Rachel fires five-furlong bullet; next target to be determined
Rachel fires five-furlong bullet; next target to be
determined
Preakness S. (G1) and Haskell Invitational (G1) heroine RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) worked five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.37 on a foggy Monday morning on the fast Oklahoma training track, after which trainer Steve Asmussen said discussions would begin "in earnest" on where the star filly would make her next start. Owned by Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, Rachel Alexandra is nominated to four Grade 1 races at Saratoga, two against females and two against males: the $600,000 Alabama for three-year-old fillies on Saturday, the $1 million Travers against three-year-old males on August 29, the $400,000 Personal Ensign against fillies and mares on August 30, and the $500,000 Woodward against older males on September 5.
Asmussen will also nominate the filly, who is seven-for-seven this year, to the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G2) at Philadelphia Park on September 7.
"There are no races eliminated," Asmussen said. "I will text (message) Jess as to how the work went, he'll call me, and we'll discuss what we're going to do. We'll digest where we're at and try to do the best thing for Rachel." |
With exercise rider Dominic Terry aboard, Rachel Alexandra went to the track
shortly before 6 a.m. (EDT) for the work, the fastest of 18 at the distance.
Watching through the mist, along with dozens of fans and members of the media,
was her regular jockey, Calvin Borel, who stood with Asmussen along the rail.
"She looked beautiful coming down the lane," Asmussen said. "I saw her
approaching the eighth-pole and past the wire down to the turn. And the words
(that) came out of Dominic's mouth: 'Never better.'"
If she does not run in Saturday's 1 1/4-mile Alabama, Asmussen said that
Rachel Alexandra would work again next week, also on the training track.
"There are no plans to work her on the main track," the trainer said. "She
won at Monmouth Park (in the Haskell) training here and for the Mother Goose (at
Belmont Park) training here."
Working at 5:30 Monday morning was Jackson's Jim Dandy S. (G2) winner KENSEI (Mr. Greeley), who is also under consideration for the 1 1/4-mile Travers. With Terry aboard, the bay colt went five furlongs on the Oklahoma training track in 1:01.85. "Kensei worked very well," Terry said. "I didn't think a horse could work better than the first set, then she (Rachel Alexandra) went out. I don't have to ask her for anything; just hold on and let her do her thing. I couldn't ask for anything more." After watching Rachel Alexandra, Borel crossed Union Avenue and climbed aboard Jim Dandy runner-up WARRIOR'S REWARD (Medaglia d'Oro), breezing him five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.26 over the main track. The move was the fastest of a dozen at the distance.
|
"He's on schedule; he was ready to work," trainer Ian Wilkes said. "I wanted
a nice, focused, solid work from him. I was pleased with it. Calvin was pleased
with the way the horse worked and galloped out strongly.
"I want to keep him moving forward off his last race with this work," Wilkes
said. "Now, we just have to do some maintenance work, make sure he's OK and
comes out of it fine. You always have to worry about that. Any time you have to
work them, you always want to make sure they're OK."
Warrior's Reward has finished behind Kensei in his past two starts. Prior to
the Jim Dandy, he stumbled at the start and wound up third in the Dwyer S. (G2)
as the 4-5 favorite.
Authors
Categories
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Daily Selections
Full racecard analysis/expert picks for major tracks from America's top handicappers.
Buy Nowe-ponies Picks
E-Ponies computer-based figures have been around since 1997. Using an algorithm written by the business owner and handicapper, Liam Durbin, and powered by BRIS data files, E-Ponies offers a unique, fact-based, dispassionate analysis of every horse in every race, assigning scores for speed, class, form, connections, and more. Forget which jockey owes you money! What does the data say!
Buy NowBruno With the Works
Bruno De Julio & team bring 30+ yrs experience observing racehorses to Brisnet with valuable insight into their morning routines & chances for success in the afternoons.
Buy NowValue Plays AI by Predicteform
Full race card program with easy-to-use win chances and contender classifications for every runner plus analysis of the Best Bet, Live Longshot, and Wagering Suggestions for every race.
Buy NowADVERTISEMENT