Both 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and the undefeated Zenyatta are in action this weekend, but a couple of thousand miles will safely separate the two super females of racing.
Rachel Alexandra will be the overwhelming favorite in Saturday?s $200,000 Fleur De Lis Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs going 1 1/8 miles, taking on four foes.
On Sunday, 2009 Breeders? Cup Classic champion Zenyatta will be seeking her 17th straight win and her third win in the $250,000 Vanity Handicap (G1) at Hollywood Park going 1 1/8 miles over the Cushion Track surface.
After being perfect in all eight starts in 2009, Rachel Alexandra returned off a six month layoff and came up ? of a length short in the New Orleans Ladies.
She was upset by Zardana, who is trained by John Shirreffs, who also trains Zenyatta.
The connections of the filly admitted at the time that she was not fully cranked, and would move forward in her next start.
That next outing came in the La Troien (G2) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs, and she was out gamed to the wire by Unrivaled Belle, coming up a head short as the heavy horse betting favorite.
Is she finally ready to return to her outstanding form of 2009?
?Rachel Alexandra continues to turn in strong works,? majority owner Jess Jackson said in a statement.
?As long as she continues to progress, we intend to race her with the expectation she will obtain her fitness level of last year or better. Our ultimate goal and hope is to enter the Breeders? Cup (at Churchill Downs) in November.?
The filly again will be a short price, 2/5 on the morning line as she faces what looks on paper like four overmatched foes.
The second Horse wagering choice in the race likely will be the Marty Wolfson trained Jessica Is Back, who set the early fractions and could not hold off the winner late in a runner up finish in the Sixty Sails Stakes at Hawthorne.
The filly has won 11 of 42 starts in her career for earnings of $546,385, and will be making her first start over the Churchill Downs main track.
Made for Magic ships in from the west coast off a sharp win in the Milady Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park.
The mare was beaten by Zenyatta by 8 ? lengths back in March in the Santa Margarita Handicap (G1).
The Wallace Dollase trainee Distictive Dixie finished 13 lengths back of Rachel Alexandra in the La Troien, and is 0 for 5 in her career in stakes.
Completing the field is Multipass, who owns a couple of wins over the main track at Churchill Downs but the best she has done in a stake is a runner up finish in the Remington Oaks last fall.
Rachel Alexandra will have regular rider Calvin Borel aboard and will carry 124 pounds, giving her opponents between 7 and 11 pounds.
The La Troien is one of five graded stakes on the Saturday card, with top billing going to the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI).
Other stakes on the card are the $125,000 Northern Dancer (G3), $125,000 Regret (G3), and the $100,000 Jefferson Cup (G3).Zenyatta will be the heavy favorite on Sunday in the Vanity, but she will have to deal with her stablemate Zardana, who upset Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies, but regressed in her next start, a fifth place finish in the La Troien.
The undefeated Zenyatta will be going for history on Sunday, seeking her 17th career win, which would surpass Cigar, Citation and Mister Frisky, all winners of 16 in a row, and own the record for most consecutive wins by a modern day thoroughbred in non restricted races.
In addition to Zardana looking to bounce back with a better effort, there are four other fillies and mare looking to stop the streaking Zenyatta.
Miss Silver Brook bobbled coming out of the gate and finished evenly in a fourth place finish in the Milady Handicap (G2) in her most recent outing.
The Julio Canani trainee is 0 for 3 over the Hollywood Park main track.
St. Trinians is returning off a three month break for trainer Mike Mitchell. The five year old mare took on the boys in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in her last start, checking in a non threatening sixth.
Will O Way will be saddled by trainer Vladimir Cerin and ridden by Tyler Baze. The four year old filly is riding a six race losing streak, her last victory coming in the California Oaks in Jan. of 2009.
Completing the field if the John Sadler trained Cherryblossommiss, who was third in the Harry Henson Handicap on March 28 in her last outing.
She is seeking her first stakes win, with just two career wins in her 14 starts, a maiden win and a first level allowance victory, which came over the Hollywood Park surface last November.
The showdown between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta will have to wait until later this summer or most likely at Churchill Downs for the Breeders? Cup.
