I admit, I awoke this morning with butterflies in my stomach. While I’m not personally vested in Rachel Alexandra running in the G1 Woodward, it is one of those occasions that qualifies in my eyes as a momentous event, thus the nerves and excitement building as post-time approaches.
As a historian by nature and profession, I appreciate the enormity of what she is attempting, and took a stab at giving context for it at my other blog, Fillies First. While she is not up against horses comparable with the great routers of yore—Stymie, Armed, Forego, Kelso, et al—this is a challenging field. However, in terms of pure talent, she towers above them. The only thing left is to hope and pray for a safe trip for all.
On my part, no bets for or against her will be placed today. Instead, I will sit back and enjoy this race purely as a fan of the sport, horse racing as it should be—a filly challenged to step up once more, run beyond the boundaries normally placed upon those of her sex and age, and, if the Fates allow, her name be forever etched in history as one of the truly great thoroughbred race horses.
Go, Rachel, go...
Val,
ReplyDeleteAt first glance the field didn't seem like much. However, with her post (3), speed to her outside, BOREL will have to either send and hope the others are too scared to press her, or take back and risk being victimized by "race-riding".
She's fastest on paper, gets 8 lb., and is more horse than any of these have run against...even PAST THE POINT ran vs. a shell of CURLIN in this race last year.
She wins, she's Horse of the Year in my book...no other has the body of work from winter to this point of RACHEL.
Enjoy.
I am also a big Rachel fan. She is bringing that interest back into horse racing like Ruffian did 30 years ago.
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