Racing 411

I forgot in my last post to update the OTB tour that I’m doing somewhat intertwined with Joe Kristufek. The Chicago date has changed, so here is the final schedule:

Friday 10/9:  Trackside Lockport w/ Joe Kristufek for Hawthorne night racing (first post 5:30pm)

Friday 10/16:  Trackside Hodgkins w/ Joe Kristufek for Hawthorne night racing (first post 5:30pm)

Friday 10/30: Trackside Lockport (flying solo here!)

Saturday 11/20: Trackside Chicago w/ Joe Kristufek

A big thank you to everyone who made this year awesome for me here on the blog and out in the Park on the days I was out there. I got much more involved and was welcomed and challenged every time I posted or held a seminar outside. And I suppose a good thanks is in order to my co-blogger here Alyssa, who is as genuinely nice and friendly as you can imagine — hopefully we’ll get a chance to do some things together at Arlington next year!

• Chris Block continues to win with lots of first-timers. Lunar Mist was an absolute monster yesterday, and much better than the winning margin indicates.
• The Place Pick-9 is awfully hard to hit. Much harder than it sounds.
• I really like Brezing Rain on today’s card. She looks like a real runner.
• How cool is it that Closeout is here for a restricted stakes race? I’m a big fan of her and I’m a bit sad that I won’t be out today to see her in the flesh.
• I didn’t do so well yesterday. I was live to the end of both pick-4s and couldn’t come through…at least I didn’t miss huge scores since they were fairly chalky sequences.
• I really miss the Press Box in the offseason. I robust debate yesterday afternoon about the merits of a horse reminded me of how much I’ll miss it until next April.
• I can’t believe the meet is over already, but at least I’ve got some OTB dates next month to keep myself busy!
• Did anyone have a good meet betting? I struggled mightily all summer long…much tougher on me than last year was when lots made sense to me.

Here’s some analysis for Saturday’s card. I’d love to hear what you think about the races. Some of them are awfully tough. Hopefully some of this will help out!

Race 1: Both #2 PAPA RAFA and #7 REWIRING drop in to this level out of the same race in which each of them were well-beaten behind a runaway, impressive winner. I think that either could get the job done, but if the morning-line is any indication, the price will be much better on PAPA RAFA. For that reason, and the fact that he figures to move forward in start number two, I’ll land there on the drop. #8 LITTLE FEAT throws his share of duds but nearly got over the top last out in a suspect race.

Picks: #2 PAPA RAFA, #7 REWIRING, #8 LITTLE FEAT

Race 2: I’m a huge fan of the way #2 ABLE looked on the track when I saw her the morning before the Million, and I’m willing to forgive her flop last out. The drop should help her cause, and I’d give her one more chance. #7 CUPID’S BEST races for Wayne Catalano, and she too drops in off some solid races, though not sure the gal who beat her in her last is really anything much. #8 SWIG was three zip codes away in her debut, but did show some early hoof there, starts for a solid barn, and could move forward enough to factor.

Picks: #2 ABLE, #7 CUPID’S BEST, #8 SWIG

Race 3: Morning-line favorite #2 TIGHT GRIP looks tough in here, but it’s #1 PRINCEVILLE CONDO who keeps grabbing my eye when I look at this race. He had some trouble in his last, yet still just missed behind FREE FIGHTER, who came back to win the Grade III Stars & Stripes in his last. #5 LUCKMAN & #6 DENIM both figure as mild contenders, but would seem to need some things to fall their way to get the job done.

Picks: #1 PRINCEVILLE CONDO, #2 TIGHT GRIP, #6 DENIM

Race 4: Considering the fact that #8 PEACEFUL BATTLE is a Team Block horse, albeit one trained by Neil Pessin, it was something to behold when she was ignored at 35-1 at the windows in her debut. She nearly scored in that spot, but came back with a professional, stalking win as the 2-1 favorite in her last, and this race didn’t come up too tough. #3 DEL BONITA is the first foal to race out of one of my favorite local mares, BAILAR, and she seems to be rounding into form and figuring things out. She could get over the top. #2 EXPLOIT THE SUN has every right to win, but settles for minor awards too often to trust.

