Legends of the Track: 2024 Kentucky Oaks Ultimate Guide: Deep Dives into Every Contender, Celebrating Rachel Alexandra's Legendary Status, and Godolphin's Quest for Back-to-Back Wins with Tarifa
Friday Edition - May 3rd, 2024 (Edition 75)
IN TODAY’S EMAIL
The Greatest Kentucky Oaks Winners: Rachel Alexandra: A Superstar Filly for the Ages (USA)
The World’s Greatest Racetracks: Take a drone trip around the Garrison Savannah Racecourse, Barbados (BRDO)
The Kentucky Oaks: With Tarifa, Godolphin Aims for Kentucky Oaks Repeat (USA)
The Kentucky Derby: Japan’s Kentucky Derby Hopes Rely on Talented Horses, Experience
Podcast of the Day: 2024 Kentucky Oaks - Final Selections - Full Field Analysis - EVERY HORSE discussed (USA)
THE GREATEST KENTUCKY OAKS WINNERS
Rachel Alexandra (USA)
Rachel Alexandra wins the 2009 Kentucky Oaks by more than 20 lengths. (Eclipse Sportswire)
A Superstar Filly for the Ages
Dolph Morrison bred Rachel Alexandra but was so unimpressed in the early stages of her development that he twice contemplated selling her.
She was entered in the 2006 Keeneland November breeding stock sale as a weanling only to be withdrawn when X-rays revealed a minor issue in her development. Morrison sent the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro to Jimmy Dodwell’s Diamond D Ranch in Texas the following summer to be broken — the process of training a young horse to wear a bridle and saddle, carry a rider, and respond to a rider’s commands — with the intention of putting her up for auction in Florida.
While Rachel Alexandra was with Dodwell, he saw in her qualities he had not often seen in young horses. She possessed a long stride and abundant speed that it appeared she could sustain at a distance.
Dodwell strongly advised Morrison against selling, advice that proved invaluable.
Rachel Alexandra ran sixth when she debuted on May 22, 2008, at Churchill Downs and won only two of her first five starts. Trainer Hal Wiggins shifted to Calvin Borel as her regular rider and she embarked on a nine-race winning streak that comprised one of the most impressive bodies of work in the history of the sport.
Watch Rachel win the 2009 Oaks
Read the full article at americasbestracing.net
*The content and images featured in this article were originally produced and sourced from the americasbestracing.net
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THE WORLD’S GREATEST RACECOURSES
The Garrison Savannah (BRDO)
The Garrison Savannah in Barbados, is a horse racing venue located within the Garrison Historic Area, just outside the capital-city Bridgetown. A clockwise grass course, the Garrison Savannah is known internationally for the annual Barbados Gold Cup for Thoroughbreds which takes place on the six-furlong track around the perimeter of the green. The racetrack also is host to the annual Barbados Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing series. Racing has taken place at the location since the days that a British garrison was stationed there.
Take a drone trip around the Garrison Savannah Racecourse, Barbados
THE KENTUCKY OAKS
With Tarifa, Godolphin Aims for Kentucky Oaks Repeat
Tarifa prepares at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks, where she will try for a third straight graded stakes win
A preview of the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 3 at Churchill Downs.
It took some time for Godolphin to secure its first Kentucky Oaks (G1), but Sheikh Mohammed's successful international breeding and racing operation might not need to wait long for a second victory in the 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-old fillies.
Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan said it was "out of this world" for Sheikh Mohammed to land that first Oaks with Pretty Mischievous last year. New adventures await in 2024 as Godolphin homebred Tarifa enters the $1.5 million test off a three-race win streak that includes back-to-back grade 2 scores at Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots.
Those two races, the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), were the same races Pretty Mischievous prepped in for the 2023 Oaks, winning the first and finishing second in the latter. Tarifa did her one better as she improved to three wins in as many starts this season with victories in both of those 1 1/16-mile races.
Now Tarifa, who is from the penultimate crop of the late classic winner Bernardini, will stretch out an extra half-furlong for Friday's test under Flavien Prat—who was aboard for both Fair Grounds stakes wins.
THE KENTUCKY DERBY
Japan’s Kentucky Derby Hopes Rely on Talented Horses, Experience
Undefeated Forever Young, shown exercising at Churchill Downs May 1 with trainer Yoshito Yahagi in the saddle, is the leading Japan-based contender for the 2024 Kentucky Derby on May 4. (Eclipse Sportswire)
For the third consecutive year, Japan-based horses will participate in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. As talented runners continue to arrive each year from Japan, the same statement can be heard Derby week on the Churchill Downs backstretch: “Japan is going to win one eventually.”
Forever Young will enter the starting gate May 4 as, what many are calling, the colt that gives Japan its best chance yet earn the roses. A perfect 5-for-5, Forever Young has already won in three different countries while earning more than $2 million, thanks to victories in the Saudi Derby and UAE Derby Sponsored by Atlantis The Royal.
Meanwhile, T O Password is an overlooked colt who has only gotten stronger from his experiences. Undefeated through two starts in Japan – both races while setting the pace – T O Password earned the top spot on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series of qualifying races and became the first-ever top point earner to accept the invite.
Both colts look like legitimate players to make the 150th Derby even more historic.
For Japan, the recent Derby years have seen a bit of a team approach that continues in 2024.
Read the full article at americasbestracing.net
PODCAST OF THE DAY
2024 Kentucky Oaks - Final Selections - Full Field Analysis - EVERY HORSE discussed!
Join PTF and JK as they provide a comprehensive analysis of each contender in the 2024 Kentucky Oaks. This Grade 1, $1.5 million race features a competitive field of 14 top three-year-old fillies racing at Churchill Downs. Dive into the detailed look at the backgrounds, running styles, and key attributes of these contenders! 🏇
📅 Event Date: May 3, Churchill Downs ⏰ Post Time: 5:51 PM EDT 📍 Location: Louisville, KY
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Riders Up!
Best, Steve