2009 Vanity Handicap

[xtrawld]

Here's hoping she meets up with Rachel.

[ThePixiePoet]

Zenyatta is amazing too!

[ThePixiePoet]

RA has set 5 new records in 4 graded stakes: Golden Rod (new time record), Martha Washington (new time record), Kentucky Oaks (new winning margin record), Mother Goose (new time record- FASTER than Ruffian) (new winning margin record- previously held by Ruffian). She was also the only horse in Preakness history to win from the far outside position. She rarely gets the whip. How fast would she be if asked more? Still young, what will she be like when she matures? AMAZING!

[WellConditioned]

She faces, however, a very weak crop of 3 yo fillies. She almost got beat in the Preakness where she really had to race in a slow mile and 3/16s. The male crop this year is nothing to write home about. She has a lot to prove to be in the ranks of Ruffian or Genuine Risk.

Also, the track surface at Belmont has been decidedly fast. You can't compare her time with Ruffian's whose running time was on a different surface 34 years ago.

Just sayin'.

[ThePixiePoet]

Anybody have any evidence that Ruffian's track was NOT fast? It seems people are assuming.

A weak crop of 3 year olds may explain the margin of victory, but does not explain away the speed records.

btw, RA was within one second of Secretariat's speed record for that distance. Facts are facts. Wouldas couldas, and shouldas don't work in racing. They don't do payoffs for "what ifs".

[ThePixiePoet]

I like Zenyatta too, but I don't think people should downplay RA just because of liking Zenyatta. Shouldn't horse fans be glad that they at least have some good fillies this year?

[gomezisgod09]

@WellConditioned no one could really be any more wrong than you were 1 year ago

[Barbaro2012]

Ruffian is still way better then RA, so is Zenyatta, don't really care about RA's Preakness or any race she runs in unless Zenyatta or another good horse is running against her

[gocashbaby]

tremendous call. best announcer in the business

[flipflopchick101]

Me too. It would be a pretty close race. It seems like RA doesn't perform he best when she's being challenged. Big Z would definitely give her a run for her money.

[Kekira]

How do you figure that?

[flipflopchick101]

She doesn't seem to really respond to the whip which Calvin really only uses when she's being challanged. Plus her speed will help to favor Zenyatta

[Kekira]

I disagree, I think she performs very well when challenged. The Woodward is the best example, despite being challenged all throughout the race, she responded by simply running faster. I think what it is is she doesn't respond to the whip. She likes to do things on her own and she knows when to move.

[flipflopchick101]

She barely held on in the Woodward.  If Zenyatta was in Macho Again's place she would've "kicked into a higher gear" until she passed RA. And again by RA running faster, it would've favored Zenyatta.

[Kekira]

If Zen was in there, I doubt all of those horses would have focused on RA like they did with those tactics. She barely held on because she ran THE ENTIRE RACE. If Zen'd been there they would have run differently and not focused on inhibiting one horse.

[flipflopchick101]

I'm not even going to get into this debate...the race isn't going to happen now that Zenyatta is retiring. Jackson didn't want to race on "plastic" because Curlin didn't like it and Moss didn't want to prep his horse for the Breeder's Cup on a surface that she wouldn't be racing on. Its a shame the match up didn't happen because it would've been good for racing but the year in general with 2 incredible fillies was good for racing.

[Kekira]

I only mentioned Zenyatta to say there was no other star horse in the Woodward but RA. So she was a target throughout the entire race and race tactics were used to try to beat her and they couldn't. It's just like in I believe Zen's 2009 Milady or Lady's Secret win where they slowed the pace drastically to try and beat her and couldn't. They are both great, just they show it differently. And Zen hasn't been officially retired yet so there is still hope.

[flipflopchick101]

On NTRA Sherriffs said she'd stay at his barn for a few weeks then she was being shipped to Kentucky to be bred. No word as too who she's being bred to but I would assume its a big name horse.

[flipflopchick101]

Her wins certinly aren't as flashy Rachel's but she does what's needed to win.

[paulipeanuts]

still hand rides and more mature fillies. I would like to see them duke it out.

[pavalko2303]

This has to be the best horse that is able to set four hoves on a track just like ruffian

[Kekira]

What has Zenyatta done to even be in the same league as Ruffian?

[gocashbaby]

@Kekira How about the BC Classic?

[Kekira]

That is ONE race. Last I checked, Ruffian and many other champions are legends because of what they did throughout their career. The only thing she did was retire undefeated. Only once did she venture out of her comfort zone but that was once and it was last year. Other than Life Is Sweet, she really hasn't beaten much in the way of competition. And the horses she did beat in the Classic were taking on uncharted territory surface-wise as well.

[ZenyattaFanatic911]

@Kekira She didn't retire yet though, SHE IS COMING BACK!! yeah!! i'm SO excited to see her in the 2010 season

[Kekira]

The only big horses in there were Rip, Summer Bird, and Gio Ponti but they all preferred a different surface. Zenyatta had a BIG advantage in the Classic. She is superior to those horses on that surface. But even if it was the best Classic field ever, it's still only ONE race. What else did Zenyatta do in the other races this year to win HOTY?