Picks: #8 PEACEFUL BATTLE, #3 DEL BONITA, #2 EXPLOIT THE SUN

Race 5: #4 PENALTY KICK drops two levels down to this basement spot, and he’s run races more than good enough to win this. Figure the drop will do the trick, and E. T. signs on for this run. #2 LEOPOLD BLOOM also drops in, and deserves his morning-line favorite status, but he doesn’t strike me as a horse who will ever really have a knack for finding the wire. #6 GLORY CREEK is as honest as they come for this level, having run just one poor race in the last calendar year, but he too doesn’t seem all that interested in winning.

Picks: #4 PENALTY KICK, #2 LEOPOLD BLOOM, #6 GLORY CREEK

Race 6: #6 EXECUTIVE COACH could have easily been chosen as my hard-luck horse of the meet. He won a conditioned claiming race here the second weekend of the meet, and he’s run 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd in five tries at this level since. He’s as overdue as a horse can be. #7 ZAGAMOR ran a good starter field off their feet last time out and could hang around longer than expected, while #4 WAKEUPBRANDON may sit a perfect press-and-pounce trip.

Picks: #6 EXECUTIVE COACH, #7 ZAGAMOR, #4 WAKEUPBRANDON

Race 7: Locals should remember the dam of the #4 FIGHTING JO JO, the stakes winner LIZ ON POLK STREET. This Frank Calabrese homebred has regal bloodlines and figures to be ready off a string of decent works. #2 IDEALHOUSE is the obvious choice, but really had no excuse at all in her last as the 3-2 favorite, and I’d be hesitant to rely on her to get to the wire first, though she obviously could. #5 LUNAR MIST isn’t bred to be a star, but fetched a whopping $92,000 at auction….she must be a looker.

Picks: #4 FIGHTING JO JO, #2 IDEALHOUSE, #5 LUNAR MIST

Race 8: #5 SPUNKY MONKEY is bred to be a pretty good one and debuts off solid works for a good barn. #3 ROCHELLE ROCHELLE is also well-bred, but has failed to do anything at all in a pair of starts so far. That said, her connections wanted to enter her on the lawn first time out and were rained off, so I’m willing to give her another chance if this thing stays on the grass, and she’ll be a big price too. #1 DREAMINOFJOSEPHINE is the safe play, having run a few good races so far and just missing in her last.

Picks: #5 SPUNKY MONKEY, #3 ROCHELLE ROCHELLE, #1 DREAMINOFJOSEPHINE

Race 9: Um, wow. You could easily use eight of these in the pick-4, and I’ll go deep here on my suggested ticket. This race is tough — if #6 PISTOL PETE AFLEET runs his race, he’s the winner. If not, all tote board chaos could break loose. I’ll go with #7 CAPE SAN BLAS at a price. He made a gigantic move around the turn last out and looked like the winner an eighth of a mile from home, but just couldn’t get the job done after making that big move. #5 RAVENSWORTH has looked right at home in his last few an could play a part at a price. #8 KING OF SPEED and #2 EIGHTEENTHOFMARCH must be used as well, and wider tickets may even want to spread down to #10 TONY TERRIFIC.

Picks: #7 CAPE SAN BLAS, #5 RAVENSWORTH, #6 PISTOL PETE AFLEET

Race 10:  I’m a huge fan of #1 TAZZ, and I think he should have won his last race. I think that if he runs his race, he’s way too good for these, and if Chris Emigh keeps busy on him down the lane, this is his race. For the late pick-4, I’ll single him, but here are a few others to use underneath. #6 EAT N RUN gets back to his preferred surface, and don’t let the slow time of that off-the-turf run last out dissuade you. He’s much better than that. #7 STANLEY G. was uncharacteristically flat last time and should bounce back.

Picks: #1 TAZZ, #6 EAT N RUN, #7 STANLEY G.

Race 11: #3 HAPMAN was never a factor in his last and he is most certainly better than that race showed. He was a good 2nd behind #9 BULLET FROM ABROAD three back, and that guy has just gotten really, really good this meet. BULLET FROM ABROAD figures the big favorite while looking for his 4th win in a row, and he seems tough to beat, but I wouldn’t want to be singled to just him. There is a ton of speed in here and #10 JOHNNY TORNADO could benefit from it. He was a winner the only time he went sprinting on the lawn, and he’s going to be a huge price. #4 X MARKER is good enough.

Picks: #3 HAPMAN, #9 BULLET FROM ABROAD, #10 JOHNNY TORNADO

For this Late Pick-4 ticket from races 8-11, I’ll be spending $72, but if you’re inclined to use it as a starting point, just toss those horses out that you really don’t like that I’ve used.

