That race was great!!!! Inspirational!!!! I think Tom Durkin knows how to captivate the moment with his call. I remember when Giant's Causeway and Tiznow hooked up in the stretch, and he described it as a "heart pounding, pulsating stretch drive". Rachel raised the rafters that day.
Now I understand ... for the most part I try to stay out of the back and forth stuff, but maybe on this one I will make an exception. Enjoy your holiday weekend, icyhotboo.
sorry Brian my remark didn't needed the added touch of sarcasm towards you that I gave it. You can't see all things at all times. I guess they have their opinion and I have mine. I was in the Clubhouse when she past the finish line and it was deafening to the point for awhile we were using sign language. Have a very nice day.
BrianZipse, while you were praising her performance on this particular post on another HRN post titled, Can Havre de Grace Beat the Woodward Boys she was being taken down quite a bit for running against second rate horses. I posted that at the time it was happening as I couldn't seem to make anyone understand it really was a great race on her part. Read the comments for yourselves. My question while I was there where were you?
One of the best performances ever I think.
I was there that day and it still sends chills up my spine to remember that race. The crowd just exploded when she won. I thought that Durkin was going to lose his voice--he was croaking at the end with all the excitement. I will always remember that day and she will always have a special place in my heart. There will never be another like her. Bless you, Brian, for keeping her memory alive and reminding us in your eloquent writing of her greatness.
Each horse in that race was capable of running with grade one competition on their best day. Were some of them inconsistent, yes, but it is not like they were claimers. Macho had his moments before the Woodward. He was second in the Preakness, won the Jim Dandy and second in the Super Derby. The next year he won the New Orleans Cap then after a hicup his form went up. He was not worse than second in three consecutive Grade ones. Asiatic Boy, was second the year before in the World Cup. PTP second in last years Woodward and had plenty of speed. Da'Tara was not much but had the speed to be more than a good rabbit. Bullsbay had been right there in the Stephan Foster and won the Whitney. Point is if you judge these horses on the worst they could do, they were grade three at best. If you judged them on what they could do on their best day then you have horses that deserve to be in grade ones. Many of the most influencial horses in that race fired their best shot and were still ran into submission. If anyone can be impressed with what The Factor did on Sat, there is no reason you cannot admit that what RA had to overcome this day was unbelievable.
Not sure what you are trying to say, icyhotboo ... it was an incredible race, and an incredible performance.
You people are way out of touch with reality. If you don't think so read the comments on the post titled:Can Havre de Grace Beat the Woodward Boys?
"She is, indeed, Rachel Alexandra the Great! By far, the best race I've ever seen (and, yes, I personally saw both Zenyatta's Breeders' Cup Classic races. The best race call by Durkin. Still evokes powerful emotions and sends chills down the spine!
Andy/Scott - I admire your enthusiasm. That's what horseracing is all about.
I've never been so emotional before,during,or after a race, the way I was for this race. She literally moved me. Will never forget!
It was a day in racing that will never be recreated! It was the exclamation point at the end of the greatest campaign that a filly has ever out together!