3/13/2010 New Orleans Ladies S. Zardana, Rachel Alexandra

10th race - Fair Grounds - March 13, 2010
Race Name: New Orleans Ladies S.
Race Type: Stakes
Age Restriction: Four Year Old and Upward
Sex Restriction: Fillies and Mares
Value of Race: $192,000
Distance: One And One Sixteenth Miles On The Dirt
Track Condition: Fast
Winning Time: 1:43.55

Pgm	Horse	Jockey	Win	Place	Show
3	Zardana (BRZ)	David Romero Flores	21.00	3.20	2.60
2	Rachel Alexandra	Calvin H. Borel		2.10	2.10
4	Unforgotten	Miguel Mena			3.20
Also ran: 1 - Fighter Wing , 5 - Clear Sailing
Wager Type		Winning Numbers		Payoff
$2 Pick 3		2-1-3 (3 correct)		1,166.20
$2 Exacta		3-2		30.20
$2 Trifecta		3-2-4		142.80
Winning Breeder: Haras Campestre
Winning Owner: Arnold Zetcher LLC
Winning Trainer: John A. Shirreffs

2010 New Orleans Ladies S. Zardana, Rachel Alexandra.pdf

ZARDANA 암 2004 BRZ 갈색 전적:19(8/0/1)  G2	Crimson Tide 갈 1994 IRE  G2 19전(4,3,2) 240,027 USD 1 f, 0sw	Sadlers Wells 새들러즈웰즈 갈 1981 USA *{CS} LS 1944 f, 279sw 3.60	Northern Dancer 갈 1961 CAN *+{BC} LSB
			Fairy Bridge 갈 1975 USA  SW
		Sharata 갈 1988 IRE  Unr 3 f, 0 w, 0 sw	Darshaan 흑 1981 GB +{2400} LB
			Shademah 1978 IRE
	Dear Filly 1997 AFR  전(0,0,0) 0 0 f, 0 w, 0 sw	Southern Halo 서던할로 갈 1983 USA *{1620} LS 1379 f, 140sw 1.90	Halo 흑 1969 USA *+{BC} LSB
			Northern Sea 갈 1974 USA  G3
		My Dear Girl 1992 ARG  0 f, 0 w, 0 sw	Merce Cunningham 갈 1984 USA  G2
			Mystique 1979 ARG

Pedigree by http://www.exhorse.co.kr/

Zardana Stuns Rachel in Her Season Debut
By Jason Shandler
Updated: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 6:38 PM
Posted: Saturday, March 13, 2010 6:30 PM
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/55879/zardana-stuns-rachel-in-her-season-debut?source=rss

Making her 4-year-old debut, Rachel Alexandra was stunned by Zardana, who tackled the reigning Horse of the Year at the top of the stretch and outdueled the heavy favorite to win by three parts of a length in the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes March 13 at Fair Grounds (VIDEO).

Off since winning the Sept. 9 Woodward Stakes (gr. I)—which was her ninth consecutive victory—Rachel Alexandra was sent off as the 1-20 favorite against a field of only four in the 1 1/16-mile New Orleans Ladies. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro   had turned in seven works leading up to her season debut, but trainer Steve Asmussen had said coming into the race that his stable star was not yet 100% fit.

Rachel Alexandra vs. Zenyatta: Get the latest on the road to the Apple Blossom.

With regular rider Calvin Borel aboard, Rachel Alexandra certainly seemed her usual self at the start, breaking well from post 2 while content to stalk pacesetter Fighter Wing, who grabbed the lead under Corey Lanerie. Fighter Wing took the short field through a moderate opening quarter of :23.84 and then a quicker half-mile in :47.72, with Rachel Alexandra sitting just off her to the outside.

Not long after the half-mile marker, Borel let an eager Rachel Alexandra go, and she assumed the lead into the far turn. The bay filly, who ran three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.86, easily put Fighter Wing away and seemed poised to coast to another victory. But Zardana, with David Flores in the irons, was in the midst of her winning move, as she circled three-wide around the turn while gaining ground and came up to challenge the superstar coming off the turn.

Rachel Alexandra and Zardana were nearly on even terms approaching the eighth-pole, but as the two rivals continued into stretch Zardana was getting the best of her challenger, claiming the lead and then slowly edging away inside the sixteenth-pole. Borel was urging Rachel Alexandra left-handed throughout the duel, but she did not have enough to stop Zardana from springing the huge upset. Unforgotten was another 11 1/2 lengths back in third.

The final time over a fast main track was 1:43.55.

