It is hard to imagine that we could have been treated to a much more exciting day of three-year-old racing than what showed up on Saturday.  The Tampa Bay Derby ended in a photo finish, Lookin At Lucky overcame a bad trip and gutted out a narrow win over Noble’s Promise, and Sidney’s Candy lived up to every accolade he had received in the past month.  I am delighted that the outcome of the weekend’s races caused me to shake up my top 10 list that is shown below.

Tampa Bay Derby

The Tampa Bay Derby unfolded like the script in a movie. Super Saver made the lead, Uptowncharlybrown got away from the gate well enough to avoid getting shuffled back, and Odysseus and Schoolyard Dreams made it to the clubhouse turn in perfect stalking position.  The real racing began when Schoolyard Dreams made a visually impressive move nearing the end of the backstretch.  He overtook the leaders and looked like he was going to win as he continued to battle Super Saver down the stretch.  I truly believe that Schoolyard Dreams may have won this race if the jockey had waited only a few more strides before making that very impressive move.

Odysseus showed both his lack of experience and his natural talent in the closing sixteenth of a mile.  When he and Schoolyard Dreams stopped the timer together in a photo finish I admit I thought he had come up short, but the photo proved otherwise.  The big test for his connections going forward is to season this youngster and get additional foundation under him with what likely will be only one more prep race.

I think the top three finishers come out of this race with pluses on their report cards relative to prepping for bigger things down the line.  Super Saver did not fade away once headed – a good sign.  Obviously, little separates the top two.  The only one that seemed to not advance on the Derby trail was Uptowncharlybrown.  He did fold his tent once he was headed.  I think we will see at least one of these in next month’s Illinois Derby.

Rebel

About midway down the back stretch of the Grade 2 Rebel, Garret Gomez moved Lookin At Lucky forward and closer to the leaders.  It appeared that the colt ran up on the heels of Noble’s Promise, and before Gomez could regain control they had lost at least two lengths to those leaders.  Gomez, however, regrouped and got his charge back into position to make the grueling stretch run as he overtook Noble’s Promise.  Even before the scare on the backstretch, Lookin At Lucky seemed he might better be named Headin For Disaster on this day.  Cardiff Giant broke from the one hole and immediately squeezed Lookin At Lucky from the inside.  After several good bumps the three inside horses got untangled from one another with Lookin At Lucky in fifth place.  There can be little doubt after the Rebel about the high degree of athleticism possessed by last year’s two-year-old champion.

In this past decade I recall at least two crops of three-year-olds where the top finishers in the Derby took the same road to Louisville.  In 2003, Funny Cide, Empire Maker, and Peace Rules all emerged from the Wood Memorial to finish atop the Derby.  The next year, Lion Heart and Smarty Jones moved in tandem from Oak Lawn to the top two spots in the Derby.  I would not be surprised to see Lookin At Lucky and Noble’s Promise accomplish something similar.

The horse that disappointed in this race was Dublin.  As I expected, he was bet down to second favoritism by the betting public.  He, however, proved to be no match for the top two as they pulled away from him during their stretch duel.  Mr. Lukas had better find a jockey that can ride the horse from off the pace before Derby Day.  Today showed me that his best racing is going to be as a closer.

San Felipe

Despite the fact that I had handicapped this race with Caracortado on the top of the card, I am not surprised by the win by Sidney’s Candy.  Going two turns for the first time did not seem to bother him.  He joins a long list of good three-year-olds that like to be on the lead.  If they all make the Derby field, figuring out the pace is going to be one hard job.  I adore the offspring of Candy Ride, so this guy will become one I root for in earnest.

The horse that was gaining ground at the end of the San Felipe was the heretofore turf winner Interactif.  He actually squirted away from the highly regarded Caracortado in the final strides of the race as he got up for the place.  American Lion ran the same race in the San Felipe that he ran last month in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis.  Trainer Eoin Harty put blinkers on him before this race, and once again he seemed to tug hard down the back stretch and look anything but relaxed.  Dave in Dixie was never better than fifth during the whole race and did not close ground in this race.  These two appear to me to be fading off the Derby radar screen.  In the meantime, it is likely that the connections of Interactif will find prep on synth for him and put him in the Derby.

Caracortado appeared to have every chance to win the San Felipe, but he was not able to overtake Sidney’s Candy from his stalking position, and as previously mentioned Interactif was pulling away from him at the end of the race.  Given the poor showing in this race by the horses that came out of the Robert Lewis, we may have to consider that the race is a “negative” key race.

