Sunday, May 31, 2009

Jackson's Next Move: Change Filly's Name to Rachel Jackson

Okay, I was wrong. I said that if Rachel Alexandra could stand up, owner Jess Jackson would enter her in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.

Reluctantly, Jackson finally caved to pressure from his trainer, the media and scores of industry experts who said running the filly a fifth time in nine weeks was suicide. But Jackson did not go down easily.

He did not surrender the day after the Preakness when jockey Calvin Borel said the poor filly was “exhausted.” He did not surrender when she worked a slow half mile a week later. And he did not even surrender when it was obvious that Borel needed his release to ride Mine That Bird in the Belmont.

You see, every day Jackson made us wait was another day he got his name in the papers and another way to promote his Kendall-Jackson wines. Finally on Friday, kicking and screaming, Jackson said he’d give Rachel some time off.

Make no mistake; Jackson bought Rachel a few weeks ago so he could get his name in the press. So don’t be surprised if Jackson has another promotional idea brewing. By the end of the summer he could change her name from Rachel Alexandra to Rachel Jackson. He could start a new line of white wines, call them Rachel Jacksons, and put her likeness on every bottle.

Or he could stay away from the writers and the microphones and let a great filly complete a great career. But I’m afraid that would be asking too much.



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