It was the first loss for Rachel Alexandra since she fell to Sara Louise in the Pocahontas Stakes (gr. III) on Nov. 1, 2008, during her juvenile season. At that time, she was owned by her breeder, Dolphus Morrison, who would later sell the filly to Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick after she won the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) by a record 20 1/4 lengths. This was also the first time Rachel Alexandra lost with Borel in the irons.

“My little filly tried hard. She needed the race, that’s all," Borel said.

"I wanted to let her run her race early but they wanted me to wait. I wanted to go on past the speed horse early (Fighter Wing). I’d have got by her anytime and my filly could have gone on but they wanted me to wait and not get into her until the sixteenth pole.

"You know how I know she’s a real racehorse? She was beat when that other horse went by her—but she didn’t quit. She dug in and fought right back and stayed with the winner the rest of the way. That’s the kind of racehorse she is."

As for Arnold Zetcher’s California-based Zardana, who was sent off at 9-1, it was her eighth win in 19 lifetime starts. Bred in Brazil by Haras Campestre, the 6-year-old Crimson Tide mare was making the second start of her 2010 campaign and her first start on dirt since 2007 while racing in Brazil. In her first race of the year, Zardana ran fourth to St Trinians in the Feb. 13 Santa Maria Handicap (gr. II). In her 2009 finale, she earned her lone graded stakes win in the grade II Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park.

"We had a picture-perfect trip,'' Flores said. "The strategy was simply to get her to relax. I got after her pretty hard coming home, but she is a real warrior."

Zardana, out of the Southern Halo mare Dear Filly, is trained by John Shirreffs, who less than a half-hour later would watch his stable star Zenyatta stay undefeated in 15 starts with a breathtaking win in the Santa Margarita Invitational (gr. I) at Santa Anita. Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta are expected to face each other in the Apple Blossom Invitational (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park next month.

There was some doubt from Rachel Alexandra’s camp after the race as to whether she would still be pointed toward the Apple Blossom.

"We'll have to be cautious. We want to do what's right for the mare," Asmussen said. "The filly's lacking fitness. It was my job to have her there, and I didn't do it.

“How tired she is off of that will be established in the coming days. She’s not where I thought she was and if I had thought she’d get beat she wouldn’t run. You take her back, you evaluate her, you see how her mood is, her diet, how she goes back to the racetrack, how she breezes. No crystal ball could see that far ahead."

Zardana paid $21, $3.20, and $2.60. Rachel Alexandra paid $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. The (3-2) exacta returned $30.20 and the (3-2-4) trifecta was $142.80.

Fighter Wing was fourth, followed by Clear Sailing.

Zardana Upsets Rachel Alexandra in New Orleans Ladies
by Graham Ross | March 13, 2010
http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/news/archives/zardana-upsets-rachel-alexandra-new-orleans-ladies

The festive overflow crowd estimated at more than 12,000—the largest since the track’s reopening following Hurricane Katrina—might have thought it was the worst of times, but even in gallant defeat, it might eventually salvage more of the best of times for Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, who bowed to Brazilian-bred Zardana by three-quarters of a length in Saturday’s $200,000 New Orleans Ladies at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

“She was basically beat when that other horse (Zardana) went by her – but she didn’t quit,” said Rachel Alexandra’s jockey Calvin Borel after the race. “She dug in and fought right back and stayed with the winner the rest of the way. That’s the kind of racehorse she is. My little filly tried her heart out. She just needed the race, that’s all.”

However, to the victor go the spoils, and Zardana, who began her career with three straight wins at Hipodromo da Gavea in Brazil, has now expanded her unbeaten streak on a dirt surface to four. Owned by Arnold Zetcher, trained by John Shirreffs and ridden by California-based jockey David Flores, Zardana, who as a Brazilian-bred was foaled exactly five-and-a-half years ago Friday, ran a courageous race.

The winner was settled behind pace setter Fighter Wing and Rachel Alexandra running in second, challenged the Horse of the Year entering the lane shortly after that one had taken command from the weakening early leader, gained the lead near the furlong grounds and proved best the rest of the way.

“We had a picture-perfect trip,” said Flores. “The strategy was simply to get her to relax and John said she would get the job done. I got after her pretty hard coming home but she’s a real warrior.”

Zardana returned mutuels of $21, $3.20 and $2.60, toured the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:43.55 and increased her lifetime earnings to $428,421 with her eighth victory in 19 career starts.