Looking Ahead

Gulfstream will be the center of three-year-old racing next Saturday when the Swale and Florida Derby are run.  That means we will once again see Eskendereya.

Top Ten

Lookin At Lucky, Eskendereya, Sidney’s Candy, Rule, Odysseus, Noble’s Promise, Conveyance, Discreetly Mine, Caracortado and Awesome Act.

Pletcher Derby Contenders 

Aikenite, Connemara, Discreetly Mine, Eskendereya, Interactif, Rule, and Super Saver.

(Edited Santa Anita Park report)

ARCADIA, Calif. – Back from the Fair Grounds in Louisiana where she had won a minor stakes race sprinting on the grass at odds of 5-1, Annihilation ran down 2-1 Czechers in the final strides of Sunday’s inaugural running of the $64,050 Clocker’s Corner Handicap for fillies and mares at 6½ furlongs over Santa Anita’s downhill turf course.

With Alex Solis in the saddle at odds of 6-1, Annihilation rallied from eighth in the field of 11 to prevail by a neck for her fifth victory in her last eight starts while running the distance in 1:12.50. Czechers, handled by Rafael Bejarano, finished one-half length ahead of third-place Bella Roja with Joe Talamo aboard.

Annihilation, a 4-year-old daughter of Northern Afleet trained by Dan Hendricks, returned from a seven-week respite to score in the race designed to serve as a prep for the Grade III Las Cienegas Handicap over the same course on April 11.

The winner paid $14.80, $6 and $5. The mutuels on Czechers were $4 and $3.40 while Bella Roja returned $10.40 to show.

Czechers pursued pace-setter Manhattan Beach through some brisk early fractions while Solis settled his filly near the rear. Czechers gained the lead at the sixteenth pole before succumbing to Annihilation’s furious rally on the extreme outside.

“Her best style is to sit and wait,” said Hendricks. “That’s what we wanted to do, and make one quick burst. We thought she could move up on the turf (5-for-8), and she’d be a good filly. She’s gone on beyond that expectation now with the last two wins and figuring out her style. She’s a little thing that wants to go when you ask her to. This sets up perfect for her to go to the Las Cienegas.”  

“I had a great trip,” Solis said. “Dan (Hendricks) wanted me to save ground and keep her together. I was waiting in the back, in the middle of the pack and saving ground. At the eighth of a mile, I got her into the clear and she just did her stuff.” 

The winning purse of $36,990 elevated the career earnings of Annihilation to $213,270 for the partnership of Jeff Davenport, Tom Lenner and William Strauss from an overall record of 5-3-2 in 13 starts.

PICK SIX CARRYOVER INTO WEDNESDAY OF $139,204, SANTA ANITA POOL COULD TOP $500,000

When 75-1 longshot Laserbeam Jackson, a 3-year-old colt bred in Utah, won Sunday’s seventh race, a carryover seemed likely and it was — as $139,204 will be carried over to Wednesday’s pool at Santa Anita.  It is expected that the total pool will exceed $500,000.

Ridden by apprentice Christian Santiago Reyes, Laserbeam Jackson, who paid $157.00 to win, is owned by his breeder, Dick Barton and is trained by Gary Stute.

Sunday’s Pick Six began with race four, which was won by Hockley, who paid $4.80 to win.  Ridden by Garrett Gomez and trained by Eoin Harty, the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by A.P. Indy is owned by Darley Stable.

The fifth race went to Brookie Girl under Tyler Baze.  A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Proud Citizen, she paid $6.60 to win.  Brookie Girl is owned by Holly or David Wilson and is trained by Vladimir Cerin.

Race six was won by Medaglia d’Amour, who was ridden by Joel Rosario and paid $9.00 to win.  A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Medaglia d’Oro, she’s trained by Ben Cecil and is owned by Mmes. Cecil or Reddam.

The eighth, the inaugural running of the $55,000 added Clocker’s Corner Handicap, was taken by Annihilation, who paid $14.80 to win under Alex Solis.  Trained by Dan Hendricks, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Northern Afleet is owned by Davenport, Lenner, Strauss and partners.

