2009 Preakness

[DBJMKJ]

This Jess Jackson is a clown.

This guy thinks he is a military commander moving pieces around on a map. If the stars don't align and the tooth fairy does not wave his magical wand, then his filly will not attend the "Race for the Ages".

Charles Cella should leave the purse at 5 million and let the coward and his trainer stay at home.

He didn't want to go out to Santa Anita and he doesn't want to show up at Oaklawn

Here's a guy running scared and its become laughable!

[ilovevsboy25]

DUHRU4REAL is a douche who thinks he knows it all

[frankschlanker]

This is my favourite race of the year!! What a game filly she is! Mine That Bird probably given way to much to do.If this race was in Europe the jockey would have been hung! But what a race!

[Starbuc1]

They were smart NOT to run her in the Belmont. Not because she could not have won, she could have. She had 4 hard fast races in a very short period. To go 1 1/2 after that schedule would have been crazy and not in her long term interest. I'm fan of resting horses,not running them to death. She made her point, the boys are second best this year. Perhaps, many more to come as she continues to run.

[spammer5678]

Big Drama Drama Drama

[dlam45]

good race

[viking1938]

SHE'S IN THE BELMONT WITH BOREL IN THE IRONS!!! Most others haven't assigned their jockeys yet. I'll be at the OTB.

[curlin1234]

Borel is riding Mine That Bird in the Belmont, Rachel Alexandra isn't running.

[viking1938]

Alas, you are correct. She was listed in the morning line-up, but scratched in the afternoon when I looked to see which other riders had mounts.

[creaturelova]

She's not going in the belmont anymore

[viking1938]

I saw that the afternoon of the day I posted. I'm hoping she'll run against Zenyatta later in the year. They both are amazing animals! If you haven't seen Z. race look her up on you tube. She is 10 for 10, & has a totally different running style---from w-a-a-a-y in the back.

[creaturelova]

Yeah i want to see Rachel against Zenny. I love Zenny sooooooo much.

[Bezzozitto]

la mejor filly

[RapMusicSucks311]

wow amazing.

[JunmaiShu]

1 1/3 - Musket Man & MTB overtake RA, who begins to fade. Papa Clem & Pioneer of the Nile about to blow by her as well.

1 1/2 (finish) - MTB's late kick is just too much. He takes 1'st. Musket Man with another solid race at 2'nd. Papa Clem & PofN 3 & 4 and maybe another horse or two pass the Filly as well. She ultimately ends up 6'th or 7'th.

[JunmaiShu]

Realistically this is how The Belmont would go if RA ran in it:

The first 3/4 mi. would be similar. RA & BD out front, MTB near the rear, Musket Man in the pack.

1 mi. - MTB begins to make a move. The rest of the pack starts catching up to RA. BD begins to fade.

1 1/8 - MTB gets out of the pack and starts kicking. Musket Man 2'nd, eyes set on RA.

1 1/4 - Musket Man pulls beside RA. MTB right on their tails closing fast.

[BE109]

Let me illustrate my opinion that the pace of this race was not as fast as it sounds. Sure the 1st 1/2 mile was brisk in 46 3/5,but that is not considered a extremely fast fraction. More importantly,the 2nd 1/2 mile was run in 49 1/5. That is pedestrian at best. What that means is RA got a huge breather during that 49 1/5 2nd 1/2 mile. She was laboring in the stretch and MTB was coming with a flourish! He made up 8 or 9 lengths on her in the stretch. She was fortunate the wire came when it did!

[VanorOrion]

i like rachel too , but she was tireing at the end....

[smartcowgirl]

im glad a filly won, but i think Mine That Bird could have won if there was a little bit more race left.

[Starbuc1]

Dam, she's good!!!!!! Could have taken the triple crown but I understand why they chose not to un he in the derby. I've always loved Ruffian. I watched her train as a child. I was only 6 years old but still remember her running like it was yesterday. RA is so much like Ruffian on and off the track. Best 3 yr old? No doubt at all. Best horse racing today of any age? Her and Zenyatta will decide that crown late this year. I can't wait.

