing the turn and then took off underneath Eddie Castro. The filly has an unmistakable look about her when she's on her game, tucking her head low and stretching her body out. She drew off under a hand ride to earn a 101 BRIS Speed figure, the highest of her career. Just Jenda shipped back to her trainer's base at Delaware Park following the Serena's Song, but will return to the Jersey Shore on Saturday in the Monmouth Oaks (G3). She worked a bullet five furlongs at Delaware in :59 4/5 on Monday to prepare for the 1 1/16-mile event, which drew a field of 10. Be Fair took command early in the July 31 Lake George S. (G3) at Saratoga, which was switched from the inner turf to the sloppy main track, while facing only three rivals in the depleted field. Mary's Follies (More Than Ready) ranged up rounding the turn to challenge, taking the lead briefly entering the stretch, but Be Fair battled back and pulled clear by four lengths on the line. The D. Wayne Lukas charge had faced Grade 1 competition in her four races prior to the Lake George and is likely to return to that level next up. Lukas mentioned he was looking at the Alabama for Be Fair, but that decision could hinge on whether the 10-furlong test will include Rachel Alexandra. Captain's Lover ended up making her dirt debut in the Matchmaker S. on the Haskell undercard at Monmouth. The 1 1/8-mile race, originally scheduled for the turf, was also moved to the sloppy main track and downgraded from its original Grade 3 status, but trainer Todd Pletcher let his charge take her chances. It proved to be a wise decision as the five-year-old mare sailed home a seven-length winner. The only question now is whether Pletcher will leave the Group 1 winner on the dirt or move her back to the grass in her next start. After this display, and the conditioner's own admission that she trains very well over the main track in the mornings, I hope Captain's Lover stays on the dirt. Given her turf background and the liking turf runners usually have for synthetic tracks, she could have a very real shot in the Ladies' Classic. Hard knockers: MISS ISELLA (Silver Charm) had her two-race graded win streak broken when a hard-luck second in the Go for Wand. The Ian Wilkes charge broke slowly and found herself in the rear of the field early on. Jockey Julien Leparoux didn't panic, allowing her to settle into stride and gradually make up ground until she was running in the second flight. Miss Isella came with her run down the lane, but never seemed comfortable and even began falling back before suddenly putting in a quick sprint right before the wire. That move got the gray miss up for second, but she just didn't appear to like the sloppy conditions that day. Miss Isella has had no problem with off tracks in the past but her last two wins, where she bullied her way through to take the Louisville Distaff (G2) and then endured a bumping match to score in the Fleur de Lis H. (G2), may have caught up with her in this one. Nonetheless, the effort proved the diminutive lass has plenty of heart and she'll be looking for a return to the winner's circle next out in the Personal Ensign. Another who could end up in the Personal Ensign is SWIFT TEMPER (Giant's Causeway), who added the Delaware H. (G2) to her resume on July 19. The Dale Romans runner has turned a corner this season, recording a pair of wins, two seconds and a third from six starts so far. One of those wins came in the rich Del 'Cap, where the chestnut set a pedestrian pace on the front end while under a snug hold from jockey Alan Garcia. The 10-furlong race turned into a sprint for the wire, and Swift Temper had plenty left, opening up to score by 2 1/4 lengths. Up-and-comers: Two sophomores from impeccable families scored top level wins in July. First up, the lightly raced CARELESS JEWEL (Tapit) posted a gate-to-wire victory in the July 18 Delaware Oaks (G2). Taking command from the start, the gray lass was under tight restraint from jockey Robert Landry on the backstretch and simply opened up once hitting the lane. She crossed under the wire 7 1/4 lengths in front of her closest pursuer, and has now won her last three races by a total 18 lengths. The Delaware Oaks was Careless Jewel's stakes debut and the sophomore passed the black-type test with flying colors. The Canadian shipper was also making her dirt bow in the 1 1/16-mile test, having previously competed on the Polytrack at Keeneland and Woodbine. She's since traveled back to trainer Josie Carroll's barn at Woodbine, but could find herself heading south across the border once again for the Alabama. FUNNY MOON (Malibu Moon) rallied from last in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Belmont Park on July 25 to score by a neck after racing in the rear for much of the event. Giving trainer Christophe Clement his first Grade 1 win on the dirt, the chestnut miss was wide throughout and ran farther than the 1 1/4 miles of the race itself. She didn't mow her rivals down in the way that Zenyatta usually does, but Funny Moon was tenacious in getting to the wire and is an exciting prospect who could just be coming into her own. Though Clement wouldn't commit to a race following the CCA Oaks, the Alabama looks right up her alley.
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