Rachel Alexandra beaten in Personal Ensign Stakes
Rachel Alexandra was a shock loser to Shug McGaughey’s Persistently in the Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga.
Steve Asmussen’s filly, racing over 10 furlongs for the first time, was facing only four rivals, all of whom were considered inferior. The main threat was expected to be Life At Ten, winner of her last six starts, but she had achieved only one three-figure Beyer Speed Figure while Rachel Alexandra came to the race having run a dozen of those in a row, which had included her last victory Grade One victory in the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga last year.
Calvin Borel, riding Rachel Alexandra for the 14th consecutive race and seeking a 12th victory, had her in front from the gates but was shadowed by John Velazquez on Life At Ten as the pair opened up a lead on the others three horses going into the first turn.
Rachel Alexandra led by a half-length down the back stretch – with the pair at least eight lengths clear - and Velazquez was asking Life At Ten to make a move at the start of the final turn as Alan Garcia, having opted to sit off the early pace, moved Persistently into contention at the top of the home stretch. Borel, who had let put just a little more rein, appeared to have the race under control at that point but then Persistently started to cut down Rachel Alexandra’s lead in the final furlong.
For a moment it looked as though Rachel Alexandra would be able to hold her advantage but then she started to flounder as Persistently clawed her way upsides to lead in the last few strides, as Garcia punched the air in delight at the line, with Life At Ten in third.
The victory, by a length was Persistently’s first in a stakes race, and was given added resonance as the filly runs in the famous black-and-scarlet Phipps colours that were carried by Personal Ensign, whom McGaughey trained to win Breeders' Cup Distaff and Whitney Handicap in 1988.
“She isn’t exactly where she was last year and hopefully she can get back there,” Asmussen said and while it would be premature to write off Rachel Alexandra’s career this was a third defeat of the season for the reigning Horse of the Year. She looks to be some way short of that level of performance and there has to be a chance that connections, led by majority owner Jess Jackson may now contemplate the option of retirement for the filly.
The morning after the highlight of his career, Jimmy Jerkens, the trainer of Grade One Travers Stakes winner Afleet Express, was still savouring his colt’s nose victory over Fly Down as opposed to considering his next move with the Breeder’s Cup Classic, at Churchill Downs in November, still too far off for him to commit yet.
Afleet Express, who was winning his first Grade One, can be considered one of the major players but when he was asked about his next race for the horse Jerkens was in humorous mood when he said the Daily Racing Form: “Is there anything else?”
Looking at the available races the Grade One Jockey Club Gold Cup, at Belmont on October 2nd, could be a possible for the New York-located trainer. “That’s not out of the question,” Jerkens said. “Nice big, sweeping turns like that. We’ll kick everything around, that’s for sure.”
Those who finished behind Afleet Express were left to consider their next moves and Todd Pletcher is seeking veterinary investigation after Super Saver trailed in 10th of 11, beaten 24 lengths. Super Saver was Pletcher’s first Kentucky Derby, when he ploughed through the slop at Churchill Downs in May, but three consecutive defeats since makes him start to look like a one-race wonder.
However, his trainer is pinning his hopes that a thorough examination may throw some light on why the colt went out like a light in the last two furlongs of the Travers. “He got to the first turn in very good shape, thought he had a nice position following the winner then he emptied out,” Pletcher said.
However Pletcher did not leave the track empty-handed on Saturday and has a real contender for the Breeders’ Cup meeting with Discreetly Mine who scorched home in the Grade One King’s Bishop Stakes. Discreetly Mine had himself been a trailer when he was a distant 13th, beaten 26 lengths in the Kentucky Derby, but is three form four since being dropped to shorter distances and looks an obvious candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, probably without a prep run.
“All his sprint races after the Derby certainly indicate that he fits,” Pletcher said. “I would be leaning toward just training him up to it.”
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