Rachel Alexandra paid $2.10 and $2.10 as the runner-up, and Unforgotten, who finished third 11 1/2-lengths farther back behind Rachel Alexandra, returned $3.20 in the show spot.

“We wouldn’t have brought her here if we didn’t think she could get the job done,” said winning owner Arnold Zetcher. “She’s small but she doesn’t back down from a fight.”

As for Rachel Alexandra, her plans for what has been a highly anticipated showdown with the Shirreffs-trained Zenyatta, who won today’s Grade I Santa Margarita at Santa Anita Park, are now up in the air.

“If I thought she’d get beat I wouldn’t have run her today, so I’m definitely going to be cautious,” said two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Steve Asmussen. “I’m just disappointed she didn’t win today. It was a lack in fitness and it’s our job to have her there and I didn’t do it.”

A decision won’t be made on the Apple Blossom until Rachel Alexandra’s connections have had the opportunity to evaluate today’s race and how the filly came out of it.

“You take her back, you evaluate her, you see how her mood is, her diet, how she goes back to the racetrack, how she breezes,” Asmussen said. “No crystal ball could see that far ahead.”

Racing resumes Sunday at Fair Grounds with a nine-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m.

 FULL STAKES QUOTES

$200,000 New Orleans Ladies
Fillies & mares, 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles, inaugural running

Jockey David Flores (Zardana, winner): “We had a picture-perfect trip. The strategy was simply to get her to relax and John (Shirreffs, trainer) said she would get the job done. The pace was perfect for my filly. At the half-mile pole I asked her and she responded big. I got after her pretty hard coming home but she is a real warrior. This is a very strong filly, even though she’s a bit small.

“She bumped and I let Rachel run away … I got a nice hole. I didn’t want to let her do too much that first half. I just stayed behind her and saved as much as I could because we were going to need it to beat a big horse like that. I saved as much as I could for the end.”

Do you think this mare will go on to face her stablemate Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom? “I just did the job today. I don’t know. This filly needs to go back home and the owners and trainer will make a decision. I just feel like I was the best passenger today and that’s all I did.”

What were your impressions of Rachel Alexandra’s effort? “What can you say? She’s the Horse of the Year. She needed the race.”

NOTE: Winning trainer John Shirreffs was at Santa Anita Park to saddle Zenyatta, who won the Grade I Santa Margarita about a half-hour after the New Orleans Ladies was run.

Owner Arnold Zetcher (Zardana, winner): “We didn’t feel any pressure. We wouldn’t have brought her here if we didn’t think she could get the job done. She’s small but she doesn’t back down from a fight. There is nothing easy in this game. Rachel is fabulous; she will be back.”

Jockey Calvin Borel (Rachel Alexandra, second): “My little filly tried hard. She needed the race, that’s all. She needed the race more than anything. I wanted to let her run her race early but they wanted me to wait. I wanted to go on past the speed horse early (Fighter Wing). I’d have got by her anytime and my filly could have gone on but they wanted me to wait and not get into her until the sixteenth pole. You know how I know she’s a real racehorse? She was beat when that other horse went by her – but she didn’t quit. She dug in and fought right back and stayed with the winner the rest of the way. That’s the kind of racehorse she is. My little filly tried her heart out. She just needed the race.”

“She ran hard. She got tired and we needed a race. Now we got a race into her and look forward to the next one. As long as she comes back good I think we’ll be alright.

“She was a little rank but going that slow she’s going to be rank. I was just trying to save her for the end and have something to finish with. She just got a little tired. I guess I tried to sit on her a little bit longer than I wanted to and it kind of took a bit out of her. Other than that, though, she needed it. She was so tired when I pulled her up. We’re shooting for a goal, though, and win, lose or draw, that’s the goal we’re shooting for. After today you’ll see a different filly.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen (Rachel Alexandra, second): “She was strong early and got tired. Very disappointing that she lost. You hate to be in that position, but now that it’s over you know it’s not something we got away with.

“I’m just disappointed she didn’t win today. It was a lack in fitness and it’s our job to have her there and I didn’t do it.”

Was it enough to go on to the April 9 Grade I Apple Blossom? “Well, if I thought she’d get beat I wouldn’t have run her today, so I’m definitely going to be cautious.”

Did Calvin Borel give you any indication of how she felt?  “There’s no way to talk with everyone around. I’m sure we’ll go back and think about it and talk. It’s impossible to ask the right questions or talk with everybody around. We just want to do what’s right by the mare. You know Calvin and how strongly he feels about her and we’ll go from there.”