[JunmaiShu]

This horse had no chance to win the triple crown. This race was Taylor Made for a horse like RA because it's so short. A sprinter can get out in front and barely hang on if things go well. It's also really narrow and hard to make passes again favoring horses that can get in front early. The Derby and Belmont are different races. The Belmont is more like a marathon than a sprint, it's over 1/4 mi. longer than the Preakness. This Filly will fade late if she runs.

[rebliz22]

MIke Smith is riding Mine that bird? i did not no that i dont think calvin should have ditched Mine that bird even if see is the right horse for him he is the first jockey to do that i dont think he should have.

[viking1938]

Calvin Borel has ridden RA in her last several winning stakes races, so he did not "ditch" MTB, as you stated. He has been RA's jockey for some time now, so he is not an opportunist. He has said that she is the best he ever has ridden.

[viking1938]

It will make for a very interesting race when she & Zenyatta meet, as Zenyatta runs from the back of the field every time. It's just her natural style. I guess she needs a little time unwind those long legs. Take a look at some of her races to see what I mean.

Regarding the comment about Mike Smith, he is a Hall of Fame jockey, not a loser.

[probabiliteegalzero]

The jockey of the horse n# 2 had suck...Never give a good horse to a loser...It is THE PREAKNESS STATES and the jockey of horse n#2 waits too far from the leader.

[EasyCompanyAirborne]

THe more I look at this race, the more that I think Rachel Alexandra won easily. Mine That Bird had every chance. He was not so far back coming into the stretch. The filly had him well covered. If the race was 2 furlongs longer, she still would have held him.

[joejohn1423]

i wished SO much that MTB had caught rachel. not because of borel switching from him, but just because i love underdogs, especially to win the triple crown. i hope to see that every year! i usually dont even watch the belmont if there's no trip crown possibility, but this year i will cuz i want to see the underdog win one more. such a small, brave horse. i love it! too bad mike smith won't ride him again

[cindyshealed]

Get over it...the mare won. (I don't call a three year old a filly).

[rideshorse05]

Well, a three year old is a filly.

[viking1938]

You are incorrect. She is a filly until she turns 5. A colt becomes a horse at 4.

[shellpen10]

I thought that a female thoroughbred was a filly until she bred and had a foal...then she is considered a mare.

[viking1938]

Nope. It goes strictly by age. They have to do that for the sake of uniformity. 5 years=mare, & 4 years= horse. That's why it's so important to try to time breeding to have foals early in the year, but not too early. If a mare foals on 12-31, the foal is 1 year old on 1-1, even though it's only 1 day old in real time. Not good. And it doesn't apply just to thoroughbreds.

[cindyshealed]

I'm not into the racing crowd. I grew up around Quarter Horses. I'm not worried about propriety here.

[viking1938]

I know quarter horses as well, & all your racing stock turns a year older on Jan. 1. A filly is a filly, & a mare is a mare, like it or not. You can see it in the Racing Form. That is the simple reason they try to breed so that foals are born as early in the year as possible. If born in Dec., they are 1 year old on Jan. 1. Rules are rules in the sport. Propriety has nothing to do with it.

[MrSilver1234]

Mike Smith rode the race to the best abilities of MTB. Subtracting a couple minor would be bumping avoidances at the stretch drive then clearly a photo finish was likely the candidate to the outcome.

[MrSilver1234]

I do believe if RA don't compete in the Belmont, Borel would be invited back to ride MTB. The logic is not to go against the hot hands of Borel and by the same token Mike Smith retains the ride if MTB won the Preakness.

[viking1938]

And just a note: Chantal Sutherland was/is (?) Mike Smith's girlfriend.

Should Borel get MTB for the Belmont, he could have a Triple Crown win. Wouldn't that be an irony. He said that RA didn't get along with the Pimlico surface, as she likes a drier track underfoot., so struggled a bit. A sad bit of trivia: MTB is a gelding, so no offspring from him. Her foals will be worth fortunes, & I believe that her owner also owns the Horse of the Year, Curlin. Imagine what those foals will be worth!!!