Late Pick-4 Ticket:

Race 8: (3 horses) #1 DREAMINOFJOSEPHINE, #3 ROCHELLE ROCHELLE, #5 SPUNKY MONKEY

Race 9: (6 horses) #2 EIGHTEENTHOFMARCH, #5 RAVENSWORTH, #6 PISTOL PETE AFLEET, #7 CAPE SAN BLAS, #8 KING OF SPEED, #10 TONY TERRIFIC

Race 10: (1 horse) #1 TAZZ

Race 11: (4 horses) #3 HAPMAN, #4 X MARKER, #9 BULLET FROM ABROAD, #10 JOHNNY TORNADO

Good luck! Let me know what you think!

Well, I promised I would fill these out. I’d love to hear what you think — agree? Disagree? Think I’m crazy? Missing something? Let me know!

Horse of the Meet - Gran Estreno, who rose from a $20,000 claimer earlier in the meet to a Grade III winner of the Washington Park Handicap. Nobody will argue that the field in that Grade III was the best we’ve seen in its history, but nobody will argue against the idea that this guy is dead-game, loves to run, and seems to still have a bright future. Also, while I’ve never met the guy, owner Marty Nixon seems like a class guy who just loves to have fun, and I couldn’t be happier for him.
Hard Luck Horse of the Meet - Prairie Academy. She was a winner just once at the meet, but came in 2nd on four separate occasions, all of which seemed like winnable races for her. Perhaps she doesn’t have the killer instinct, but she’s clearly got a bit of talent, and just kept running into horses who were maybe a little too good for her on that given day.
Most Improved Horse of the Meet - Gran Estreno, for all the reasons listed above. Claimer to Grade III winner is enough to win this one.
Most Exciting Race of the Meet - Race 1 on the Arlington Million Day card. This is a tough category, because it’s entirely subjective and I’d love to hear your thoughts on which races were the most exciting for you. This race, despite a compact field, produced one of the best stretch duels of the meet. 2-1 second-choice General Charley tried to give 4-5 favorite Wicked Style the slip heading into the far turn, but the favorite continued to track his main challenger. They drew even turning for home and traded head-bobs all the way to the wire, with the favorite eventually prevailing.

Stakes Race of the Meet - The Black Tie Affair. With the race being rained off the grass, it didn’t figure to be such a great race, but veteran Fort Prado came late to collar the leaders in a triumphant run that ended a lengthy losing streak and gave the gritty gray yet another Prairie State victory.
Best Turf Performance - Gio Ponto in the Arlington Million. In one of the deepest editions of the Million in recent memory, he just waxed a star-studded group with such class and ease that there’s no topping this run for the entire meet. He made a decisive move around the far turn and was far from all-out to get the job done in the meet’s premier race. We may have seen a true star.

Best 2yo Race of the Meet - The Arlington-Washington Lassie, in which She Be Wild stormed from off the pace in an instant to win an absolute laugher.
Best 2yo Maiden Win - I may have unconsciously created this category just so I could give an award to Deceptive Glory for her scintillating maiden win. Unfortunately, she was unable to back it up in a pair of stakes tries later in the meet, but first-timers, especially 2-year old firsters, just don’t do what she did. She rated so kindly, it was like watching an old pro, and then she had to wait behind horses for a hole to open. Once it did, her rider said go, and she exploded through it, no small feat for a juvenile. While she may not go on to superstardom, this is a race I won’t soon forget.

Most Exciting Horse to Watch Going Forward - Several. She Be Wild could be any kind, and is likely Breeders’ Cup-bound off a trio of wins at the stand. She’s got tons of talent, appears perfectly rateable, and has a limitless ceiling. Cure For Sale, a runner who stole my heart with a couple of big turf races, was a bit dull in a Kentucky Downs stakes race last weekend, but is still one I think is going places. Check out her two wins from the meet. Another grassy filly I’m looking forward to seeing again is Cumulonimble. She switched to the lawn two races ago and has looked like a totally different animal. She moves over the green so well and seems to have limitless energy when running on it. There’s absolutely no doubt she’s stakes-caliber on it and it shouldn’t be long until we see it.