Sunday’s ninth went to California Colonel under Felipe Valdez.  The 3-year-old California-bred colt paid $9.40 to win and is trained by Jeff Mullins.  A son of Beau Genius, California Colonel is owned by Foos, Ho, Margolis and partners.

Santa Anita will be dark Monday and Tuesday, with first post time on Wednesday at 1 p.m.  The Pick Six will cover races four through nine.

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Foxwood Plantation’s Foreign Production broke in full stride to make the pace and continued willingly in the late stages to win Sunday’s $46,000 six-furlong allowance sprint for accredited Louisiana-breds by a length and three-quarters.

Trained by Sweet Hodges and ridden by Carlos Gonzalez, the 4-year-old gelding toured the distance in 1:09.86 after recording early splits of 22.49 and 45.90, increased his career earnings to $214,840 with his sixth victory in 12 lifetime starts and returned mutuels of $10.80, $6.60 and $8.40.

H & H Ranch’s Ide Ball, allowed to settle early, could not match the winner but was clearly second best, finishing 1 1/4-lengths to the good of Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Hear No Angel. Ide Ball paid $10.40 and $9.60 and Hear No Angel returned $5.40.

Racing resumes Monday at Fair Grounds with a 10-race program beginning at 1:10 p.m.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Edgar Perez won three races today, while reinsman Daniel Centeno took home four wins on the card;  two of Centeno’s victories came with leading Tampa Bay Downs trainer Kathleen O’Connell.

Edgar Perez took his first trip to the Winner’s Circle aboard Groom’s Spirit, a three-year-old American Spirit colt owned and bred in Florida by Sara Zimmerman and trained by Greg Griffith.  Perez scored again with Main Street Girl; the five-year-old Florida-bred Put It Back mare was bred by Janet Erwin and is owned and trained by Christos Gatis. Perez rounded out his hat trick Besitos, a three-year-old Greatness filly under the care of Raja Malek for owner Edward Seltzer.

Leading rider Daniel Centeno teamed up with Tampa’s leading conditioner Kathleen O’Connell for two wins today. The duo got their first victory with Toughheartedlion, a four-year-old Lion Heart gelding bred in Florida by Alice Ann Farm and owned by Lidia Ferrentino. O’Connell and Centeno struck again with Wild ‘n’ Waki Guy; the Florida-bred Wild Event gelding is a homebred of owner Maurice Miller.

Centeno got his third trip to the Winner’s Circle aboard Rock With You, this time for trainer Leo Azpura, Jr. Rock With You is a three-year-old Sugar’s Saint filly bred in Florida by Dr. Alfonso Martinez and owned by David Romanik. Centeno notched his fourth victory in the sundowner aboard Repreive, a three-year-old Sucessful Appeal filly under the care of trainer Eric Reed for owners Christopher Elser, Pam Gartin and Bob Baker.

Racing resumes March 17 with a 10-race card; there is a Pick 6 carryover of $11,155.88 and a High Five carryover of $4,216.23.

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra was in good order the morning following her second-place finish to Zardana in the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies, but  trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday that Rachel would not ship to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., on Monday as previously planned and she will not run in the $5 million Grade I Apple Blossom Invitational.

Owner Jess Jackson issued a statement Sunday afternoon confirming that she will not run on April 9.

“Yesterday’s race while a disappointment, helped us define Rachel Alexandra’s racing condition. 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,” Jackson said.

“We tried and we really wanted to go (to the Apple Blossom). It’s unfortunate but the timing just wasn’t right. For the health of the horse. It’s obvious she’s not in top shape. The race yesterday was to define how far along she was. I repeatedly told people she was only eighty or eighty-five percent of what I thought was up to her top condition last year. That race proved it.”

 What will be her major goals for the year now? “It’s up to her. She has to show us that she’s back up to her ’09 form. We had progressively accelerated her conditioning and it didn’t work, so we’re going to gear back, let her develop at her own pace. I can’t give you a prediction as to when but it might take a couple of months,” Jackson said.

Earlier Sunday Asmussen said. “She came back well,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “She ate last night, very sound this morning, walked the shed row well. I’m very pleased with that. We don’t have any negative indications yet today,” he said. “Like anything, you want to be 100-percent and if you’re not you go from there. We don’t have any negative this morning other than the loss and the hurt feelings of yesterday. Our main concern is how Rachel feels and her well-being and we’re very pleased with her today.”

