Got this from someone who said they got it from a reliable source. Here are Rachel\'s splits and comments from her last work.
13, 25.72, 38.50, 51.09, 102.11, 113.62 out in 126.49
Rachel is much bigger and carrying a lot more weight than last year. Looks very well muscled, but perhaps a tad thick in the middle. She broke off about a length an half behind her workmate, stayed outside in the 2 path and was hard held throughout the early part of the work, turning her head to the right a few times against the reins. Caught her workmate at the top of the stretch, was hand urged with a couple shakes of the reins and easily drew well past her workmate while dropping over to the rail. Finished her last 1/4 in 22.53 and was motoring late. Changed leads on cue but turned her head awkwardly to the right again while coming down the stretch. Galloped out an extra furlong in 12 and change and then seemed to keep going around the turn, almost as if a double gallop out (time unavailable). Looked good, but tough to say off this that she is ready to fire her best.
Below are my own comments.
My guess is the main thing the stable wanted accomplish was to give Rachel a work behind company to remind her not to be too keen to go early out of the gate, as is often the case with early pace type horses coming off a layoff. They probably accomplished this, but I think Rachel probably needed to go a little faster to really get what she needed to get out of this work. Don\'t know what the extra weight means. I would expect her to bigger as a 4 year old, but I am being told she is a lot bigger, couple hundred pounds at least, and a little thick.
My assumption based off this is that Rachel is probably not going to fire her best right out off the layoff. She is being pointed towards the Apple Blossom and a showdown with Zenyatta, and this upcoming race is just a piece of that overall plan. Can\'t wait to see the FG entries.
Take all of this only for what it is worth.
I love how MJ always tells us to \"take it for what it\'s worth\" and that he \"hasn\'t cashed a big ticket in months\", yada yada and then come Saturday evening after the race that he nutted the analysis on, we are all sending him congrats emails about his big score!
MJ, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. If you are going all in against Rachael first time back (which is what you clearly are leaning toward without having made up your mind for good reasons), then I am jumping right into the pool right behind you.
I hope you have broad shoulders for this one :)
In all seriousness though, thanks for posing the thoughts.