Rachel Alexandra: Pedal to the Mettle

[europeracing]

Of course its U-N-C-O-N-D-I-T-I-O-N-A-L...lo­ve for the Rachel Alexandra fans...

...because she can't win a Grade I anymore.

Rachel Alexandra was the most overhyped eastern-based press horse that I have seen since Easy Goer.

Here we have Macho Again breeding down in Venezuela because the Lexington, KY outfits wanted no part of him in the breeding shed, and you have a horse named "Mine That Bird" that will never win another Grade I event in his lifetime.

Keeping it real.

Just sayin...

[DBJKAJ]

That Rachel Alexandra has one of the ugliest head markings I have ever seen.

[sylvesterseye]

@DBJKAJ You again? Did the Chuck E Cheese manager kick you out again? Go eat some rat poison you prick.

[queenluciaa]

@DBJKAJ

Rachel A. is GORGEOUS! Her upside-down Exclamation point adds to her everlasting brilliance. Too bad you can't see it.

[kadir1982]

i would have given literally my left nut to own a horse as wonderful as rachel is..jj is a very lucky man...hell, i d pick rachel over miss universe if i was ever to pick one :) she rocks, cant wait to see her againts zenyatta...

[catzcondo]

Congratulations Rachel, HOTY! Voting was not even very close, She won by quite a large margin, and She deserves the win. Looking forward to seeing her run this year.

[joaniln]

Saw things I didn't see the first couple of go rounds. I love this vlog! Ernie, you rock!

[Floppydog]

No, Joanlin - thank YOU. What a nice thing to say

[banjodawgg]

Great & entertaining (the gorilla!!!!) video!

Thanks so much, my heroine, Rachel A.!

[Floppydog]

I hear ya, Banjodawgg

[banjodawgg]

I'm just grinnin' rememberin' the "gorilla", lol!

I need to watch it again!

[ThePixiePoet]

@banjodawgg: The gorilla appearing is one of my favorite parts too!!

[naturesroses]

keybender I love RA. Love her makeup and love her running style. She herself is a ledgend of her own. There really is not a way to put those two together (they came from different times). Each has their place in history and I just hope to GOD that RA stays safe and healthy. It isn't about who is better. It is about their own story. They all have one. :)

[ThePixiePoet]

I love the pun "Pedal to the Mettle", so appropriate!

[Tangospell1]

Part 2 to Floppydog- As a poster wrote on Steve Haskell's blog, there is something touching and "vulnerable" about Rachel - and I feel it too. Can't exactly put it into words. - she certainly gave everything she had and then some - displaying the heart and courage of a true champion! Hope this doesn't have any long asting negative

[Tangospell1]

Part 1 to Floppydog - Thanks SO much for this great video. How did you get so close to her? IMHO if she had not been forced to run such a brutal pace she would have won by a larger margin.

[Floppydog]

Thanks for the kind words, Tango. She is one for the ages. Totally agree about brutal pace/larger margin.

[MrBehindthesun]

big thanks from germany for sharing this video-the best for rachel she is so beautiful and a super star on all tracks :-)a dream for me and my girlfriend to see this filly in real live.

[Floppydog]

What a nice thing to say. Maybe we'll meet when she runs again next year!

[lengua92]

You lucky son of a bitch!

[TroyStrait]

Rachel Won this with heart and grit. They could have continued racing her against fillies and she would have probably continued winning anywhere between 10 and 25 lengths. But to see her fight for a win against older males is very exciting. And its good for racing.

[naturesroses]

I love Rachaels makeup. She is one beautiul filly. :)

[PhoebeHelen]

Thanks so much for posting this! It's the next-best thing for those of us who don't get to be there in person, to share the moment with the best horse since Ruffian, and the best jockey since Willie Shoemaker. Thanks again!!

[naturesroses]

There ya go. Best horse since Ruffian. :) That makes sense to me.

[Gabria13]

Thank you so much for this! It really gives a good feeling for what it must have been like that day. Wish I had been there!

[Chariset]

Is that a pun or a spelling error?

[ThePixiePoet]

"Pedal" is the most beautiful part of a flower, describing a beautiful female (ie: Rachel).

"Mettle" is courage and high quality of character, especially when tested.

It is a pun, a play on words. "Pedal to the Mettle" means Rachel is such a beautiful horse like a flower yet is strong under test, like in this race!

[Floppydog]

Perfect analysis

[bluecaterpillar]

Um, wouldn't that be 'petal' ?

[ThePixiePoet]

Oh yes, you are right. Oh well. (I wasn't the one who made it up). But, hey, it still works with "Pedal" because she is like a race car where you can press the pedal down and accelerate... (These metaphors are getting really deep, man!)