Reflecting on Saturday’s race, in which Rachel Alexandra stalked the early pacesetter and assumed the lead around the far turn before yielding to the eventual winner, Asmussen was still “disappointed” but remains steadfast in his belief that she simply was not fit enough to win and has much improvement ahead of her.

“We had talked about her being seventy-five or eighty-percent fit,” he said. “The filly got tired but she cooled out fine and came back well from it; it’s just a case if we can move forward in a positive direction fitness-wise, as well as with everything else. Yesterday’s race is over. We can analyze it all we want, but her physical condition and her state of mind are what we need to concern ourselves with and we’ll address that moving forward.”

Asked to expand on her state of mind Sunday morning, Asmussen said: “I was pleased with it today. She was relaxed in her stall. She went to her tub when we fed her last night and cleaned up everything. Walked well this morning and seemed very comfortable in her stall this morning.”

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

“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,” Moss said.

Jack Will
Gulfstream Park

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Zayat Stable’s 3-year-old Eskendereya worked an easy five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 Sunday morning at Palm Meadows as he is kept on edge for next Saturday’s $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, leading a team of a dozen stakes runners on the work tab from trainer Todd Pletcher’s arsenal of talent this winter.

A son of Giant’s Causeway, Eskendereya romped home an 8½ lengths winner of the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) last out on Feb. 20 over the track and 1 1/8 miles distance of the Florida Derby and will likely be a heavy favorite for the 59th edition of Gulfstream’s historic Kentucky Derby (G1) preview.

Buddy’s Saint also worked five furlongs in 1:01.30, but following the workout he was off in his right front and trainer Bruce Levine had him X-rayed. A bone chip was found in his right front ankle and Levine said the colt would have surgery and would be off 60 to 90 days, taking him off the Kentucky Derby trail. Levine said the son of Saint Liam would be brought back for a summer and fall campaign.

Earning the ‘bullet’ for five furlongs on the Palm Meadows tab Sunday morning was Ol’ Memorial Stables and C.E. Glasscock’s Soaring Empire, timed in 1:00 2/5 for trainer Cam Gambolati, fastest of 43 at the distance as he tunes up for the Florida Derby. The son of 2003 Florida Derby winner Empire Maker will likely be a longshot as he makes his fourth career start and first around two turns. Eddie Castro, aboard for the work, will ride the colt in the Florida Derby on Saturday, March 20.

Four other probable/possible Florida Derby starters worked over the Gulfstream track Sunday morning with Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Pleasant Prince timed a ‘bullet’ five-eighths in 59 1/5 for trainer Wesley Ward. The son of Indy King finished fourth last out in the Fountain of Youth, beaten 10 ¼ lengths by Eskendereya.

“I was really excited going into the race (Fountain of Youth),” said Ward Friday afternoon. “The horse was training great. I’ve always felt since we bought the horse that he was going to be something special, and I think he’s starting to emerge into what his potential is. Hopefully, he is one that is a late developer and will come around quickly to get us the big one (Florida Derby).”

Donald Dizney’s Florida homebred First Dude worked five furlongs in 1:02 for trainer Dale Romans as he prepares to make his stakes debut in the Florida Derby. The son of Stephen Got Even finished second in two starts in Kentucky last year, broke his maiden going a mile here on Jan. 30 in his 3-year-old debut and finished a game second in a 1 1/8 miles allowance race last out on Feb. 21.

Two others on the ‘possible’ Florida Derby list working at Gulfstream Sunday morning were Gainesway Stable’s Tempted to Tapit, five furlongs in 59 4/5 for trainer Steve Klesaris; and Michael Imperio and Kona Stable’s filly Christine Daae, six furlongs in 1:11 flat for trainer Patrick Biancone.

Tempted to Tapit finished second to Discreetly Mine in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds last out on Feb. 20 shipping in from Klesaris’ Gulfstream barn. His connections are weighing whether to run the roan/gray Tapit gelding here Saturday in the Florida Derby or return to New Orleans for the Louisiana Derby (G2) a week later on Mar. 27.

Biancone plans to run Flying Zee Stable and Kona Stable’s Pulsion in the Florida Derby after the son of Include finished sixth with trouble in the Fountain of Youth and has also nominted Christine Daae to the Florida Derby as well as the $200,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes (G2) over the track and distance earlier on the card.

