Rachel Not the Same

So, the “Race for the Ages” is off, and Jess Jackson says they now regret rushing Rachel Alexandra to make the New Orleans Ladies. When a horse doesn’t work for five months, it’s usually more than the weather that is to blame. It was obvious watching Rachel on Saturday that this was not the same filly we saw last year, at least not right now.

It wasn't that she was beaten as much as the manner in which she was beaten. She actually ran to her last six-furlong work, which was totally out of character for her. The warning signs from that work carried over into the race, and one could deduce from Steve Asmussen’s comments that there were major concerns going into this race. There was a reason Asmussen put a figure-8 bridle on her, and to me she didn’t look as comfortable during the race as she did in her races last year and never exuded that feeling of dominance.