8/29 (SAR): Personal Ensign S. (G1)

[Thunder Gulch]

On paper the BCC field was better than what RA faced and light years better than anything Zenyatta has faced in the last 2 years. That's on paper, however, and the race was won on plastic. Who knows what would have happened on a fast dirt track- we know Zenyatta would have scratched if not fast- but you can't just look at the likes of the Euros and Gio and talk about their mere presence making the quality of racing better. If they were on grass its a different story for those. I also wouldn't judge Summer Bird on the basis of that plastic track effort. That was a heck of a nice colt during the summer/ fall campaign, so an unfamiliar surface after a long year doesn't tell the tale. Call him the worst Belmont/Travers winner ever if you will, but that's a tag most any would take. In between those, he was crushed by that filly..
As for Rachel - clearly not the same horse. Even the die hards who pointed to good times in earlier losses have little to look at this time. Some are excusing it saying she dueled, but last year she dueled in quicker fractions and won the Preakness and Woodward. I'll admit last year wasn't the greatest group of 3yo ever assembled, but you don't win 100+ year old classics like the KY Oaks by 20 lengths or leave a trail of records without showing greatness. Spectacular Bid and Ruffian didn't beat much but they stopped the clock faster than anyone had ever done on more than one occasion.