Life At Ten's six-race winning streak on line vs. Rachel in Personal Ensign

By David Grening
8/27/10 9:37 AM
ESPN

When you have a horse who has won six consecutive races in distances from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, one would figure to be quite confident entering the next race.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- When you have a horse who has won six consecutive races in distances from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, one would figure to be quite confident entering the next race.

But when the field for that next race includes the reigning Horse of the Year, it's a little difficult to be too confident. Such is the case for trainer Todd Pletcher, who will send out Life At Ten against Rachel Alexandra in Sunday's Grade 1, $300,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga.

The Personal Ensign will go as race 10 on an 11-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Life At Ten, whose six-race winning streak includes the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps and the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at the Personal Ensign distance of 1 1/4 miles, drew post 4, two spots outside of Rachel Alexandra.

"I don't think the post was hugely important, but I'm happy to draw outside of the other speed," Pletcher said. "We're going to give it a try."

While Life At Ten is already proven at 1 1/4 miles, Rachel Alexandra has not yet run that far. At 3, Rachel Alexandra beat males in the Preakness at 1 3/16 miles.

"She laid down fast fractions that day when she did it," Pletcher noted. "It's pretty hard to fault the other filly's r é sum é ."

In the Personal Ensign, Rachel Alexandra will be returning to Grade 1 company for the first time since she beat older males in the Woodward Stakes here last September. After losing her first two starts this year, Rachel Alexandra won the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs in June and the Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth last month.

On Thursday afternoon, a modest contingent of media and curiosity seekers watched Rachel Alexandra school in the Saratoga paddock without turning a hair.

Also entered in the Personal Ensign are Miss Singhsix, runner-up in the Delaware Handicap, Classofsixtythree, third in the Ruffian, and Persistently, a second-level allowance winner here on July 30.


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