Filly, Rachel Alexandra, is going to run in the Preakness. But the story within the story is she is also the favorite to win it!
I realize she won the priemer race in the filly world, the Kentucky Oaks, by more than 20 lengths. She is without question this years best filly… but let me take a hard stance on this. She does not belong as the favorite in the Preakness! I might go as far as saying she doesn’t belong in the Preakness at all.
This is like throwing Candace Parker into the NBA. Sure she can dunk at the women’s NCAA and WNBA level, but what happens when Dwight “Power” Howard is standing there when she tries to go up? Yes, she can shoot well and is a versatile player, but what happens when Kobe or LeBron are guarding her on the perimeter? It’s a joke to think she would be able to compete in men’s NCAA at the D-1 level, much less the NBA.
Here is Annika Sorenstam holding the LPGA trophy. Sorenstam’s domination of the LPAG from 2001-2005 was undeniable. She was money leader, low scorer and Player of the Year every year. During her peak in 2003 at the Colonial, Sorenstam became the first woman since Babe Didrikson Zaharias to play on the PGA Tour. Sorenstam shot 71-75 and missed the cut. She did not try again.
How about last year’s glory story for the filly Eight Belles. in 2008 she won by 15 lengths at Fair Grounds in January, then took the Martha Washington Stakes by 13-1/2 lengths, the Honeybee Stakes by 1-1/4 lengths, and then Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park by 3/4 of a length. Then Eight Belles was entered into the Kentucky Derby to race with the big boys. She ran and ran well. Hell, she finished second to Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby… oh wait, I’m getting a vision… here it is…. I Remember. Too soon? No. We are looking at horse racing and this is what I think about when a filly is favored in the Preakness.
All I’m trying to do is get a point across before this all blows up and becomes a media uproar. There is evidence that Rachel Alexandra will fail, so watch your wagers closely. I know who I’m betting on and it’s not Rachel Alexandra!
This espn.com story explains how she got to the Preakness and is interesting if you are wanting to know the reason she is running.
From The Cheap Seats