Zenyatta v.s Rachel Alexandra 

THEY ARE BOTH EQUALLY BEAUTIFUL AND TALENTED, WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RUNNING STYLES. THEY ARE BOTH EQUALLY AMAZING

It don't matter who is better they are both the best horses out there. They both raced their hearts out for us and for what they like to do so it don't matter who's better.

BOTH WERE INDUCTED INTO THE RACING HALL OF FAME 2016,SO THEY ARE BOTH EQUALLY GREAT.

Zenyatta ALL THE WAY. She is one of the true greats and anyone who saw her run knows that

Personal Ensign (undefeated) wasn't too shabby either. They were all great mares who were the best of their time. Why can't we all just appreciate what they did on the racetrack. I enjoyed watching all of them and they gave everyone thrills when they stepped on the track.

After what occurred with Ruffian I highly doubt we will ever see another match race but I'd put my money on Zenyatta

If there was a pace duel, Zenyatta would have caught Rachel Alexandra. If Rachel Alexandra got the lead on her own, Zenyatta probably would come up just short of wiring her. Realistically, in a racing situation, it's about pace when you're talking about two horses as talented as these two were.

They're seriously both great in their own ways. Zen's undefeated but only ran the boys once. She dominated the synthetics several times and toys with the other fillies. Rach's by far had the most "historical" counts winning against the boys 3 times and beating one of Ruffian's records. Yea it'll be really hard to choose.

After watching her races on youtube it's apparent to me that Zenyatta has an amazing power which she unleashes towards the end of every race and it is absolutely breathtaking! There's no way she could calculate how much time is remaining or know exactly how much energy she has left or when to start her run in order to win. The only answer is that she is so extraordinarily powerful that none of this matters at all. She just pours on so much juice that time literally stands still!!! Sorry RA!

Any of u guys heard about the great Landaluce? She was great

Zenyatta never lost to a female horse. RA did 3 or 4 times

how can i be so in love with a horse when i am not into horse racing? she is a goddess

Very well done exciting video. Thanks for posting.

Perfect music match, exciting film.

Great Video Laura, I would love to see both of these Champions run agaist eact other, Seems like the only chance would be in Sept. at Belmont, We shall see, I would love to see a dead heat at the finish :)

Zenyatta has the most beautiful stride I have ever seen, RA lovers, not takin anything away from her, she is awesome as well

Zenyatta Greatest female race horse of all time. Have you ever seen a horse always come from dead last through 3/4 of the race to win 19 races in a row? You will never see it again. It was a challenge for her to beat the boys.. Totally Amazing!

ok, what is the speed rating breakdown for these two plus Ruffian, in all their races? Because there is your answer as to which was the greatest.

Both are fantastic

Go ZENYATTA!! well done video, got me pumped up.

I say no to Match Races !! We remember ! RIP RUFFIAN +

@TheKatsAss yeah, doesn't it make u curious how much more lengths she would of put between herself and the other horses if she paced with the leaders?

this video gives me goosebumps..... well done. Go Zenyatta ! Tactical power over the speedy youngster

Great vid Laura. This controversy is great for horse racing and If RA and Z never meet it will be argued who was better by racing fans for decades. Of course it's a little early in the year for a 3yo to be trying older horses. Even the mighty Secretariat didn't face older horses until August and then he got beat. Later this year Z will be pointing for the Breeders Cup and RA won't go there. Maybe after the BC RA and Z will meet. Let's hope so as it would be a great race.

I love both of them

Song?

Omg yeah totally they should have a match race. That would be so awsome

What about Personal Ensign? She finished undefeated. She beat both boys and girls and was a helluva broodmare. So yes I see Zenyatta, Ruffian, and Personal Ensign running an epic stretch battle to the end. It would've been a toss up.

@cowgal58 wouldn't u agree that it looks like zenyatta runs so effortlessly in all these races?

co sa jej stalo ?

@cowgal58 yeah i agree...did u you know though that there hasn't been a match race in the US since Ruffian vs Foolish pleasure? random fun fact

@JR08620 I like your comment, just because you confirm that RA was nothing special she was beaten by Zardana, whitch you called nothing so if Zardana is nothing whats left for RA ?

Sorry, Duh, I forgot she was a scratch in the Louisville Distaff at Churchill...

Depends on the track, the distance, and how many other horses in the field.. Z wins if it's 1 1/4. A nailbiter if it's 1 1/8.

oooooo that was insense :D I think Rachel Alexandra is the best...personally, but that would be cool if they had a match race!

isnt RA going for the ladies BC classic?