Did she move forward with that effort? “How tired she is off of that will be established in the coming days … She’s not where I thought she was and if I had thought she’d get beat she wouldn’t run. You take her back, you evaluate her, you see how her mood is, her diet, how she goes back to the racetrack, how she breezes. No crystal ball could see that far ahead.

It was a concern that she might not be able to relax early. “I thought she got to run in the first couple jumps a little more than I was hoping today, where we felt we were at.”

Jockey Miguel Mena (Unforgotten, third): “She ran good. She’s just a nice filly. She’s won a half-million and she shows up every time.”

Trainer Dallas Stewart (Unforgotten, third): “She ran good and we got a big piece of it. I’m very pleased.”

Trainer Greg Geier (Fighter Wing, fourth): “She ran good. We went fast but we had to go fast. I’m very pleased.”

Jockey Shane Sellers (Clear Sailing, fifth): “This definitely was not my filly’s race. We need to regroup and see what went wrong.”

Trainer Glenn Delahoussaye (Clear Sailing, fifth): “Shane said something didn’t feel right, so he didn’t want to abuse her. He let up on the bridal. I will find out more shortly and let you all know.”

Rachel Alexandra Out of Apple Blossom
By Jack Shinar
Updated: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 3:01 PM
Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010 11:44 AM
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/55888/rachel-alexandra-out-of-apple-blossom?source=rss

Jess Jackson, principal owner of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, announced March 14 that the 4-year-old filly will not face Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park April 9.

Jackson's announcement, after consultation with trainer Steve Asmussen, comes a day after Rachel Alexandra was defeated by Zenyatta's stablement, Zardana, by three-quarters of a length in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds. The 1 1/16-mile race was designed as a prep for Rachel Alexandra's much-antiicpated showdown with the undefeated Zenyatta.

“Yesterday’s race while a disappointment, helped us define Rachel Alexandra’s racing condition," Jackson said in his statement. "While she is healthy, just as I had anticipated she is not in top form. Therefore, I decided today she will not be going to the Oaklawn Invitational on April 9. Steve and I discussed this fully and we now regret we tried to accelerate her training in order meet the Apple Blossom schedule. We have a whole season before us to help define her greatness. She will tell us when her next race will be.”

The Daily Racing Form quoted Asmussen as saying, “She’s clearly not up to her previous level.”

“We’re going to regroup and come back again,” Asmussen told DRF. “The disappointment from yesterday continues.”

Oaklawn Park had offered a $5 million purse, contingent on getting the two superstar females to square off in the Apple Blossom. John Shirreffs, trainer of both Zenyatta and Zardana, said Zenyatta will definitely return to Oaklawn for the Apple Blossom, regardless of whether Rachel Alexandra runs. The purse would revert to $500,000, however.

The track had been heavily advertising the race. The convention and visitor's bureau in Hot Springs said 50,000 trading cards featuring the horses were being printed, and hotel rooms in the resort area for the track's spring festival have been booked solid for weeks.

``Naturally, we are disappointed that Rachel Alexandra will not be here for the Apple Blossom Invitational,'' Oaklawn said in a statement. ``We wish her the best of luck on the rest of her 2010 racing campaign. We look forward to welcoming Zenyatta back to Arkansas as she attempts to equal Cigar and Citation's modern-day record of 16 consecutive unrestricted victories.''

In the weeks leading up to her comeback race, Asmussen had complained that Rachel Alexandra had missed training due to wet and cold weather and that the schedule leading up to the Apple Blossom was too tight. In the New Orleans Ladies, she pressed a hard pace for a half mile before eventually taking the lead for jockey Calvin Borel. But she could not hold off the grade II winner Zardana in the drive.

DRF reported that Rachel Alexandra came out of her first race in six months in good order, eating well and appearing to be in good spirits on the morning of March 14. She is expected to continue her training at Fair Grounds for now.

"She blew after the race, but she wasn't exhausted," Asmussen told the publication. "She drank plenty of water afterwards. It took her a little while to leave the test barn, but she went back to the barn comfortably. She went right to her feed tub last night, and she was in very good health this morning."

Jerry Moss, owner of Zenyatta, was reached by phone at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif., and asked to comment on the news that Rachel Alexandra will not run as originally scheduled in the Apple Blossom.

“We’re disappointed that we’re not going to be able to face each other in the Apple Blossom. Hopefully, we can meet down the line. We respect both Steve (Asmussen) and Mr. Jackson as horsemen and they’re going to do what’s right for their horse. That’s all anybody could ask for.

“We’ll go on to the Apple Blossom as planned.”