Scotia update on great horses.

The question remains is, who is the best horse on the planet?

Rachel, Goldikova, Zenyatta, Sea the Stars not forgetting Stacelita.

After this weekend, both Sea the Stars and Rachel Alexandra won again and in
addition the form of Goldikova was franked.

In my opinion, it has to be Sea The Stars at this stage, maybe the ARC or the Breeders Cup
meeting could change the outcome?

Have updated the stats:



Sea the stars

SEA THE STARS (IRE) : 3 YR OLD COLT (CAPE CROSS - URBAN SEA by MISWAKI)

7 wins from 8 starts after maiden win won a group 2 followed by 5 group ones.
2000 gns, Derby, Eclipse, Juddmonte and Irish Champion Stakes.

Earnings of GBP 2,198,134



Goldikova

GOLDIKOVA (IRE) : 4 YR OLD FILLY (ANABAA - BORN GOLD by BLUSHING GROOM)

9 wins from 13 starts 2 x seconds and a third. after winning group 1 Falmouth at Newmarket
won 2 group ones in France.

Earnings of GBP 1,623,623.00



Zenyatta

ZENYATTA (USA) 5 YR OLD MARE (STREET CRY - VERTIGINEUX by KRIS)

12 wins from 12 starts, I don't have all the details but I gather all wins are group one and group 2 races?
I had the earnings for the first 10

Earnings of GBP 1,363,043.00,


Stacelita


STACELITA (FR) : 3 YR OLD FILLY (MONSUN - SOIGNEE by DASHING BLADE)

5 wins from 5 starts last 2 were grade ones.

Earnings GBP 621,255.00



Rachel alexandra

RACHEL ALEXANDRA (USA) 3YR OLD FILLY (MEDAGLIA D'OR - LOTTA KIM by ROAR)

Has won 11 of 14 starts with 2 seconds, in her last seven runs has won 2 group three's and 5 group ones.

Earnings of GBP 2,008,805



Inputs welcome.



Hoping that either Robin Bruss or James Goodman may mention this on the tellytrack shows for the punters and maybe get some views?

good punting!

scotia

Sea the Stars and Goldikova neck and neck for me,Goldikova is probably the best miler i have ever seen!

Sea The Stars looks oh so special

I would like to see Sea the Stars now take on older horses over a mile and a half. Bring on the Arc!!!!

I still think he is the best horse I have seen in a very long time!!!

Looks like thats it for Rachel for the season,but she is set to return as a 4yo...

Good morning Hibby, you are correct, plus no clash with Zenyatta, but what a season for a 3 yr old filly.

Rachel Alexandra looks finished for season


USA: The great Rachel Alexandra is unlikely to run again this season after her dramatic victory over older males in Saturday's Woodward Stakes at Saratoga - but America's superstar filly looks set to stay in training as a four-year-old.

Majority owner Jess Jackson is not keen to run Rachel Alexandra again this term after she took her winning streak under jockey Calvin Borel to nine in the Woodward, which was her fifth Grade 1 win of the season.

"Not likely," said Jackson, when asked if she would turn out again in 2009. "She had a campaign since winter; this is the fall."

The brilliant daughter of Medaglia D'Oro has won 11 of her 14 career starts, all three defeats coming in her two-year-old season.

"She's raced more races in two years than most fillies ever run," added Jackson, speaking in the Daily Racing Form.

"She's done things that no fillies have ever done. She deserves a rest."

To add to her two wide-margin victories over fillies in the Kentucky Oaks and the Mother Goose, Rachel Alexandra beat Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the Preakness Stakes, and then beat Belmont winner Summer Bird in the Haskell Invitational.

She then went on to beat older males in the Woodward with a narrow verdict over Macho Again, a regular in the top grade.

Although the bare margin of victory does not look as impressive as usual, Rachel Alexandra chased stern fractions up front and was challenged throughout the 1m1f event.

