Rachel Alexandra & Zenyatta Debut Weekend Race Results

Female heavyweights Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta were in action this weekend in preparation for their historic meeting in the Gr. 1 Apple Blossom Stakes on April 9. Zenyatta had the high weight in the $250,000 Gr. 1 Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita Park while Rachel Alexandra was making her debut as a 4-year-old in the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course. Get caught up on both horses' 2010 debut race results.

Zenyatta, the 6-year-old reigning champion older female, was coming into the Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., riding a career unbeaten streak of 14. She had beaten older males in her last race of 2009 - the $5M Gr. 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November - and had been retired by owners Jerry and Ann Moss in early 2010. But with interest in Zenyatta's racing potential still so high, Zenyatta was put back into training under the supervision of John Shirreffs with the spring goal of taking on reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in April.

Ceding up to 19 lbs to her rivals - including Gr. 2 El Encino Stakes winner Pretty Unusual and Floating Heart - Zenyatta was last in a field of eight coming off the turn of the 1 1/8-mile race. But with regular rider Mike Smith aboard and utilizing her crushing turn of foot, Zenyatta blew by all her rivals, including hard-running outsider Dance to my Tune with Martin Garcia in the irons in the final strides to win by 1 ¼ lengths; her winning time over the Pro-Ride surface was 1:48.20. The duo of Floating Heart and Joe Talamo rallied gamely for third.

The win earned this Street Cry mare $150,000, boosting her career earnings to $5,624,580 and her race record to an incredible 15-15-0-0.

Meanwhile, over at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La., Rachel Alexandra was taking on four others in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes in her 2010 debut. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Rachel Alexandra was coming off a string of victories - nine - that included the Gr. 1 Woodward Stakes against older males at Saratoga on Sept. 5. And her victory in the 1 1/16 mile race seemed all but assured when she and jockey Calvin Borel took the lead at the far turn from pacesetter Fighter Wing. But 6-year-old Zardana, a stablemate of Zenyatta, was gearing up for her own bid for the lead with jockey David Flores. The race then became a two-horse duel in the stretch, with Zardana inching away from her rival. She hit the wire first in a winning time of 1:43.55 with Rachel Alexandra three-quarters of a length behind. Their closest rival, a distant Unforgotten, clinched third, 11 ½ lengths back.

After the race, Asmussen shouldered most of the blame, saying that he had not done his job getting Rachel Alexandra fit in time for the race. The loss also put Rachel Alexandra's Apple Blossom Stakes appearance in jeopardy, with Asmussen saying: “We'll have to be cautious [about her next start]. We want to do what's right for the mare.”

Zardana, a daughter of Crimson Tide, earned $120,000 for the win and increased her career earnings to $428,421.

The Apple Blossom Stakes will be run on April 9. Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra? Bet on horse racing at the Bodog Racebook!

Horse Racing Odds to Win: Florida Derby at Gulfstream

The Florida Derby will be the last stop on the 2010 Kentucky Derby trail for many of this year's top contenders. On Saturday, March 20, Gulfstream Park will host the $750,000 Gr. 1 Florida Derby for 3-year-olds. Among those expected for the 1 1/8 mile race are Eskendereya, Pulsion and Ice Box.

Eskendereya rocketed to the top of many Top 10 rankings after his 8 1/2 length romp in the $250,000 Gr. 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 20 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The 3-year-old Giant's Causeway colt kicked off his 2010 campaign by winning a mile-long allowance race, also at Gulfstream Park, on Jan. 7, bouncing back from a ninth-place finish in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November where traffic problems likely contributed to his disappointing outcome. He has been training at Palm Meadows, recently registering a half-mile breeze in :49 1/5, and regular rider John Velazquez, aboard for Eskendereya's last two victories, should get the mount on Saturday. Eskendereya currently has $150,000 in graded stakes earnings.

