Nostalgic Horse

By: Elizabeth Rancani A racetrack is a piece of history, especially one that was built in 1870. A walk through the doors of Monmouth Park and one cannot help but notice the photographs featuring champions of years past lining the walls, and ceilings.  It takes one back to a long gone era where horse racing [...]

Rachel Alexandra lost again, this time to Unrivaled Belle. The superstar filly had no excuses today, although her trainer would like you to believe it is the amount of weight she is asked to carry. The fact is 124 (four more pounds than other horses in the field) is no handicap for a filly like [...]

Fillies in the Derby are nothing unusual. Before the 60s fillies ran far more frequently in the race, despite having one lone winner, that being Regret all the way back in 1915. In the 1980s several fillies took on the quest for the roses, and two actually wore them. One was a come from behind [...]

by: Elizabeth Rancani And the award goes to….. A month ago, I would have said Rachel Alexandra deserves Horse of the Year no matter what happens in the Classic. Now I may just have to eat those words. I just read Bill Finley’s take on the situation, and he is firmly for Rachel Alexandra. If [...]

Zenyatta became the first filly to capture the Breeders Cup Classic, and what a performance! After being a little fractious entering the gate, and then having to unload because of Quality Road’s antics, the five year old mare proved what a pro she is, as she powered down the stretch and passed a gritty Gio [...]

Rachel Alexandra added the Woodward to her list of achievements yesterday, and if the comparisons to Ruffian weren’t plentiful before, they are now. Randy Moss even put Rachel ahead of Ruffian in his own greatest fillies of all time list. That is certainly valid. Rachel’s campaign includes accomplishments the ill fated Ruffian never attempted. But, [...]

It seems like the ESPN writers just love to pick on Jackson, and we aren’t talking Michael! Now, I have taken shots at his decision to run Rachel off little rest in the Preakness, but for the most part, I see him for what he is…a sportsman. He is not ducking Zenyatta by choosing to [...]

Saturday featured cakewalks for two of the best fillies of our time, but it was a mere blip on the radar screen. It seems pointless that these two greats keep beating up on some poor lesser fillies and mares. Rachel faced just two horses and they were brave indeed. Apparently the Preakness did not take [...]

by: Elizabeth Rancani Now it is announced that Jess Jackson who we all adored last year for bringing Curlin back at four, owns super filly Rachel Alexandra, and may run her in the Preakness Stakes. That should be a good thing for the sport, but for some reason I am getting visions of a man [...]

After four major defections this week, including race day favorite, I Want Revenge, a race that seemed wide open was won in convincing fashion by a relative unknown. Coming down the stretch it appeared as though Pioneer of the Nile, Musket Man and Papa Clem were going to hammer it out to the wire. It [...]