[Floppydog]

I meant it as pedal (vroom) to the mettle (pugnacity), but it's whatever you want it to be (corny but true)

Cool username, Bluecaterpillar

[LJKingMT]

@ThePixiePoet Actually, the part of the flower is a "petal" -- a "pedal" is a lever as in the gas pedal in a vehicle or on a bicycle that you use to translate foot/leg energy into forward impulsion... Either way, Rachel is a class act with plenty of mettle. Great video -- really enjoyed it. Thanks for making it and sharing it with us, Floppy! :D

[mvlach77]

Very Very Cool! Thanks for this video!

[rockybudgeboa]

What an awesome video, Who needs American Idol when we have the REAL American Idol right here in the Horseflesh!!!!

[WOOKSTER8]

Loved it!!!

[naturesroses]

Do you really believe that RA is better than Ruffian? WOW. I sure don't. I like RA but she is NOT Ruffian. There will never be another Ruffian. :)

[WOOKSTER8]

Hello there! Hope you are well! I never said that, Rachel is incredible, Ruffian was the best filly of all time, But, I am not one to compare from different eras, They are both amazing....Hey, Look for Lentenor to race in maybe three to four weeks!!!!!!

[naturesroses]

In three weeks as the Breeders Cup? When is that. I have been out of the loop as you know all summer and you know why. I am starting to come back now very slowly. :) How is Nicanor? :)

[WOOKSTER8]

NO, I was talking about LENTENOR's first race, VERY SOON!!!!, I will be there, I can't wait...

[naturesroses]

Watch the replay of that race. Mike pulled her up about 1/4 away from the wire. She hurt her front foot and he slowed her down RIGHT before the wire. You didn't see that? It was obvious. We watched her limp after that too. When is Lentenor running????? I need the info..... :)

[WOOKSTER8]

Trust Me, I know people that know, She is in perfect health, No injury!, lol...

Very Soon on Lentenor!!!!!!

[naturesroses]

Man I won't even go over to the site cause I don't wanna hear about Mine That Bird grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. It was the horse. HE told Calvin "you think u are getting back on me and winning this race after jumping ship and messin up my TC? HA" That is why he didn't win LOL.................

[WOOKSTER8]

MTB will be fine, It was a prep race, Too short a distance for his style, He had ten weeks off, He was only off by 3 1/2 lengths, I really think Joe T. would be better, But, Calvin is already commited to him for the classic, HEY, send me your e-mail address, I need to send you something :)

[naturesroses]

Calvin doesn't deserve to ride MTB! Not after the Preakness. U know how I feel about that. Email on the way. :) Put Calivin on a DONKY! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[naturesroses]

Yeah Ruffian was actually the best BUT RA is also the best for HER. Hey did you hear about Zenyatta? She was limping going to the winner circle. Hope she is OK? I emailed Prado and asked him and hopefully get something back. :) Email me......... I hit a lot today. Yesterday, Edgar won 6 of his 8 races and one of them was a 2nd and the other a 4th. Hit the board on all of them yesterday.

[WOOKSTER8]

Congrats!!! Edgar was on FIRE yesterday!!! Zenyatta is fine!, I don't know where you heard that, but, Completely false, I really hope they point her in the Breeder's Classic against the boys, She will win WHOEVER she takes on! What an amazing mare!, Effortless...

[naturesroses]

I put a win on all of Edgars races yesterday and today hit the exacta in the race at Oak Tree with Precious Passion with the DD! :)

[WOOKSTER8]

Also, I was at the race to see Rachel win, It was the most ELECTRIC atmosphere I have ever experienced, I never saw Ruffian in person, So, Very hard to compare. But seeing rachel up close, She is quite an amazing filly, WOW!

[naturesroses]

Yeah I agree. RA is a wonderful filly BUT when people try to compare her to Ruffian and Go For Wand like in this vid, I get my feathers ruffled. I am not sure about Go For Wand but I know that Ruffian is a ledgand and she will always be no. 1 in my heart. Look at the way SHE won ALL of her races. She was beautiful.. I will send you a vid. :)

[keybender]

Easy naturesroses, anyone who loves RA and knows anything about horse racing history loves Ruffian as well. Rachel Alexandra has proven she is worthy or being mentioned in the same sentence as Ruffian when people talk about the greatest fillies of all time and that is no disrespect to the legendary Ruffian.

[Patterson1011]

Excellent piece!---Thank you floppydog...and the star of the show, Rachel Alexandra.

[vvssitic]

awesome watch, thanks - she's one for the ages!

[izvestia03]

brilliant--and thanx so much floppydog for this.

[ThePixiePoet]

I loved every minute of this. It was fascinating!! Floppydog: How are you related to Rachel?