The connections of Zenyatta have the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 7 as their next start if all foes well in the Vanity.
Rachel Alexandra will be the overwhelming favorite in Saturday?s $200,000 Fleur De Lis Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs going 1 1/8 miles, taking on four foes.
On Sunday, 2009 Breeders? Cup Classic champion Zenyatta will be seeking her 17th straight win and her third win in the $250,000 Vanity Handicap (G1) at Hollywood Park going 1 1/8 miles over the Cushion Track surface.
After being perfect in all eight starts in 2009, Rachel Alexandra returned off a six month layoff and came up ? of a length short in the New Orleans Ladies.
She was upset by Zardana, who is trained by John Shirreffs, who also trains Zenyatta.
The connections of the filly admitted at the time that she was not fully cranked, and would move forward in her next start.
That next outing came in the La Troien (G2) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs, and she was out gamed to the wire by Unrivaled Belle, coming up a head short as the heavy horse betting favorite.
Is she finally ready to return to her outstanding form of 2009?
?Rachel Alexandra continues to turn in strong works,? majority owner Jess Jackson said in a statement.
?As long as she continues to progress, we intend to race her with the expectation she will obtain her fitness level of last year or better. Our ultimate goal and hope is to enter the Breeders? Cup (at Churchill Downs) in November.?
The filly again will be a short price, 2/5 on the morning line as she faces what looks on paper like four overmatched foes.
The second Horse wagering choice in the race likely will be the Marty Wolfson trained Jessica Is Back, who set the early fractions and could not hold off the winner late in a runner up finish in the Sixty Sails Stakes at Hawthorne.
The filly has won 11 of 42 starts in her career for earnings of $546,385, and will be making her first start over the Churchill Downs main track.
Made for Magic ships in from the west coast off a sharp win in the Milady Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park.
The mare was beaten by Zenyatta by 8 ? lengths back in March in the Santa Margarita Handicap (G1).
The Wallace Dollase trainee Distictive Dixie finished 13 lengths back of Rachel Alexandra in the La Troien, and is 0 for 5 in her career in stakes.
Completing the field is Multipass, who owns a couple of wins over the main track at Churchill Downs but the best she has done in a stake is a runner up finish in the Remington Oaks last fall.
Rachel Alexandra will have regular rider Calvin Borel aboard and will carry 124 pounds, giving her opponents between 7 and 11 pounds.
The La Troien is one of five graded stakes on the Saturday card, with top billing going to the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI).
Other stakes on the card are the $125,000 Northern Dancer (G3), $125,000 Regret (G3), and the $100,000 Jefferson Cup (G3).Zenyatta will be the heavy favorite on Sunday in the Vanity, but she will have to deal with her stablemate Zardana, who upset Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies, but regressed in her next start, a fifth place finish in the La Troien.
The undefeated Zenyatta will be going for history on Sunday, seeking her 17th career win, which would surpass Cigar, Citation and Mister Frisky, all winners of 16 in a row, and own the record for most consecutive wins by a modern day thoroughbred in non restricted races.
In addition to Zardana looking to bounce back with a better effort, there are four other fillies and mare looking to stop the streaking Zenyatta.
Miss Silver Brook bobbled coming out of the gate and finished evenly in a fourth place finish in the Milady Handicap (G2) in her most recent outing.
The Julio Canani trainee is 0 for 3 over the Hollywood Park main track.
St. Trinians is returning off a three month break for trainer Mike Mitchell. The five year old mare took on the boys in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in her last start, checking in a non threatening sixth.
Will O Way will be saddled by trainer Vladimir Cerin and ridden by Tyler Baze. The four year old filly is riding a six race losing streak, her last victory coming in the California Oaks in Jan. of 2009.
Completing the field if the John Sadler trained Cherryblossommiss, who was third in the Harry Henson Handicap on March 28 in her last outing.
She is seeking her first stakes win, with just two career wins in her 14 starts, a maiden win and a first level allowance victory, which came over the Hollywood Park surface last November.
The showdown between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta will have to wait until later this summer or most likely at Churchill Downs for the Breeders? Cup.
The connections of Zenyatta have the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 7 as their next start if all foes well in the Vanity.
