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RIP Flanders

Flanders crushing in the Frizette (Jason Moran)

Sad news today that at some point this month, 1994 Champion Juvenile Filly Flanders was euthanized due to complications from a paddock incident. Glad that Paulick brought us this news but why are we just finding out?

I don’t have enough time to do Flanders justice with a well researched post but I encountered her when I did my 1994 series. She easily made her way to the top of my “favorite horses I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing” (also including Landaluce, Cigar, and Pebbles to name a few).

Here are all of her replays from YouTube… enjoy her brief but brilliant career:

1994 Maiden Race:

1994 Spinaway:

1994 Matron:

1994 Frizette:

1994 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies:

Rest in peace, and here’s hoping we see that Bernadini colt.

Posted by dana on Mar 01 2010
Filed Under: Jason Moran, Racing History, 1994, 2010, Farewell, Legend, Breeders' Cup, Race Replay, :(, YouTube, Racing

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Preptastic!

(Sarah K. Andrew)

Let’s not kid ourselves, in some cases we prep as much as the Derby contenders do. Don’t believe me? Then feast your eyes on these two weeny-tastic derby spreadsheets:

Jessica’s “Prep and historical criteria applied to Kentucky Derby winners and the top three finishers 1998-2009“. If that’s not some serious prep work, I don’t know what is.

Kevin’s recent addition of top three finishers in each of the four major Derby preps since 1952. Done in accordance with his excellent Measuring the Kentucky Derby preps, 1952-2009, this is some fine, fine data compilation!

No doubt there are other examples out there as well, but these ought to get you started if you’re looking to do some prep work of your own.

Posted by dana on Feb 28 2010
Filed Under: Racing History, 2010, Impressive, Sarah K. Andrew, Derby Trail, Handicapping, Racing

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Goodbye 2009

(Jason Moran)

Perhaps you were my favorite racing year so far (2006 - 2009)…. on to 2010!

Posted by dana on Dec 31 2009
Filed Under: 2009, Jason Moran, Farewell, Racing

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Rising to the Occasion

Who else has been pushed to the edge of their ability? (Sarah K. Andrew)

While having a lovely lunch with a few racing pals the other day, we discussed the past year and decade (along with sports betting, betting on reality TV shows, TV shows in general and the surprising high quality of the pea soup). As the conversation turned to Rachel Alexandra’s spectacular campaign I asked my esteemed colleagues, all long time fans, if they could recall another campaign where a horse was pushed right up to the edge of their ability as Rachel was.

Beyer recently mentioned that he thought Rachel’s campaign was the best for any US based filly:

Her campaign was, in my opinion, the best ever by a U.S.-based filly. The other great fillies of the modern era — such as Ruffian, Personal Ensign, Lady’s Secret and Azeri — made their reputations by dominating members of their own sex but didn’t distinguish themselves against males. Rachel Alexandra challenged males in three Grade I stakes — the Preakness, the Haskell Invitational and the Woodward — and won them all. She trounced Summer Bird, the best male 3-year-old, by six lengths. Overall, she won her eight starts by a combined total of 65 lengths.

After some deliberation and discussion, Ouija Board was mentioned as potentially being pushed to the edge of her ability, but our discussion was cut short by the arrival of the food.

So, I ask you dear readers, can you think of any successful campaigns, where a horse of any class has been challenged more often than not and rose to occasion? What say you?

Posted by dana on Dec 29 2009
Filed Under: Rachel Alexandra, Summer Bird, 2009, Impressive, Sarah K. Andrew, Legend, Racing

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