The relatively new owners of Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra have decided not to run the horse in the Belmont Stakes next week. Recall that Louisville jockey Calvin Borel rode Rachel to an easy win in the all-female Kentucky Oaks in early May and the next day rode long-shot Mine that Bird, a male, to a strong win in the Kentucky Derby, bringing Mine that Bird back from dead last. When Rachel was sold and the new owners thought she was OK not race against males, Borel picked her over Bird – the first jockey to win the Derby on one horse and then switch to another horse even though the Derby-winning horse was still in the Preakness. Borel rode Rachel to the lead and then the victory in the Preakness. But Bird – ridden by another jockey – again came back from dead last and almost caught her at the end. Borel who in half a dozen previous wins had not had to push Rachel, did so to get the Preakness win. I wondered in a previous blog entry whether Borel might have won on either horse, since the new jockey had a harder time getting Bird through traffic than Borel had had in the Derby.
Bird’s owners thanked Rachel’s owners for letting them know quickly about their decision – they said that the Preakness had taken too much out of Rachel and they wanted to let her rest more. Bird’s owners said the decision was probably good for them, but bad for racing, nipping another Rachel-Bird showdown in the bud. Borel thanked Bird’s owners for being patient with him. The jockey who rode Bird in the Preakness was already committed so they were without a jockey, but waited to find out if Rachel would run, partly figuring that Borel would be available if she did not. And so Borel will be back riding Bird for the first time in a race since the Derby.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Belmont – at 1.5 miles – is the longest of the Triple Crown races, and, if Bird can close like he did in the Preakness, and have more time and distance to catch the leaders – though not now Rachel – he might win. They’ve already called this possibly the Calvin Crown, instead of the Triple Crown, because Borel could become the first jockey to ride two different horses that – collectively won the Triple Crown.
One interesting sidenote: Perhaps the fourth most famous U.S. horse race is the Travers, in August, usually on national TV, and this is run in Saratoga Springs, in the first of my two research sites, where one of my Albany area informants used to hang out to follow the races. Rachel may already be lined up to run another race in lat e June. But, if both Rachel and Bird race in the Travers, this could elevate this race’s profile – and that of Saratoga Springs.
Bird’s owners thanked Rachel’s owners for letting them know quickly about their decision – they said that the Preakness had taken too much out of Rachel and they wanted to let her rest more. Bird’s owners said the decision was probably good for them, but bad for racing, nipping another Rachel-Bird showdown in the bud. Borel thanked Bird’s owners for being patient with him. The jockey who rode Bird in the Preakness was already committed so they were without a jockey, but waited to find out if Rachel would run, partly figuring that Borel would be available if she did not. And so Borel will be back riding Bird for the first time in a race since the Derby.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Belmont – at 1.5 miles – is the longest of the Triple Crown races, and, if Bird can close like he did in the Preakness, and have more time and distance to catch the leaders – though not now Rachel – he might win. They’ve already called this possibly the Calvin Crown, instead of the Triple Crown, because Borel could become the first jockey to ride two different horses that – collectively won the Triple Crown.
One interesting sidenote: Perhaps the fourth most famous U.S. horse race is the Travers, in August, usually on national TV, and this is run in Saratoga Springs, in the first of my two research sites, where one of my Albany area informants used to hang out to follow the races. Rachel may already be lined up to run another race in lat e June. But, if both Rachel and Bird race in the Travers, this could elevate this race’s profile – and that of Saratoga Springs.
-- Perry
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