My Grandpa Dave led the world’s greatest Passover seder: there was a soundtrack and special lighting and such an audience that it required the entire ballroom of a Los Angeles Sheraton. Trust me, it rocked. And I used to love when he’d pick a different grandchild each year to answer the big question: Why is this night different than all the rest?
Well, today feels like Passover: I watched something magical today, something that has seldom been accomplished before and maybe won’t ever be again – not like this, at least. I saw a 3yo filly beat older males. And not just any older males, all but one of the best of the handicap division. Yes, Goldikova did win the ’08 Breeders’ Cup Mile v. older boys (and is slated to come back for the ’09 edition) but the grass races are different in my book and given she came from Europe where that’s all they do – either way, it’s incredibly special.
The National Museum & Racing Hall of Fame put together a great list of statistics coming into the Woodward and they counted a total of 15 of the greatest girls of all time who won stakes as 3yo’s that were carded for 3&up open company, such as today’s Woodward. Add Rachel’s win today and the list is now 16. Racing has a near-200 year history in the United States, so 16 horses in 200 years. That says something.
Other blogs will take apart Calvin’s ride or praise the seriously hard charge by Macho Again. And I’m sure I will too in the next few days, as I really begin to process what I saw. But what I saw rocked my world – there simply aren’t other words to adequately describe how it felt and I can’t remember shaking that much – my knees went weak at the Preakness but today was a full body reaction.
And, unlike just about everybody else I was standing with in the winner’s circle, I actually watched the crowd for the bulk of the race, specifically Rachel’s trainer Steve Asmussen. What a treat! I’ve never seen a human simply not move or blink for a minute and ten seconds straight – when they hit the quarter pole (aka Top Of The Stretch), he turned slightly but otherwise literally stood statue still. I turned to watch history unfold (my poor program took the brunt of the cheering) and only after my screaming and willing her across the wire, did I realize Rachel might’ve been beat.
Everyone watched the replay. I watched Steve: you’ve never seen a man hold his wife tighter. He knew he had it from the first row of the boxes in the grandstand, some 50 feet away. If Rachel hadn’t already had me there, I would’ve been crying buckets. Here’s a man known for not being the most expressive in the world who’s won just about everything you can win from coast-to-coast, country-to-country, Thoroughbreds-to-Quarter Horses. And he was emotional – that means something.
What it doesn’t mean is dropping the S-bomb … Secretariat. She’s definitely in the Ruffian/Seattle Slew/Personal Ensign/Affirmed/Lady’s Secret/Alysheba/Cigar/Bayakoa elite class. BUT, however great you want to say she is, please oh please oh please do not start putting her in the Secretariat category! He is a legend unto himself and is alone at the top of the Pony Pyramid of Greatness. For now. Let’s see what happens with her in the future and then maybe I’ll relax my restriction.
Say what you want about the connections and their ambitions and quirks. Yes, they’re avoiding Breeders’ Cup for no good reason. Yes, they want to face Zenyatta on a neutral surface not in a match race and she’s retiring at year-end. Yes, they buy mostly “proven” horses. Yes, it’s odd that Asmussen’s first answer is always “I’ll talk to Mr. Jackson about where to go next.”
But, yes, they’re doing right by the racing public with an exceptional filly that’s worth the hype. The arguments about Breeders’ Cup or Zenyatta are the same as when she didn’t run in the Travers – let her accomplishments be what they are and let’s all stop making something more out of what she is.
So, Grandpa Dave, I have the answer to why tonight’s different than all the rest: Rachel Alexandra. She’s magic, as pure and simple as I’ll ever see.