Trainer of the Meet - Wayne Catalano. There’s really no denying this one. After a well-publicized split from owner Frank Calabrese (who, no doubt, moved forward with a swell meet of his own), it wasn’t totally clear what would become of the Cat man. Nothing changed. He still won tons of races. He still won a high percentage of his starts, and he saddled two runners to sweep the four juvenile stakes races at the meet in Dixie Band and the imposing She Be Wild.
Most Surprising Rider of the Meet - While Junior and Jimmy are fighting it out in the final days, I’ll admit to being blindsided by E. T. Baird, and that’s why I give him this award. Obviously, the guy’s got talent, but I suppose that over the years, I just never really noticed, or was too busy noticing other riders, but he was red-hot through the first half of the meet and is still riding winners at a good clip. I think that though he was probably not a big surprise to many, he snuck up on me in a serious way and I loved some of the rides he gave this meet, including that ridiculous theft of the Washington Park aboard Gran Estreno.
Other Favorite Memories…..: Taking my mom out to see morning workouts for the first time the day before the Million. She had never been to see them and it was so awesome to see. No doubt she’s had plenty of chances to see me marvel over new experiences throughout my life, but to get the chance to return the favor and see her walking around the Arlington paddock and apron shortly after sun-up, taking it all in, looking like a kid in a candy shop trying to decide which horses to watch and where to next focus her attention is something I’ll never forget. It was truly one of the best moments I’ve had in years, and that’s no exaggeration.
It didn’t happen here, but during the course of the meet, getting to see my absolute biggest sentimental favorite horse, Happiness Is, win her first stakes race when she beat the hyper-talented Euphony in the Lady Canterbury up in Minnesota.
Getting to meet and have a beer with Gary Stevens, Julie Krone, and Ray Sibile the day before the Million, thanks to my buddy from the press box, Barb, who took me over to meet them. Every now and then since, I’ll take a second and say, “wow, I had a beer with Gary Stevens!”
Participating in the Learn to Win seminars for the first time. I was lucky enough to meet some great people, have some awesome interactions, and actually make a few new friends from the experience (holla, Chrissy!).

Do you have any favorite memories from the meet? Favorite horses? Favorite races? I’d love to hear about them. And a reminder that I’ll be out again for the last time on Saturday if you want to grab a beer and hang out, let me know!

Well, we’re into the last week of the meet, and this weekend is going to close the door on a season that has been alternatingly exciting, fun, sad, emotional, and confusing. I’ve had a great time doing this blog, writing the commentary, and getting out and meeting some of you.

So, with the meet closing, I thought I’d try a few things for the last week on the blog. First, I’ll be handicapping this weekend’s closing cards from Greg’s suggestion in the comments about what would make this blog better. I’ll offer some quick analysis, some potential plays, and some general thoughts. Also, I’m putting together my year-end awards list. If you’ve got any thoughts on these categories I’ve come up with, let me know. Any categories I’ve missed? Any thoughts on who I should pick as the winner in any certain category?

Horse of the Meet

Hard Luck Horse of the Meet

Most Improved Horse of the Meet

Most Exciting Race of the Meet

Stakes Race of the Meet

Best Turf Performance

Best 2yo Race of the Meet

Best 2yo Maiden Win

Most Exciting Horse to Watch Going Forward

Trainer of the Meet

Most Surprising Rider of the Meet

Other Favorite Memories…..

Also, just a final note that I’ll be out at the track one more time this meet, on Saturday. I won’t be working, I won’t be holding seminars, I’ll just be out playing and having a few beers. If any of you out there have thought about coming out to hang out or trying to make it to one of our seminars, but haven’t been able to, and you’d like to come hang out for a few races, let me know. Leave a comment here and put your email in the proper field (it won’t show up on the site, but I’ll be able to see it through out Admin page), and I’ll get in touch with you. Nothing like a fun, casual day at the races to close things out.

In this day and age, it’s not often we see horses running at the age of seven. Or eight. Or nine. Especially not ten - but it’s a locally based runner who celebrated his 10th birthday on April 14, 2009, just more than a fortnight before Opening Day of the 2009 Arlington Park racing season whose career so fascinated many racing fans.

He raced in nine separate calendar years, when sent postward sixty-four times at fifteen racetracks under eighteen different riders, all starting in a modest maiden race at downstate Fairmount Park with a purse of just $7,000 on September 18, 2001. The 4-5 favorite in that event, he rolled wide from off the pace to win going away for prominent Illinois owner William Stiritz. He would win again in 2001, taking down a conditioned claiming event on the Hoosier Park dirt later in November, but the real story of this racehorse - the one we’ll remember - would not start until he was claimed from a $30,000 event at the now demolished Sportsmans Park on April 6, 2002 by owner Jim Messineo and trainer Doug Matthews.