[MrSilver1234]

A Hall of Famer named Mike Smith

[HorsecrazyZukoFan]

who rode mind that?

[MrSilver1234]

It's obvious, the story and the race belongs in the Thoroughbred racing history. RA's easy victory was a testament to Borel's judgement skills and not only he declared the results of the race before it happen but the filly wired the field without a challenge. Truly, a great race in our life time and may never be repeated at the Preakness.

[kotch689]

my gosh Mine That Bird has a lot of strenght in his tank and was totally wasted because the attack went late..IF only MTB moved earlier Rachel Alexandra would have been passed with ease

[viking1938]

I'm looking forward to the meeting of RA & the great unbeaten filly Zenyatta, probably later this year in a Breeder's Cup Race. Next Saturday Zenyatta runs in the Milady at Hollywood Park. Zenyatta was unraced as a 2 year old, as she was growing into being an unusually large filly: almost 17 hands & 1200 pounds. For any who might not know, a hand is 4", & is measured from the ground to the top of the withers. 17 hands is big for a colt, much less a filly.

[califit4Life]

Just as the commentator said''They Both are for REal"" and they are.What a great race and what A great comeback by Mine that Bird even though he fell short by a length.What a run and what a great win by the Super filly Rachel Alexandra and another solid 3rd for the Musket Man as well. Awesome Race.....!

[MrSilver1234]

I personally do not see RA competing in the Belmont at 12 furlongs. Well, not until she can prove successfully at the Classic distance against an open class ( all ages). Perhaps that will be her next challenge. RA has everything to lose but nothing to gain by entering the Belmont. IMO

[JaylonW]

And RA won from the 13th Post..and stayed outside the entire race...Don't fool yourselves about her stamina....

[JaylonW]

It kills me that everyone keeps saying if the track were longer, MTB would have won....If the track were longer, RA would have waited a little longer to pull away. I'm no expert...but I would take the advice of the JOCKEY that rode them both,...He thinks RA is the best horse he's ever ridden. That's enough for me...

[MrSilver1234]

There is no gaurantee in life. If Borel had riden MTB and a new Rider won with RA in the Preakness. Borel would have lose the privilege to the filly. Let give him credit for his due diligence rather than criticizing him. The filly would have won with or without Borel on board.

[tcumbie]

I am agree with all of you , Mine that Bird is the best. It also look great. Wooley has to be congratulated for the way he is treating that horse.

Smith somehow seemed to restrain the horse a few seconds before the end of the race, instead to let it go. it's the jockey who lost the race , not the horse. Mine that bird was still full of strenght , Rachel Alexandra had nothing left.

And Borel spoiled the triple crown event with his greedy choice.

[sarabz76]

Great to see the race - I was there in person, which is great but you miss all the commentary & can't always tell what's going on. I was near the start so saw Big Drama toss Velazquez, but no announcements on the track as to what was going on. Hope the filly will go to Belmont, too, and not just have run in the Preakness to spoil the Triple Crown. Think MTB can catch her in the Belmont - would have caught her if he had a better trip. BTW, I caught the trifecta on this race!

[BrngBckOldCOB]

Am i the only one who thinks this Borel guy is a complete douche for bastardizing the entire sport and riding a different horse than the derby winner. Mine That Bird deserved better and got screwed by this guy, who may or may not be legally retarded. Another sad example of how our current culture is so greed filled and money driven.

[MillenniumTV]

I agree, if MTB goes on and wins the Belmont; Borel will be second guessed. Blamed and remembered for a selfish choice. If MTB goes on to be an exceptional colt ( ex: wins Belmont, Travers & Breeders Cup Classic) gets horse of the year. Rachel will only be a footnote, trivia answer in history. I think it was a Selfish choice.

[ashado19]

I agree too. And dunno why its getting a hands down. All true.