"She's a very special horse," said trainer Steve Asmussen. "For the races that she's run recently and the way she did it under those circumstances [at Saratoga], she proved her mettle."

The filly has long since earned the status of a phenomenon in the States. "To imagine what a three-year-old filly's done, she's not a three-year-old filly, she's Rachel," Asmussen added.

Jackson said his filly was a "little tired" after the Woodward. "What she won with was her determination and pure guts," he said.

"Every time they challenged her, and they challenged her four of five times, she responded.

The good news is that Rachel Alexandra will likely run again next season at four.

"I want Rachel to continue to entertain fans an build her legacy through next year if possible but that will depend on her," said the owner.

However, the prospect of any meeting between Rachel Alexandra and star west-coast filly Zenyatta, who remains unbeaten, looks more distant than ever.

"It was never high on my agenda because I don't think Zenyatta wants to run in the east and we're not going to run in the west," said Jackson.

"They have a hell of a horse, and if she finishes up never defeated that's a great result to shoot for."

RACHEL FOR ME!

Awesome Sea The Stars reaches new high


WORLD CLASS: An analysis of the best performances of last week according to Racing Post Ratings

TOP OF THE CLASS: Sea The Stars 137+

Trainer: John Oxx (Ire)

Irish Champion Stakes, Leopardstown, 1m2f, September 5

HISTORY will show that we have two great horses in our midst and both werein winning action on a very special Saturday.

Before they hit the track this weekend, Sea The Stars and Rachel Alexandra looked pretty safe bets to land the horse of the year awards in Europe and America respectively.

But after they ran . . . well, the powers-that-be may as well cancel the end-of-year voting and send out the awards three months early.

However you judge them and whatever your criteria, the Irish colt and American filly are the superior equines of 2009.

Collateral form, performance ratings, times, number of Group / Grade 1 wins, sheer consistency – pick any category and that pair will top the charts.

As far as the Cartier and Eclipse awards are concerned, not even a Florida ballot-machine could miscount the unanimous flurry of votes they will receive.

For either of them not to win the awards would be like taking away Muhammad Ali's world titles, or stripping Pele of his World Cups, or Sir Steven Redgrave of his gold medals.

These two champions have stood head and shoulders above their contemporaries this year.

In fact, they would stand out in most years, and to have both running in the same season is a splendid anomaly that racing fans of today should feel privileged to be part of.

On Saturday, both ingrained themselves deeper into racing history.

First up was world leader Sea The Stars (137+), who joined the all-time list on RPRs after making it five Group 1 wins in a row in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Mick Kinane said the son of Cape Cross was bigger and stronger than ever, and it showed, as he produced his best performance yet at Leopardstown.

For the first time this season, Kinane asked the superstar three-year-old to extend his winning margin beyond the customary cosy length, but he was still not at full-stretch to dispatch Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory (131) by two-and-a-half lengths.

As exceptional three-year-olds go, John Oxx's colt now ranks up with the best since Dancing Brave, whose career pre-dates RPRs.

Sea The Stars can only beat what turns up on the day and, while his race record could eventually surpass that of the mighty Dancing Brave, it is unfortunate that there is no Shahrastani, Triptych or Bering to help him prove how great he is on the ratings.

His laid-back attitude means he only tends to win by a length, but with nothing able to push him beyond the mid-130s, there is a chance we will never see just how great he is.

Across the pond, Rachel Alexandra knows all about posting big winning-margins.

The dirt/all-weather leader has demolished everything in her path this season and has broken all sorts of records along the way.

Eight wins; five Grade 1s - with three against the boys. And that's not to mention her record against her own sex, which defies the laws of nature.

Only one filly has finished within eight lengths of her this season.

That was in the Fair Grounds Oaks back in March and she might have won that by ten lengths if Calvin Borel had not started pulling her up at the one pole.

Her latest success added yet another record to her phenomenal CV, as she became the first filly ever to land the all-age Woodward Stakes at Saratoga.

