The Best Article So Far

This is the best article I have been able to find on the decision to run Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. I really, really think her previous owners had it right... To skip the Triple Crown races and run her in the Acorn. Has racing history taught them nothing? 

It scares me. It reminds me way too much of Ruffian, Go For Wand, Eight Belles... 

And yet, I'm still hopeful that she will be the exception and show all those boys who is boss. It definitely adds to the excitement and anticipation of the Preakness, which before this I was not so looking forward to.

Who Will Speak for Racing and Rachel Alexandra?

By JIM SQUIRES

Published: May 11, 2009

If the Preakness Stakes did not have enough trouble with its proprietor, Magna Entertainment, being bankrupt and Pimlico in disrepair, now there is the embarrassing squabble between the people who want Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness and the people who tried to keep her out.

Figuring out exactly how it all started in the first place is problematic because the credibility of almost everyone involved has yet to be established. And that is the least offensive of all that is wrong with this mess.

First, there are the people who want to take her there, primarily her new owner, Jess Jackson, who has signaled his intentions to ship her to Pimlico without declaring she will be entered. This in itself shows little regard for the owners of the Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird, the only horse with a chance to win the Triple Crown, and Rachel Alexandra’s regular jockey, Calvin Borel, who would be in the saddle of Mine that Bird if she is not among the 14 starters Saturday.

O.K., so that is part of the game. Keep Borel and everyone else off balance as long as possible.

Just let those new guys — Mine That Bird’s owners and trainer — sweat it out. They are only rubes from New Mexico. Welcome to thoroughbred racing.

But what about those rubes? They don’t want Rachel in because they lose the jockey without whom Mine That Bird, no matter how good a horse he is, would probably still be stuck in a traffic jam somewhere way back down the stretch at Churchill Downs. That is easy to understand. Nobody but Borel would have come down that rail lane that was so well packed, or scraped so clean, that his horse barely left footprints.

So the New Mexicans announced plans to enter another horse to try to take up a spot that might go to Rachel, who as a supplemental nominee gets last call to the entry box.

That sounded like such a good idea that the rich owner of Pioneerof the Nile, Ahmed Zayat, whose horse would probably be the favorite in Baltimore if Rachel does not enter and would probably have to run her down from behind if she does, said he might enter as many horses as necessary to keep her out. And he has enough. When that drew a negative reaction, Zayat changed his mind and left the impression he just got the idea from the New Mexicans.

The only show of class so far came from Marylou Whitney, who planned to run her horse Luv Gov but said she would not if it cost Rachel a spot among the starters. Salute Marylou.

You have to wonder what Rachel thinks about it all. There are basically three kinds of people in horse racing — those in it for the money, those in it for themselves and those in it for the horse. So far, we have heard from only the first two.

Somebody should speak up for Rachel and for the sport. Although she is obviously physically capable of running back in two short weeks and probably lapping this field of 3-year-old boys, the question of why she needs to do it ought to be asked.

She will not be any more valuable or any more famous if she does than she would be if she just wins four or five Grade I races and the Breeders’ Cup next fall. And she can win just as much money taking the Delaware Handicap in a few weeks. Besides, how much money and self-esteem does one long-striding, young female need? She is already big-headed enough.

Fact is, she may come out of racing a lot healthier of mind and body if she just runs away from other girls for the rest of her career.

Bypassing the certain efforts to box her up before she gets away or banged around by envious and rowdy colts on the narrow turns of Pimlico is not such a bad idea.

Her presence would undoubtedly increase fan interest and television ratings, and maybe the handle, too, although the opposite effect is possible as well. There we go talking about those in it for the money again, but while we are at it, imagine the outcry against racing if she was hurt running against the colts. The game is in bad enough shape already.

One thing is for sure — Rachel’s chances of bearing a regal offspring of Curlin’s down the road and improving the breed will not be affected one iota. And that was the reason Jackson gave for buying her anyway, wasn’t it?