[viking1938]

Sadly, you obviously don't know that Borel has ridden the filly for her last several winning races. So he wasn't just jumping ship. If he was driven by the greed you say, he logically would have stayed with the Derby winner. You made an erroneous judgement without knowing the sport, or the jockey's riding history with the filly.

[BrngBckOldCOB]

Alright i'll take you at your word and agree i didn't know all the details behind the decision. With that being said, it seems only logical that after you win the derby on a certain horse, you have committed to that horse for the following race. It still seems like a selfish choice.

[viking1938]

You probably don't know that a female jockey,Chantal Sutherland, rode MTB in 3 stakes races in Canada. Too bad she didn't get him for the Derby.Wonder why? Borel scored a big double on Derby Day,riding RA to win the Kentucky Oaks by 20 lengths,& then MTB in the Derby.Borel has won the last 5 races on R A.He has quite a history with the filly,saying she's the best he's ever ridden. He would only have a commitment to MTB if he had a contract for the ride.I had a nice $20.00 comb. across on her.

[Janosita]

'Legally retarded'..? How the H..l dare you talk about Borel like that? The moron is you: Borel was RA's jockey FIRST.

[RomMechEng]

Wow. Great upload of a great race. Thanks Jergab.

[MillenniumTV]

I think Mine That Bird is much the Best. He won the Derby at 50-1 going away! He's a closer! In-experienced trainer! New Jockey for Preakness (would of beat Rachel if he got through cleanly)! In my books; if he goes on to win Belmont, Travers & Breeder's Cup Classic he's as good as any this Generation... SeaBiscuit anyone?

[tjjlm]

fantastic world everyone was crowding mtb?he was dead last and trust me the other jockeys werent worrying about clogging up the rail they are worried about running their own race.the pace is the reason why he didnt catch up it just shows you how good RA is that she can run those fractions and still go pretty much wire to wire.look at what happened to big drama those fractions killed him.RA is the better horse and proved so today she won. dont sit here and say look how MTB finished he lost.

[drdent7]

Thanks for the expert recap. Hopefully MTB can get through at Belmont.

[drdent7]

Sorry it's Mine that Bird.

[drdent7]

I'm not a horse racing expert at all. Can an expert tell me did the jockey not push Mind that Bird soon enough or did he do the best he could? I love MTB. Hope he wins the Belmont.

[archerstar2346]

Honestly, I think that Mine That Bird would have won had he not gotten stuck between 8 and 9 right towards the end.

[FantasticWorld426]

MTB did the best he could. Everyone was crowding him out so he wouldn't have a "golden rail" or a free pass like he did in the Derby. It was very lucky and very good timing that he got through everyone at the Derby. This time though everyone made sur to not give him such a free pass. Smith had to hold MTB back so as not to run into the other horses. He lost a lot of time trying to find a way through the crowd.Tha fact he caught up to her after that proves that he is the better horse.

[ferfontes]

I think that he just didn't let the horse move on time, at Belmont he's gonna have a longer distance and win for sure.

I hated the fact that he didnt win this time, I was gonna win the trifecta but I only got quinela haha.

[bobbin420]

Some horses like MinE that Bird start warming up late; they are called closers in racing terms as they close in on the front runners. The jockey rode him accordingly; he won his last start in exactly the same fashion. What made the difference was Jockey Calvin Boral on RA. Having ridden both horses he knew MTB would be tearin up ground towards the end so he pushed the tempo from the very beginning and made his move early. His tactical foresight won RA the race. My heart goes out to MTB every

[bobbin420]

time I watch that race....what a champion. I'm happy for RA too though, what a fairy tale. But I love MTB even more after watchin him battle it out in this race, he's got the heart of a true champion

[FantasticWorld426]

That was FANTASTIC!!!!! It was such a close and tension filled race. They are both good. I think MTB could have won IF there had not been everyone crowding him out of the rail OR RA had not been entered. If it was only one of those, he could have won, but with both it was just too close. Poor MTB, but he and Smith did good too. Congratulation to Rachel Alexandra!!!! finally a girl! Ha! Wait till I tell my freinds at school about that. Again, Fantastic race, good job ALL! ;-D

[all66books]

RA worked very hard during the early part of the race and set a faster pace than I'm sure her connections wanted. But she held on to win gamely. She was coming off a very easy effort in the Oaks against fillies, she really had to work here to beat the boys.