That day is when Major Rhythm officially began his journey to becoming the Major Rhythm beloved by Chicago racing fans.

Perhaps at first glance it’s odd that a runner who won thirteen races over the span of nearly eight years only went postward as the wagering favorite on seven occasions, but it’s worth taking a look at where he was racing and against whom he was doing so. It seems so much more obvious why a runner who managed to earn $771,530 could be the handicappers’ gamble a mere seven times when noting that he raced in stakes events 36 times, from overnight stakes races all the way up to the Grade I Arlington Million.

While I could devote an entire story of its own to listing out the prominent runners Major Rhythm faced in his career, his career achievements really do become just that much more impressive when the company he kept is laid out on paper.

Among those who shared the starting gate with him -

Honor In War - Grade I winner of more than $1.1 million
Mystery Giver - 13-time winner of over $1.2 million
Senor Swinger - A winner of 10 races, including the Grade III Arlington Handicap, $964K
Purim - Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile winner, 8 other wins, nearly $1 million
Fort Prado - Local legend, millionaire
Del Mar Show - 13 wins, Grade II winner, $1 million earner
Cloudy’s Knight - 10 wins, $2 million winner, Grade I Canadian International
The Tin Man - multiple Grade I winner, 13 wins, $2.6 million
Ivan Jay Perry - 19-time winner of more than $655K
Always First - Winner of 6 races, Grade III winner, $552,000
Cacique - Grade I winner
Al’s Dearly Bred - Hard-knocking 20-time winner of more than $548K
Cool Conductor - Grade II winner of more than $641K
Dontbotherknocking - Earned $724K while winning 16 times

All of these names should ring a bell with horseplayers who regularly follow racing. Some of these faced Major Rhythm just once, some on more than one occasion, and it’s a testament to the running the Major actually did, that he bankrolled as much as he did while facing that kind of competition.

He will be best remembered for that July 2, 2006 upset of the Grade III Stars & Stripes Handicap over the Arlington turf course. When his number was placed up on the board, the win mutuel read a whopping $73.40 - not bad for an eight horse field in a Grade III stakes race! Though Major Rhythm will not race again after coming up with an injury before the 2009 edition of the Grade III Stars & Stripes, which was likely to be his last race, there are plenty of reasons to cherish the racing career he had, the least of which is simply the length of it all and the fact that he remained as classy as he did as long as he did.

While we racing fans in Illinois may not usually get to see the best of the best on a regular basis, and our backyard doesn’t often produce Grade I winners and Eclipse champions, it’s a good thing to sometimes take a step back and remember that from time to time we get awfully lucky. We get to see hard-knockers like Major Rhythm and plenty of those on the list above multiple times. They’re as honest as they come, and they’re the lifeblood of the racing industry. This almost fairytale-esque story from cheap Fairmount maiden to conditioned claimer to Grade III winner certainly couldn’t have happened to nicer people, and as local racing fans, we’re better for having seen it.

I’ve been laying low this past week as the meet begins to wind down, really just enjoying some time in Andersonville down in the city this weekend. It’s not so much that I’m burned out by any means, but after spending two hours walking around my neighborhood this afternoon, it was nice to have a little breather and really just relax and enjoy being outside on a beautiful day.

As things wind down, I’ll have just a little time off before new things start up. Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds are the racetracks I cover for HorseplayerPRO, and I’ll be continuing my picks for those tracks when they start up this fall.

What I wonder from those of you who read this is whether or not there is something specific that I, or we at Arlington, could do to make your summer more enjoyable or to get you out to the track more often. I’m always thinking of new things and working with Joe Kristufek and those who help me out in making things better and more fun.

If you’ve got any ideas, drop them in the comments. The end of the season is a perfect time to start thinking about what we do best, and what we could do better. I’d really love to hear your feedback.

I don’t care what anyone else says — I know there’s the economy, I know there are doom and gloom stories, I know there are any number of reasons to be pessimistic about the future of this game — people who don’t see the glass as half full should come spend a day in the Park with Joe Kristufek and me.

Yesterday was incredible. Huge thanks to everyone who came up with a question, or an opinion, or who told me there was no way Rumor Has It could win the Stars & Stripes no matter how much I insisted he would (though, who would have guessed Free Fighter?!). It was a really great day and there is so much enthusiasm for this game out there that I find it impossible to be negative about the future of racing. We always tell people that ‘no question is a bad question,’ and we mean it — some of the questions we get there begin so simply and wind up with great discussions of things completely unrelated.

