racingmeridian.com

PONIES..superlatives abound after the weekend performances of racing superstars Rachel Alexandra and Sea The Stars…Rachel was simply awesome while taking the Woodward Stakes. The filly sizzled an opening quarter in 22.4 (some of the nations fastest runners had gone 22.2 in the Forego Stakes, a one turn sprint, earlier in the afternoon) while absolutely destroying the precocious Da Tara. Remember, Da Tara is a Belmont Stakes winner, but Saturday he crawled home dead last after attempting to run’n gun with the three year old filly. Her imperiousness on the lead was astonishing. She literally ran challengers off their feet. As the field hit the quarter pole, the redoubtable Macho Again roared from dead last into contention. After the explosiveness of her early endeavours it appeared both logical and probable that the challenge of one of the nations best older runners, in high drive, would obligate the miss to a runner-up role. Not with this filly. Responding to an imploring Calvin Borel, Rachel found a succession of gears with which to nurse a narrow advantage down the Saratoga stretch. At the wire her beautiful head had the measure of the sturdy gelding. It was a win for the ages, a performance that cements the legend of the best filly since that magician Ruffian…”run like a girl”, indeed…in Ireland on Saturday, in the Irish Champion Stakes, Sea The Stars, similarly, leapt into the realm of legend with an emphatic dismissal of Aidan O’Brien’s best steeds. Strategy was chopped up and reassembled by Ballydoyle in a manner best designed to bring John Oxx’s runner to his knees. With three furlongs to go Johnny Murtagh boldly sent Fame and Glory right past Sea The Stars, kicking his mount into an all out drive to the wire. Mick Kinane found his mount blocked and, as a further challenge, suitably curious at the “fancy dress” of the Leopardstown race goers as to be gawking at the stands. As Kinane became grim his mount suddenly focused on the business at hand and, in twenty mesmerizing, glorious strides, surged by Classic winners Mastercraftsman and Fame and Glory like they were hitched to a post outside Temple Bar. Still galloping freely and effortlessly, Sea The Stars pulled away and could have ran off by any distance if it had been required…the weekend was a reminder of the grace and elegance of the thoroughbred. Two of the greatest runners of the past 25 years are dismissing foes on separate continents with electifying precision…the biggest challenges lay in the immediate path of Sea The Stars as he prepares for a start in the Arc at Longchamp. Rachel has no current challengers, sorry Zenyatta, but she will return for a four year old campaign…GRID IRON..the Sporting News power rankings made its 2009 debut today. The top five teams are, in order; Steelers, Pats, Eagles, Chargers and Colts…the conservative nature of the multitude of NFL prognosticators, sheep move together, motivated a couple of contrarian plays on my part - we’ll risk some paper on the much criticized pair of Washington and Tampa…raves are pouring in for Washington Redskin linebacker Brian Orakpo. The rookie will combine with Albert Haynesworth to represent a vastly improved pass rush from a defence already ranked fourth in the league last year. The seers have unanimously short-changed the Skins because of 1) an inferior QB in Jason Campbell and 2) the inherent challenges of playing in the most difficult division in the NFL. I think the defence will be ferocious this year and may allow an “adequate” Campbell to drive this team to a .500 or over campaign. In fact, I’m betting on it (Skins, over 8 at evens)…my other “over” play is on the much maligned Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lord Byron Leftwich has a fine set of weapons in Kellen Winslow, Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton. The running attack looks potent with Derrick Ward, Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams all currently in the groove. What’s the problem, then? Well, virtually everyone on the aforementioned list gets injured with the regularity of a rooster crowing on a chilly winter’s morn. A healthy Bucs team could be murder playing with the lead. I’ll trust a late season rally, after a very tough early season sked, can pull these Bucs close to .500, something easily justified by the talent on the squad (Bucs over 6.5, +130)…riddle me this -  if the high profile castoffs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, namely Derrick Brooks, Jon Gruden and Jeff Garcia, are so exalted, why are they all out of football? The loss of defensive guru Monte Kiffen is the truly savage blow…the Indianapolis Colts and the Minnesota Vikings have addressed problems in their attack with high steppin’ rookies; Austin Collie is making Peyton Manning glow, while Percy Harvin makes Brett Favre look ten years younger…PUG LIFE..Thomas Hauser currently has an interesting article on contender Yuri Foreman up at the Seconds Out website. Foreman will challenge Daniel Santos for a junior middleweight belt on Nov 14^th, on the Pacquiao-Cotto undercard, and would be the first Israeli citizen to hold a belt if successful. Foreman, who despite the name is a light puncher, should be an underdog against the veteran but is in with a chance if recent inactivity dulls the Champs skills…the second episode of HBO’s 24/7 revealed Juan Manuel Marquez is drinking his own urine as he prepares to meet Floyd Mayweather on Sept 19th. Yep, he believes the vitamins contained within the human waste are vital and should not be wasted. If he pulls the upset over Mayweather would you consider changing your dietary habits? Didn’t think so…