By the way...

[TGJB]

The mare that ran second to Zenyatta was one I bought for Overbrook a couple of years ago, they sold her in the dispersal in November. Chris Young was probably swallowing his tongue at the eighth pole.

Meanwhile, so if Zardana doesn\'t run and they win by 12 with everything else the same, think they go to Oaklawn? Ridiculous not to run.

[mjellish]

Not only is it ridiculous, think about how the connections of both Z horses must feel.  If they don\'t run Zardana, Rachel wins, she goes on to the Apple Blossom and Zenyatta gets to run against her for $5M.  But now, because their second stringer beat Rachel, Zenyatta gets to run for $500k, or 1/10th of that.

If I were managing Rachel I wouldn\'t be saying anything.  I would wait, see how she responds to the race, see how she eats the next few days, get her out on the track, see how she trains and make a decision after two more works 3 weeks from now.  

I can\'t believe how quickly people are ready to leave Rachel for dead based on one race.  ONE RACE, off an extended layoff and compromised training schedule.  Ludicrous...

Then again, guess that\'s also partly why I love horse racing so much.  So many wrong opinions.

[shanahan]

could not agree more...what is there to lose by even finishing 2nd?  $1million?

[shanahan]

you could not be more right on here MJ...I agree totally.  Wait a few days, then decide...

[Dana666]

I don\'t think it is only about money here. If Rachel loses to Zenyatta, then all the horse of the year B.S. comes up again, and suddenly all she accomplished last year doesn\'t seem so grand. Believe me they won\'t ever try Zenyatta unless they feel they have everything going their way, and Rachel\'s connections know enough about their mare not even to think of trying Zenyatta now (I\'m starting to wonder if they will ever meet). Asmussen and Jackson remind me of a drunk Ernest Hemingway in a bar fight: he only took on guys he knew he could thump! Yes, it would be insane to bury Rachel based off one race, but that horse we saw on Saturday in no way resembled the Rachel of 2009 with or without the layoff questions, etc.