Rachel Alexandra - Page 5

smuthg · #81 05-02-2009, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgardn

Imo the bolded was one of the most bizarre races.
They absolutely crawled... it was just weird.
I cannot use that race as some sort of milestone
or measuring stick.

I also say leave the mighty O. Board out of this discussion.
She proved herself against a high level of competition in multiple
events over time. We are not close to that yet withRA.

well put... like I said, the best filly/mare of the decade.

CSC · #82 05-02-2009, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smuthg

nope. Zarkarva was special, but Ouija Board was the best horse in the world for three years and last year's Arc was pretty weak. I still think in Frankie doesn't get her pinned on the rail in Tokyo in her last race she beats Deep Impact on his track in front of his home town crowd...

There is something to be said for Longevity, for me personally there is no set formula, however if I had a choice I would go Zarkava, Makybe Diva, and Ouija Board in that order. All 3 were very good fillies.

ateamstupid · #83 05-02-2009, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smuthg

nope. Zarkarva was special, but Ouija Board was the best horse in the world for three years and last year's Arc was pretty weak. I still think in Frankie doesn't get her pinned on the rail in Tokyo in her last race she beats Deep Impact on his track in front of his home town crowd...

Seriously?

She was a very good racehorse, but the best horse in the world for three years? She definitely wasn't the best in the world in '05, I think Ghostzapper was better than her in '04, so that leaves '06 as a possibility..

#84 05-02-2009, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Seriously?

She was a very good racehorse, but the best horse in the world for three years? She definitely wasn't the best in the world in '05, I think Ghostzapper was better than her in '04, so that leaves '06 as a possibility..

The real freak.
The term has been overused I guess.
But not with Ghostzapper.

Lost In The Fog as well.

ateamstupid · #85 05-02-2009, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgardn

The real freak.
The term has been overused I guess.
But not with Ghostzapper.

Lost In The Fog as well.

LITF was fast, but he was far from a GZ. GZ's brilliance wasn't just his speed, but his tractability and ability to be equally fast at seemingly any distance. LITF, as fast as he was, never did anything past seven furlongs.

Scurlogue Champ · #86 05-02-2009, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Seriously?

She was a very good racehorse, but the best horse in the world for three years? She definitely wasn't the best in the world in '05, I think Ghostzapper was better than her in '04, so that leaves '06 as a possibility..

She wasn't the best horse in the world any year.

#87 05-02-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

LITF was fast, but he was far from a GZ. GZ's brilliance wasn't just his speed, but his tractability and ability to be equally fast at seemingly any distance. LITF, as fast as he was, never did anything past seven furlongs.

What he did at 6f was incredible.
But if the definition of a freak is all distances, you would have to be correct.
And with a tumor... I wonder how many races
it actually played a role. The last most likely.

ateamstupid · #88 05-02-2009, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgardn

What he did at 6f was incredible.
But if the definition of a freak is all distances, you would have to be correct.
And with a tumor... I wonder how many races
it actually played a role. The last most likely.

It's not the definition of a freak, but running 110+ Beyers at 6 1/2 furlongs, 7 furlongs, a mile, 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4 miles is way more impressive than doing it a few times at 6 and 7 furlongs. Not to mention that GZ did it on the lead, stalking, and as a dead closer.

Sightseek · #89 05-02-2009, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

It's not the definition of a freak, but running 110+ Beyers at 6 1/2 furlongs, 7 furlongs, a mile, 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4 miles is way more impressive than doing it a few times at 6 and 7 furlongs. Not to mention that GZ did it on the lead, stalking, and as a dead closer.

All of his races were just unbelievable, but this will always be my favorite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyQvNu-XQoQ

CSC · #90 05-02-2009, 12:36 AM

OB was a hard knocker, a filly/mare very easy to like and respect. I can understand why she is so liked, of the fillies NA's are probably familiar with she was better than Bank's Hill, closer to Pride than Zarkava in talent. It's a similar argument when you discuss Personal Ensign, Winning Colors, Lady's Secret...

ateamstupid · #91 05-02-2009, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sightseek

All of his races were just unbelievable, but this will always be my favorite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyQvNu-XQoQ

His '03 Vosburgh win was my favorite. His turn of foot was

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxoPR7THZvM

Consider that he went wire-to-wire a year later in winning the BC Classic.

CSC · #92 05-02-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

His '03 Vosburgh win was my favorite. His turn of foot was

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxoPR7THZvM

Consider that he went wire-to-wire a year later in winning the BC Classic.

He was incredible, it would have been even more incredible if Frankel wasn't winning everything back then...

Sightseek · #93 05-02-2009, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

His '03 Vosburgh win was my favorite. His turn of foot was

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxoPR7THZvM

Consider that he went wire-to-wire a year later in winning the BC Classic.

Yeah, that one was pretty darn impressive.

While they are no where in the same league as Ghostzapper, it's kinda funny how Castellano lucks into some of the biggest horses in the past few years like Bernardini and Bellamy Road in the Wood.

Travis Stone · #94 05-02-2009, 12:59 AM

No need to compare, contrast and wonder if she could be this filly or that filly of yesteryear. Regardless, a 20 length win by a filly who looked like she was out for an afternoon gallop is pretty awesome.

#95 05-02-2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

It's not the definition of a freak, but running 110+ Beyers at 6 1/2 furlongs, 7 furlongs, a mile, 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4 miles is way more impressive than doing it a few times at 6 and 7 furlongs. Not to mention that GZ did it on the lead, stalking, and as a dead closer.

If Beyer numbers are what we go by,
then Ghostzapper has to be the best of all
time. How many Beyers numbers at or over 120 did he get?
Got a bit far-fetched (the measuring stick went wacky)
Has any horse ever received that many Beyers at or over 120?
Has any horse had, what, about 40% of his Beyers at or over 120?

Wacked out.

ateamstupid · #96 05-02-2009, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgardn

If Beyer numbers are what we go by,
then Ghostzapper has to be the best of all
time. How many Beyers numbers at or over 120 did he get?
Got a bit far-fetched (the measuring stick went wacky)
Has any horse ever received that many Beyers at or over 120?
Has any horse had, what, about 40% of his Beyers at or over 120?

Wacked out.

Like I said, it's not just his speed, it's how many different ways he did what he did.

He had four 120+ Beyers. 128 in the Iselin, 124 in the BC Classic, 123 in the Met Mile and 120 in the Tom Fool. I'm pretty positive he's not the only horse with multiple 120+ numbers. Groovy ran 133 and 132 in back-to-back six-furlong races.

robfla · #97 05-02-2009, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgar311

Thats all i could think about was Secretariat as she was opening up down the lane. Another good question is did smoeone take a similar picture of her from inside the rail showing the other horses far back.

kgar311 · #98 05-02-2009, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robfla

lol AWESOME

SOREHOOF · #99 05-02-2009, 08:29 AM

A long telephoto lens makes the horses behind her appear much closer than they really are.

Danzig · #**100** 05-02-2009, 09:21 AM

altho i like rachel alexandra, comparing her to ouija board is an exercise in futility. i don't agree that OB was the 'best horse over three years'-but she did take on top competition throughout her career-something RA has yet to do. and ouija did that and won. too soon to say what rachel alexandra will accomplish. she has talent and ability; i'm very impressed with what she's done thus far.
the connections have big plans for her the rest of the year, including taking on older females in the delaware handicap. they plan to end the year in the bc-but no plans according to them to take on the opposite sex.
enjoy her and her efforts, but let's not get too silly about it just yet.