A chestnut daughter of Giant’s Causeway, Christine Daae has won both of her starts at the meet after a fourth-place career debut last summer at Hollywood Park. She broke her maiden by 8¾ lengths here going seven furlongs on Jan. 15 and came back to score by 2¾ lengths going 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 28.

(Edited Oaklawn Park report)

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -  No fan who has a desire to witness the best fillies and mares in the country face off in Oaklawn Park’s $5 million Grade 1 Apple Blossom Invitational on Friday, April 9 or leading Kentucky Derby contenders go head to head in the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on Saturday, April 10 will be turned away.

“While we are sold out of advanced-sale reserved seats, we always retain several hundred seats to sell to walk-up customers on race day,” Oaklawn Park’s Director of Marketing Kim Baron said. “These will go on sale as soon as the admission gates open on a first-come, first-served basis. And, all of our free seating will be available for the $2 general admission on Apple Blossom and Arkansas Derby days just as it is every racing day.”

Oaklawn Park would recommend that race goers plan to arrive at the track early on April 9 and April 10 to help secure their spots.

Advance seats do remain for the other days of the Racing Festival of the South, including Oaklawn Handicap Day on Saturday, April 3. For more information, please call 501-623-4411 or visit www.oaklawn.com or www.appleblossominvitational.com.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Calling Sidney’s Candy a frontrunner on the Kentucky Derby trail isn’t just hype. The colt has led all the way in winning his first two races of the season. Sidney’s Candy won the $150,000 San Felipe Stakes by a half-length on Saturday, sending 3-year-old rival Caracortado to his first loss in six races.

Sidney’s Candy covered 1 1/16 miles – the longest he’d ever run – on Santa Anita’s synthetic surface in 1:42.30 under jockey Joe Talamo.

“The plan was to get to the lead, relax and kick when they came to him,” Talamo said. “We knew last summer he was a quality horse and the way he did this today was so impressive. He has the demeanor of an older horse.”

Talamo finds himself with a Kentucky Derby contender less than a year after his Derby day ended in bitter disappointment. His mount I Want Revenge became the first morning-line favorite to be scratched on the first Saturday in May, with a leg injury.

Trainer John Sadler is ready to move Sidney’s Candy on to the Santa Anita Derby on April 3. He also trains sixth-place finisher Dave in Dixie, whom Sadler said didn’t handle the surface or the pace well.

“That’s kind of the plan,” Sadler said about Sidney’s Candy. “We’ll see how he comes out of it.”

Todd Pletcher-trained Interactif was second and Caracortado third. American Lion was fourth in the field of seven 3-year-olds prepping for Kentucky Derby consideration.

Stephen’s Got Hope was fifth and Erbeia last.

Sidney’s Candy was bred in Kentucky by diet guru Jenny Craig and her late husband, Sid. Sidney’s Candy led all the way in winning the San Vicente on the same track on Feb. 15.

Sidney’s Candy paid $9.60, $5.20 and $3.20. Interactif returned $6.60 and $3.20, while Caracortado was another 1½ lengths back in third and paid $2.40 as the wagering favorite.

Caracortado ran fourth most of the way, going four-wide into the stretch, but faded late under jockey Paul Atkinson.

“He tried hard. I can’t fault him at all,” Atkinson said. “They went a little bit slow early, so I had to pick it up in hopes the leader didn’t steal it on us. It cost me to ride him a little bit differently.”

Two-year-old champion Lookin at Lucky had to overcome a lot in his 2010 debut as he got up in the final yards to win the Rebel over a very game Noble’s Promise on Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

The son of Smart Strike came into the race off a three-month layoff, picked up blinkers for the first time and also was running on real dirt for the first. All that still doesn’t include the trouble that he ran into in the race itself. Lookin at Lucky and jockey Garrett Gomez got cut off at the half-mile and had to take up, losing a couple of lengths as the real running was just beginning.

Oh yeah, he also got squeezed back at the start as several horses came together as the latch was sprung on the gate to begin the race. After the colts sorted themselves out, Royal Express had the lead going into the first turn with Cardiff Giant, Uh Oh Bango and Noble’s Promise following. Dublin, Lookin at Lucky and Pleasant Storm were bringing up the rear.

Royal Express and Cardiff Giant stayed together as the quarter went in 23.64 and the half in 47.70. Just past that point is where Lookin at Lucky ran into trouble again. Noble’s Promise and Dublin appeared to come together in front of Lookin at Lucky, forcing Gomez to take up. By the time Gomez got Lookin at Lucky in stride, Dublin had made a sweeping move on the turn and was sitting outside of the leaders.

