PREFERS TEMPLE'S OFFENSE TO PRINCETON'S
Don't get excited. This is an extreme longshot. But trainer Steve Asmussen said yesterday that superstar filly Rachel Alexandra will be nominated to five races to be run in late August or early September. One of them is the Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park.
Rachel will be nominated to the Alabama Stakes on Aug. 22 at Saratoga, as well as to Saratoga's Travers (Aug. 29), Personal Ensign (Aug. 30) and Woodward (Sept. 5). The Pa. Derby is Sept. 7.
"Right now, it is safe to say that she will be nominated to the Alabama, the Travers, the Personal Ensign, the Woodward and the Pennsylvania Derby," Asmussen said. "I think that you have obvious attractive scenarios for all of those races that are very separate."
The Alabama against 3-year-old fillies seems very unlikely, as Rachel Alexandra has dominated her division. She has beaten the 3-year-old colts twice, so even the Travers might not be as enticing as the prestige might suggest, although the re-emergence of top 3-year-old Quality Road should make it much more competitive than Sunday's Haskell.
The Personal Ensign is against older fillies, and the Woodward against older males, but the purses ($400,000 and $500,000, respectively) might not be very appealing - unless they are increased like the Haskell. The $1 million Pa. Derby has the right price and the right distance (9 furlongs), but certainly not the prestige of a race such as the Travers.
Maybe PhillyPark management, its pockets swelled by all that slots money, could make it the $2 million Pa. Derby. That might get the attention of Rachel's owner, Jess Jackson.
Told Rachel will be nominated to the Pa. Derby, Sal Sinatra, Philadelphia Park's director of racing, was surprised.
"Really, let's put her in," Sinatra said. "Interesting."
Pa. Derby nominations close Aug. 18. Given that almost all of the top 3-year-olds, including Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird, Florida Derby winner Quality Road and Jim Dandy winner Kensei, are either certain or likely for the Travers, it will be difficult to get much quality to the Pa. Derby. Unless . . .
If you listened closely to Jackson and Asmussen Sunday, after Rachel won the Haskell, the Woodward really sounded like the most likely next spot for Rachel. No doubt, they would like New York Racing Association officials to sweeten the pot a bit. Rachel's people could be using the Pa. Derby as leverage.
Rachel was back on the track yesterday for the first time since her dominating win in the Haskell. She likely will have her next timed workout at Saratoga next Tuesday. In another week or so, Jackson probably will announce the next stop for racing's biggest star. Stay tuned. *
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