It was a harder-fought victory than normal for the wonder-filly, but she still picked up a solid RPR of 125+ after fending off the late challenge of the progressive Macho Again (127+) for a head success.

If, as expected, she lands the Eclipse Horse of the Year title, it would make it three-in-a-row for trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Jess Jackson, who picked up the award with Curlin in 2007 and 2008.

The filly has run her last race for this year, having been on the go since February, but if connections do go ahead with a four-year-old campaign, the big target will be the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

At the risk of devaluing greatness, we may also have a third 'great' running this season, as Goldikova (131) now rates as the best filly in RPR history after her Prix Jacques Le Marois form took the mother of all boosts in the Prix du Moulin on Sunday.

Aqlaam and Virtual had been stuffed out of sight, by six and eleven lengths respectively, when placed behind the filly at Deauville, but they came out and finished first and third at Longchamp on the weekend, posting marks of 125 and 116.

While she hasn't recieved the same attention as Sea The Stars and Rachel Alexandra this season, no one can question what the Freddie Head-trained filly achieved in the Marois.

Incidentally, she too has beaten the boys three times.

What a year.
TOP DIRT/AW PERFORMERS

1. Rachel Alexandra (US) Haskell/ Mother Goose 129
2. Well Armed (US) Dubai World Cup
128
3. Macho Again (US) Woodward Stakes
127

Summer Bird (US) Travers S
127
5 Rail Trip (US)
Hollywood Gold Cup
125
Zensational (US) Pat O'Brien S
125
7. Big City Man (KSA) Golden Shaheen
124
Bullsbay (US)
Whitney/ Woodward
124
Quality Road (US) Amsterdam S
124
Zenyatta (US)
Vanity Handicap
124


TOP TURF PERFORMERS

1. Sea The Stars (IRE) Irish Champion
137
2. Rip Van Winkle (IRE)
Eclipse 132
3. Fame And Glory (FR)
Irish Champion
131

Goldikova (FR)
Jacques le Marois 131
5. Gladiatorus (UAE)
Dubai Duty Free
129
Mastercraftsman (IRE)
International S
129
7. Conduit (GB)
King George VI 127
Scenic Blast (AUS) King's Stand
127
9. Paco Boy (GB) Queen Anne/Sussex 126
10. Aqlaam (GB) Prix du Moulin
125
Sacred Kingdom (HK) KrisFlyer Sprint 125
Tartan Bearer (GB)
King George VI 125
Yeats (IRE) Ascot Gold Cup 125


ALL-TIME LIST

1. Dubai Millenium 2000 139D
2. Daylami 1999 138T
3. Generous 1991
137T
Peintre Celebre 1997 137T
Sea The Stars
I2009
137T
Zilzal 1989
137T
7. Dayjur 1990 136T
Mark Of Esteem 1996 136T
Montjeu 1999 136T
10. Cigar 1996 135D
Ghostzapper 2004 135D
Sakhee 2001 135T
13. Dalakhani 2003 134T
El Condor Pasa 1999 134T
Hawk Wing 2003 134T
Helissio 1996 134T
Nashwan 1989 134T
Pilsudski 1997 134T
Royal Anthem 1999 134T

I hope these following comments don't make me hugely unpopular as that is not my intentions.

Everyone knows I'm a BIG, no HUGE Sea the Stars fan but thats not the reason why I make these comments:

I don't believe that Rachel Alexandra has beaten the absolute best. There is no doubt in my mind that she is a SUPER horse but the quality of opposition she has faced according to me has been far from stellar. On the tracks of America it was no secret that the running of this years Kentucky Derby was not the strongest and most open in a very long time. I know Rachel did not run in this race but I would like to use the horses who ran here as a yard stick. All the horses who came out of the Derby for me was not spectacular. Mine that Bird could not win an one of the other events in the triple crown. Also the horses who were missing in the Derby were conspicuous in their absence, mostly through injury. Horses like I want Revenge, The Pamplemousse and so on were not there. I feel that The Pamplemousse in particular would have gone very close to winning the Derby.
Also in the race where Rachel faced older horses they were not a vintage bunch by any stretch of the imagination. So what I"m getting at is that I would like to see her compete at a big, competative race like the Breeders Cup (Which I know she will miss) or the Dubai World Cup. (Her owners have already taken this race away with Curlin)

Thus my argument for Sea the Stars. He has beaten a decent enough looking bunch of three year olds but even more so he is THE most impressive looking colt I have seen in a very long time.

