On Monday, I thought the chances of a Zenyatta-Rachel Alexandra meeting before the Breeders’ Cup looked pretty good.
On the Down the Stretch Radio Show broadcast on Sirius XM Radio, Zenyatta owner Jerry Moss said, “Maybe we'll say something about where our next start will be, and it could be out of the state for certain."
However, according to Lenny Shulman of Bloodhorse, Moss is now saying he has no intentions of shipping his undefeated mare east for a showdown.
I was thinking the two might meet up at Saratoga in the $400,000 Personal Ensign (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 29.
Moss told Shulman, “So while we remain open, right now we’re planning to go about our business, which is to go to Del Mar for the Clement Hirsch (Aug. 9). We may run against the boys at some point, and we’re open to meeting Rachel Alexandra perhaps after the Breeders’ Cup.”
Moss continued, “We had a very bad experience with Giacomo going to the detention barn at Belmont, which threw him out of his game for the Belmont Stakes. He went nuts. At Saratoga, you have the detention barn, plus tight turns that would compromise Zenyatta given her running style of coming wide from behind.”
So is the potential showdown dead in the water?
I don’t think so. If the two parties can’t get together on a race this summer, I have to think Rachel Alexandra’s majority owner Jess Jackson might change his mind about racing over the “plastic” at Santa Anita in the Breeders’ Cup.
The Preakness winner did win over the polytrack surface at Keeneland last fall, although that victory came against first level allowance company and was at six furlongs.
This saga figures to continue through the remainder of the summer, and while before last Saturday I thought the two would not meet up, I think somehow and someway, these two talented runners are going to end up facing off against each other.
Stay tuned.
To purchase my full card report for Belmont Park that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today click here.
Here is today's opener from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:
BEL Race 1 Clm $10,000N1Y (1:00 ET)
#5 Winaway 7/2
#9 Silver Ferrari 8/5
#7 One Starry Nite 12/1
#1 Mister Alimony 5/1
Analysis: #5 Winaway checked in fifth last out at this level in his first go off the claim by the Parisella barn that is hitting at a 30% clip on the year and faces a group here for the most part trained by low % conditioners. The gelding came with a four wide move around the far turn, bumped with a foe entering the stretch and came up short late. The gelding caught a muddy track and has not run well on wet tracks in the past. He looks more attractive here if the track comes up fast, which is no sure thing.
#9 Silver Ferrari returns off a seven week break after a runner up finish against $16K non winners of a race in six months. The gelding broke through the gate, then hesitated and leapt up in the air, getting off to a tardy start. He came with a four wide run and finished up well for second while no match for the winner. The gelding was nearly five lengths clear of the rest of the field. Two back he was fourth against open $20K foes in a race that produced a couple of next out winners. The winner Sterling Heat beat open $25K claimers in his next start on 4/16. The Imperio barn is having a trough luck meeting (23-0-3-7) and is 12% winners first off the claim.
Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 5/2 or better.
EX: 5,9 / 1,5,7,9
TRI: 5,9 / 1,5,7,9 / 1,2,5,7,9
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 8 Alw $50,000s (4:45 ET)
#4 Il Postino 6/1
#6 Hurricane Heat 5/2
#1 Golden Weekend / #1a Putin 5/1
#7 El Tamberito 2/1
Analysis: #4 Il Postino was not a threat last out at Del Park in a fourth place finish versus Alw-1 company and looks well spotted here in this starter allowance. Three back this guy earned a solid number breaking his maiden for $20K and then was tossed into G2 company in the Illinois Derby where he beat half the field in a fifth place finish. There obviously is some problems for this guy since he was dropped in for $20K in just his third career start despite a $300K price tag. Now he lands with the Brown barn that is having a quiet meeting but is 22% winners overall with newcomers to the barn.
#6 Hurricane Heat went gate to wire to beat $17.5K claimers in his first start off the claim by the Guillo barn that has really been sending out live runners at the meet. The gelding has been popular at the claim box, taken five times in his last nine starts. The gelding owns a solid pace profile throughout with the edge in early and mid pace numbers.
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 4,6 / 1,4,6,7
TRI: 4,6 / 1,4,6,7 / 1,3,4,6,7
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Belmont Park
R1: #7 One Starry Nite 12/1
R3: #3 Yankee Empire 10/1
R4: #3 Quantitativeeasing 8/1
R5: #5 Dose of Reality 12/1
R7: #6 Fourth Chapter 8/1
R9: #7 We Get It 8/1
R9: #5 Love of Life 10/1
Good luck today!
