tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post3075824785087960104..comments2023-05-23T06:58:05.579-04:00Comments on Fugue for Tinhorns: Rachel. Zenyatta. Belmont. ... And pigs fly.Glenn Cravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09760553404742644042noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-80449045136904385592009-08-22T12:16:48.733-04:002009-08-22T12:16:48.733-04:00So glad to see you this morning!!! I hope you enj...So glad to see you this morning!!! I hope you enjoyed your Chick-fil-A experience - and the cow-stume!!! :-)<br /><br />Wasn't that little fella adorable!Gina Eaveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145297908173255612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-81537066933516336432009-08-20T13:44:13.622-04:002009-08-20T13:44:13.622-04:00I would think the Gulfstream idea, which I'd s...I would think the Gulfstream idea, which I'd seen elsewhere is a non-starter for the simple reason that GP is relentlessly speed-favoring; Zenyatta would be a huge disadvantage there.Frankhttp://www.thatsamorestable.net/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-55077206809845424242009-08-19T18:52:05.047-04:002009-08-19T18:52:05.047-04:00That would, indeed, be special ... a dead-heat. :-...That would, indeed, be special ... a dead-heat. :-)Glenn Cravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09760553404742644042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-40350708709059823672009-08-19T15:07:13.056-04:002009-08-19T15:07:13.056-04:00I just thought of something. Could you imagine wha...I just thought of something. Could you imagine what the reaction would be if these two superstars met and Zenyatta caught up to, but didn't pass, Rachel Alexandra at the wire, and it was a dead heat? I think I'd be chuckling for days ... :)<br /><br />I think Fairgrounds makes sense (which reminds me of someone else's idea which I think makes the most sense: open up Oaklawn for a weekend and do it there, the only track they've both raced on). I've always suspected we're ALL going to have to learn a lot more about Louisiana racing, as Delta Downs is where so much of the money is right now ... :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-25134892031100968122009-08-19T13:54:30.538-04:002009-08-19T13:54:30.538-04:00I agree that the Zenyatta camp isn't opposed t...I agree that the Zenyatta camp isn't opposed to the notion of racing Rachel, which means "on real dirt."<br /><br />But I do believe that the Beldame compromises Zenyatta's chances -- potentially both in that race and working towards the Breeders' Cup -- with no real concessions made by Team Rachel.<br /><br />You know, how about the Fair Grounds proposal? They've added a stakes race for fillies and mares six weeks after the Breeders' Cup. Presently only a $100,000 purse (and, as a new race, of course ungraded) I'm sure if both camps wanted to race there, sponsorships could easily be secured to drive that purse to $750,000 or $1 million.<br /><br />And everybody could party in the French Quarter for a week or so beforehand and either celebrate or drown their sorrows there after.Glenn Cravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09760553404742644042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1266573065584680131.post-23328105019919042152009-08-19T13:05:42.752-04:002009-08-19T13:05:42.752-04:00The tenor of the comments coming out of Big Z'...The tenor of the comments coming out of Big Z's camp is encouraging. They've been pretty open to the idea of a matchup AND they've made it clear they're willing to run her all the way through February. That opens many other options besides Belmont's Beldame. <br /><br />I've always thought the Clark Handicap is a non-starter, as it's too close to the Breeders Cup (three weeks, while fine for many horses, doesn't fit with Big Z's history of training and racing, where she normally takes a month or two to prepare for each race).<br /><br />I think a wintertime matchup down in Gulfstream Park makes sense, although some horsemen have reacted poorly to that when I've brought it up, opining that the GP track is much too hard for a horse like Zenyatta who is used to forgiving surfaces. A wintertime matchup at Aqueduct also works, I think.<br /><br />Any way you cut it, I think Big Z's connections are open to the idea of racing on dirt against RA sometime between now and February. Hopefully, it will happen. If it does, the handle at each race track in North America will be off-the-charts high :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com