Sea the Stars first, the others on Scotia's list all second, but a distant second at that!!!!

What an interesting year. It really makes for great viewing and reading!!!

Thanks for post Tommy and an excellent input and would have to agree with you,

just watched Winning Ways, and again not one mention to the inputs and videos supplied from ABC over the weekend to make this a topic on tellytrack shows.

Any "Breaking News" and "Current Affairs" would appear never to come from ABC

Update on a "great" if not the "greatest" stayer

St Leger bid could be Irish swansong for Yeats


YEATS was confirmed an intended starter to attempt a second win in Saturday's Irish Field St Leger as his trainer Aidan O'Brien hinted at possible retirement this season for the four-time Gold Cup hero.

Yeats won the race in 2007. The Ballydoyle trainer, who has not run the eight-year-old since his memorable Royal Ascot triumph in June, said: "The ground is not going to be ideal for Yeats and it could be his last run in Ireland, but we'd like to run him for the people, the Curragh, the race and the sponsors."

With Johnny Murtagh at Doncaster to team up with Age Of Aquarius in the Ladbrokes St Leger, O'Brien also outlined his riding plans for the Curragh.

"Seamus [Heffernan] will ride Yeats and also Alfred Nobel, our probable runner in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes."

Some doubt emerged on the Irish Leger participation of Melbourne Cup market leader Profound Beauty.


Dermot Weld, who trains the 10-1 favourite for Australia's greatest race, said: "We've been washed out of it on the Curragh this morning and I intend making a decision later in the week if Profound Beauty runs on Saturday.


"If she doesn't run on Saturday, the plan would be to go straight to Melbourne."

Paddy Power quoted Profound Beauty at 3-1 for the season's final Irish Classic, also introducing Yeats as 5-4 favourite.

Weld ruled out his Galway winner Stunning View from the Ladbrokes.com Vincent O'Brien National Stakes later on the card, but confirmed Chinese White an intended runner in the Irish National Stud Blandford Stakes.

"Stunning View won't run in the National Stakes and he'll wait for the Goffs Million, while Chinese White is in very good form and she runs on Saturday," added Weld.

The going at the Curragh was unchanged at 5pm on Tuesday - heavy in the straight and soft to heavy on the round track - following more rain.

Racecourse manager Paul Hensey said: "We've had just over five millimetres of rain which is more or less what we expected. The forecast from now on is for dry, settled weather for the rest of the week."

Irish Field St Leger betting

Paddy Power: 5-4 Yeats, 3 Profound Beauty,
4 Alandi, 9-2 Schiaparelli, 10 Tastahil, 12 All The Aces, 20 Clowance, 25 Royal And Regal,
33 Moon Indigo, 50 Suailce, 100 Bashkirov.
Comments

Canford cliffs been put away for the season Scotia,there was excuses from the stable for his last run,so maybe he can get back on your list next season if he trains on?

The Irish field St leger is another race like the"st leger" that seems to be devalued the last few seasons,would really have fancied Profound Beauty had the ground been decent as i think she is one of the most improved performers in Europe and must have a proper chance in the Melbourne cup..

Tommy i sort of agree with you,Rachel has been purse chasing,and the top colts Summer Bird etc might be too strong for her later in the season so putting her away for the year is maybe a good decision,then bring her back early next season and cream ofF the early season purses? and then decide where to go with her..