As for MTB, he had a tough time getting free in the stretch and was coming on strong at the end. Nothing to be ashamed of. The Belmont should be a thriller.

[nwalksays]

I watched this while at work, and I have to say that I was the most enthusiastic person in the entire restaurant. Of course, everyone was watching, but no one was quite as happy as me when Rachel Alexandra crossed that finish line. She and Calvin Borel both deserved such a dignified win!

[petluver88]

when i was watching it i screamed when the uy fell off in the beginning

[jljohnosn740]

Man! I had all three of the winners..didn't bet all that much but came in above breaking even. Keep thinking Musket Man is due! Great race and congrats to the Lady!!! She's a class act !!!

[bigbird914]

They are both good horses. Rachel is a good filly that got caught by the wire before she got beat by MTB. MTB is obviously a much better horse than the rest of us thought he is. His trip was about as bad as could be and he fell a length short. They made sure there was no "golden rail" this time. He destroys the field in the Belmont for sure.

[televin]

1)Who is they

2) The Belmont will have an easier pace which favors the filly

3)Don't think MTB was passing her

[bigbird914]

1-They was the two horses MTB & RA

2- Mike Smith is a veteran of the NYRA circuit & should he still have the mount, will have a good sense of the pace & when/where to make the move

3-From the 1/16th pole to the finish line, MTB made up at least 2 lengths. IF the race was Derby distance he wins

[ILOVEHorses22xx]

ha, now we see how she is against the guys, I really wanted Mine That Bird to win, and he got close! If the stretch was just a bit longer, he would've won, but I like Rachel Alexandra, even though I REALLY wanted to see a Triple Crown winner, which I think Mine That Bird could' ve won if Rachel wasn't entered :( but she was a girl, YA.

[sbsports15]

Mine that bird was on his way! He was comin! I'm glad a girl finally showed up some boys and it didnt end in a tragedy.

[Jameister]

Excellent video, thanks. Rachel Alexandra is incredible.

[Emmories]

She is a beauty & I chose her for the following reasons: only female, #13, trainer's first name is Steven, jockey's first name is Calvin, & owner's last name is Morrison.  As crazy as it might seem, all those facts mean something to this lover of horses.

[80slvr85]

These two horses are for real!!

[Alsam]

What an amazing horse Rachel Alexandra is. I wonder how long she'll race and how soon she'll be bred with Curlin.

[xobrightside]

Awesome race...if the track was longer Mind that Bird probably would have one. Both Mind that Bird and Rachel Alexandria are great horses

[neildutta]

Everyone knew RA was good and she barely held on...but how about MTB!!! This little horse is a magnificent animal!! WOW!! Awe inspiring!! His courage and guts are simply unbelievable. To make a run from so far at the back!!! Mike Smith did a great job....they were just a bit unlucky today...can't wait for Belmont!

[SkylarknTexas]

Nice to see a gal win!

I love Mine that Bird too, he's from a track just down the road a bit.

Thanks for postin!

Blessings.

[latour90]

Great race for Rachel but ten more seconds and Mine That Bird wins. He was gaining so fast. Hope he's in the Belmont. He should win there.

[saylord]

if calvin was ridin mine that bird, he wouldve one for sure.

[TrippyToonZ]

That was AWESOME!

[ashado19]

Aye, it sure was!!

[EllaShay]

1st comment

I have two things to say. One, that filly is unbelievable. She's not a Ruffian, but she's still one of the best.

Two, Mine That Bird is brilliant, as well. Not a one shot wonder, like I thought he was.