Also trying to rebound from a poor Breeders' Cup Juvenile performance is Patrick Biancone's trainee Pulsion; this son of Include finished 11th in that race, hampered by a poor start. He improved to sixth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes but again faded in the stretch after encountering traffic mid-race – he will need a clean trip to keep up with the likes of Eskendereya on Saturday. He posted a 5-furlong work in 1:01.15 at Gulfstream Park on March 1 and will likely have Mike Smith in the irons for the Florida Derby. Pulsion currently has $65,000 in graded stakes earnings for owner Kin Hui of Flying Zee Stable.

Another Kentucky Derby hopeful who was unlucky enough to come up against Eskendereya in the Fountain of Youth was Ice Box, whose antics in the loading gate and effortful five-wide bid on the turn resulted in a fifth-place finish and derailed his consecutive win streak. He had gone into the Fountain of Youth Stakes off an allowance race win at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18 and his maiden-breaking victory at Meadowlands on Oct. 30. Ice Box is trained by Robert La Penta and is a son of Pulpit; he currently has $7,500 in earnings and will need a big score to get to the starting gate of the 2010 Kentucky Derby. Kent Desormeaux has the mount.

Also among the expected are Radiohead (trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr.), Pleasant Prince (Wesley Ward), First Dude (Dale Romans) and Game On Dude (Michael Mareina).

In 2008, Big Brown captured the Florida Derby on his way to winning the Kentucky Derby. Will we see a Kentucky Derby winner in the 2010 edition of the Florida Derby? Bet on horse racing at Gulfstream Park at the Bodog Racebook!

Betting on the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park

The $300,000 Gr. 2 Rebel Stakes is shaping up to be one of the defining races on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Loaded with top contenders like Lookin at Lucky, Noble's Promise and Super Saver, the 1 1/16-mile Rebel Stakes, held at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, March 13, will give horse bettors an excellent look at how these Derby prospects could stack up against each other in the Kentucky Derby.

Lookin at Lucky, atop many top Derby contenders lists, will likely make his 2010 debut in the Rebel Stakes. Though under consideration for the $250,000 Gr. 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park on the same day, Lookin at Lucky may now get the opportunity to test his ability on a conventional dirt track prior to the Kentucky Derby, as trainer Bob Baffert seems to be favoring the Rebel as the race date gets closer. Unbeaten as a 2-year-old, this Smart Strike colt was defeated by Vale of York by a head in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November; he capped off his year with a big win in the $750,000 Gr. 1 CashCall Futurity in December. Lookin at Lucky's graded stakes earnings currently top the list of Kentucky Derby hopefuls at $1,210,000.

Another Derby prospect likely to make his first start as a 3-year-old is Noble's Promise. Trained by Kenneth McPeek, Noble's Promise ran second to Lookin at Lucky in his last outing, also the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in December. A son of Cuvee, Noble's Promise came in third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November off a three-race win streak which included a grade 1 victory in the $500,000 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October. His graded stakes earnings sit at $648,000 for owners Chasing Dreams Racing.

Todd Pletcher's highly regarded Super Saver is also among the potential starters in the Rebel Stakes on Saturday. Lining up for the first time this year, Super Saver closed out his 2-year-old season by setting a race record in the $191,250 Gr. 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. A son of Maria's Mon, Super Saver was fourth in his previous outing – the $400,000 Gr. 1 Champagne Stakes in October – after breaking his maiden in September; he has earned $133,832 in graded stakes earnings so far. Ramon Dominguez gets the mount on Saturday.

Others in contention for the Rebel Stakes: Cardiff Giant, who is still looking for his first win of the year after two races; Uh Oh Bango, who should be a strong contender after coming in second behind standout Rule in the $750,000 Gr. 3 Delta Jackpot in December; and Dublin, who could not catch Convenyance in the $250,000 Gr. 3 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20 and finished second.

Last year, Win Willy upset favorite Old Fashioned in the 2009 edition of this race. Who will win the 2010 Rebel Stakes? Bet on horse racing at the Bodog Racebook!