Noble’s Promise came up the rail and got past Dublin before the eighth pole. By this time, Lookin at Lucky had moved into third. He got past Dublin at the sixteenth-pole, but it did not look like he was going to catch Noble’s Promise.

Gomez was furiously working on his colt and urging him on. Robby Albarado had Noble’s Promise all out in the final yards, but he could not hold off Lookin at Lucky. And it took a photo to prove it. The margin of victory was a less than a head.  Dublin held on for third. The final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth race was 1:43.06.

Lookin at Lucky is owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman. He is trained by Bob Baffert. It was the colt’s sixth win in seven lifetime starts and his only loss was to Vale of York in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by a head after another less than perfect trip.

Earlier Saturday, No Such Word won the Honeybee for three-year-old fillies. Beautician was second and Tap Tap Tapping was third.

The proposed matchup on April 9 in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park between 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Zenyatta may have lost a little of its luster when Rachel Alexandra was beaten by Zenyatta’s stablemate Zardana in the New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Zenyatta kept her part of the bargain when she won the Santa Margarita on Saturday at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

Rachel Alexandra tracked the early speed of Fighter Wing as the quarter went in 23.84, the half in 47.72 and six furlongs in 1:12.86. Rachel made her move rounding the second turn but Zardana also was moving from fourth.

Rachel grabbed the lead before the quarter-pole but Zardana tackled her at the top of the stretch and stuck her head in front. Rachel fought back gamely but could not overcome Zardana as that one won the mile-and-a-sixteenth race by three-quarters of a length in 1:43.55.

Trainer Steve Asmussen was letdown after the race. “If I thought she’d get beat I wouldn’t have run her today,” Asmussen said. “We’ll have to be cautious. We want to do what’s right for the mare.”

Jockey Calvin Borel blamed the loss on fitness. “She needed the race, that’s all,” Borel said. “She needed the race more than anything.”

That assessment was echoed by Asmussen, who blamed himself for Rachel Alexandra’s defeat. “The filly’s lacking fitness,” he said. “It was my job to have her there, and I didn’t do it.”

Borel said he rode to instructions, and would have preferred to have let Rachel take the lead earlier.

“I wanted to go on past the speed horse early,” Borel said. “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.”

In the Santa Margarita, Zenyatta dropped back to her usual place at the rear of the pack and was content to stay there until jockey Mike Smith asked her to run rounding the second. It looked like Zenyatta would have trouble with traffic in the 11-horse field, but Smith moved her down to the rail and she followed Pretty Unusual until she cleared another horse. Zenyatta then spurted by Pretty Unusual and was home free by a little more than a length.

“I don’t know what to say, I’m like a fan. This was her first race back and I wanted to make it as easy as possible. I thought I would be able to follow Ski Dancer and wheel out wide when I needed to, but when Alex (Solis) didn’t move on I eased back and decided to follow Pretty Unusual. I could’ve wheeled wide when we turned for home, but I decided to follow Chantal (Sutherland, aboard Pretty Unusual) as far as I could. I cut some corners and gambled a bit, but I was confident at all times that if she needed to make room, she could.  She’s a bit of a bully. This was a great, great race for her and it wasn’t taxing at all.  We got enough out of this race to move forward,”  Smith said.

Trainer John Shirreffs was pleased with Zenyatta’s effort. “Obviously, he (Mike Smith) went to the inside, and then had to come back out, so . . . I just have a lot of faith in Mike. I know once he gets her in the clear, he has a good chance. She’s cut in between horses and everything, but when you have a big X on your back, a lot of places don’t open up that normally would.”

Asked if everything was OK if she would go to Oaklawn for the Apple Blossom (April 9) no matter what: “Yeah, yeah. I didn’t get a chance to see it (the New Orleans Ladies Stakes), but I heard it, and it sounded great . . . She’s (Zardana) tough. California’s tough . . . We’re tough. Don’t take us short. Zenyatta will run in the Apple Blossom regardless. That was never really the thing, for us. It really wasn’t. Zenyatta came back so we could have some fun with her and other fans could see her. That was the whole thing. She’ll go back to Hollywood (Park) and get ready for Oaklawn.”

Asked if she was better now than she was before: “That’s hard to say. How can you be better than perfect.”