That was my last Learn To Win appearance at Arlington for the year, and I totally appreciate those of  you who came out welcoming me into the fold this season at Arlington, challenging me on races and racing questions, and just having a great time with me out on the Apron level. I’ve been lucky enough to be invited to do some of the OTB appearance both with Joe and without him next month, and I’m hoping those will be just as much fun and just as interesting — we’ll be there for Hawthorne night racing. My appearances at those are as follows:

Friday 10/9:  Trackside Lockport w/ Joe Kristufek for Hawthorne night racing (first post 5:30pm)

Friday 10/16:  Trackside Hodgkins w/ Joe Kristufek for Hawthorne night racing (first post 5:30pm)

Saturday 10/24: Trackside Chicago w/ Joe Kristufek

Friday 10/30: Trackside Lockport (flying solo here!)

Check it out.

That’s Rachel Alexandra in yesterday’s Woodward stakes, setting a wicked early pace that should have meant doom for her down the lane, putting away all the early challengers, and then holding off the Grade I winner Macho Again.

There really are no words for what this filly is doing. She is answering every question offered, surviving what should be scenarios in which she should be quitting, and proving that she has heart and guts aplenty to go along with her amazing raw talent.

In other races of note that I wanted to mention, check out Justenuffhumor winning the Bernard Baruch at Saratoga a weekend or two ago.

While it was a great performance, it has an interesting connection to our local scene. Remember Dreaming of Anna? Lewis Michael? They’re all related.

Dreaming of Anna and Lewis Michael both began their careers in Chicago at Arlington Park for owner Frank C. Calabrese, and went on to have their own shares of success, including Dreaming of Anna winning the Eclipse Award for 2-year old filly of the year.

The dam has now thrown three runners to race, and all three are graded stakes winners. She is really something.

Also, speaking of Wayne Catalano-trained horses….how awesome is She Be Wild?!

Wow. What a weekend.

Well, Labor Day weekend is upon us, and this year that means a couple things - the pair of Grade III races for the 2-year olds and the (nearly) all-grass Monday card.

I liked Deceptive Glory in the Top Flight on Million Day, and I liked her quite a bit. She was dull that day, but perhaps the hot weather got to her. She never looked comfortable, and as I said in my program comment, I’m just going to throw that race out completely and give her another chance. Still, she’ll have her hands full with She Be Wild and Tiz Miz Sue. The former races for Wayne Catalano, who is showing what an exceptional conditioner he is this year, still leading the trainer standings under a different set of circumstances.

He’s also got the morning-line favorite for the Futurity for the boys, in Dixie Band, a professional and dominant winner of a pair of races of his own.

Both of those races look competitive and like they’ll be a lot of fun to watch.

Who do you like in them?

I also want to point out that Michael Straight’s brother Matthew is riding More Than Able tomorrow, a horse who broke his maiden under a huge ride by Michael earlier in the meet. Best of luck to them, it should be a really neat thing to see.

Monday’s card was drawn and has several grassy stakes races, and we’ll get to see whether Frank Calabrese’s Romocaca can win her 6th race in a row. Yes, she’s sitting on a FIVE-race win streak right now. Pretty neat for a runner who was a claiming horse not too long ago!

And in the blindingly obvious news, Rachel Alexandra is running, so I have to blog about it.

Whether you agree with the move or not, she skipped the Travers against the 3-year old boys in favor of running in tomorrow’s Woodward against older boys. She’s never faced older runners, no female horse has ever won the Woodward, let alone a 3-year old filly. She’s 1-2 on the morning-line, but she’s facing some Grade I winners in that spot, and they’ll make her work for it.

I’ve had some spirited and at times heated conversations with folks about who the best racehorse in America is right now. Is it the sensational Rachel? Is it the still undefeated Zenyatta, who while far less flashy than her younger counterpart, continues to get the job done every time she races? Is it grass monster Gio Ponti?

I love these conversations, and I think that no matter which side you come down on and no matter how strongly you believe in your position and how much trouble you give those who disagree with you (I’m very guilty of this!), it’s absolutely awesome that racing has produced the type of runners this year that allow us to have these conversations in the first place. We’ve had some dull years in recent past in racing, and that’s one word that nobody can use about 2009. We’ll see what happens for the rest of the year, but rest assured, I’ve been enjoying every conversation, and can’t wait to see how the rest of the year turns out.