Great upload, thanks for your work - but for a moment let's pack 142 lbs onto Rachel and run her against all comers (males allowed) for a 7 furlong sprint. How would she do? How would Zenyatta do? It's abundantly clear that the BEST horse of any persuasion is subject to the criteria the beholder applies - hmm as an aside Beholder was a hell of a lady. Some may have not heard of Ta Wee....

It depends to distance and if theer other horses included. If match race between two probably hands down favorite for Rachel Alexandra

Your point? Some horse spend their careers on one coast, in one region, on one track. It doesn't take away from their greatness. Were either Zenyatta or RA 'globetrotters'? Didn't they race mainly in their respective areas?

ES SUPER GENIAL COMO SE FUE REBASANDO A LOS OTROS CABALLOS

The Rachel Alexandra we saw as a 3yr.old in 2009 going against Zenyatta would've made for an intriguing race. The 4yo Rachel Alexandra we saw would've been ran right by easily through the stretch by Zenyatta, likely without even blowing hard. But I've always said, no matter if the 2 raced on dirt, synthetics, turf, or on asphalt across a Wall-Mart parking lot, either Rachel gets beaten by Zenyatta. Ion't believe Rachel could've held off the closing onslaught Zenyatta would've brought to bare.

Mount a small framed short rider (up to 5'6" tall) on top of Zenyatta and the smallness and shortness of that person would likely be an advantage that helps Zenyatta beat Rachel Alexandra with any rider. Remember that horses with less human weight are more likely to run very fast without getting tired.

Until Zenyatta won the Breeders Cup Classic, Rachel fan's were always talking about how she would run off from Zenyatta. But after seeing the behemoth mare overcome such a poor start to run down the best male's out there, U.S. and Europe, suddenly that talk has stopped. That's because anyone who know's racing, know's that Zenyatta, on either surface, would run down and go by Rachel just the same as she did in the Classic. Rachel thought holding off Macho Again was tough. Zenyatta is far tougher.

GO RACHEL!!!

there are legends in horse racing like(ruffian,secretariant,man o war,barbaro,sea biscuit,rachel.......,zenyetta,azeri,ciger,sugar,curlin,disa leader,horse chestnut,b.caviar,frankel,phar lap.......and othrs) wHen i heard their names,i goT a feeling... l0l respecT

We will never know but all I would ask is at what distance. A mile or less I like Rachel. Zenyatta has never ran down a horse as good As Rachel and I think she would be allowed easy fractions and have enough kick left to get home and hold a closing Zenyatta off. Anything longer than a mile Zenyatta would finally run her down. This is a match race scenario I am talking about here. But If it was a full field I would take Rachel. She would get a much easier trip every time and is 95% the horse Zenyatta is. Zenyatta is the better horse but tactical speed stops a lot of of the best horses on the track from winning every day.

You are right GBeret83, the only way Zenyatta would lose is if she runs out of distance from starting too late. One she starts lengthening that stride she is going to get you. Rachel could only hope that the finish line is close enough. In a long enough race there is no doubt that Zenyatta would win.

Nunca corrieron Vs pero en tal caso me quedo con ZENYATTA Saludos 12 años después de que saliera el vídeo Jue,18 nov 2021 Desde Venezuela

It would be a great race if the two raced against each other. But unfortunatly I don't think we'll get to see the two race against each other. Conciderin Rachel's said that Rachel isn't goin to this years Breeder's Cup. And Zenyatta's owner said that he might not take Zenyatta out of California.

personally, i like Zenyatta better cause she's like an underdog who manages to keep her pace and beat everyone else. Rachel Alexandra is just a beast and...it's kinda intimidating! both are pretty cool tho

Rachel won the most thrilling Preakness I've ever seen. But ... I vote Zenyatta, who gave more than her share of thrilling finishes, and also proved she could beat the boys. I really believe she would've won that duel. Smith says he always felt she had an "extra gear" if he ever needed it. Long live Queen Z.

This makes me think of Ruffians story, but Z and RA I have got to see... then came Secrateriat

Zenyatta was clearly greater. Objectively. No doubt about it.

This would be the female version Seabiscuit and War Admiral. What would RA be afraid of? Could you imagine the attendance at the track that hosts the meet if advertised correctly (mainstream ads bought at prime time)? It could be listed as the Cat Fight of the Century. Dueling Divas!

they are very different styled runners. RA being a pacer and Zenyatta being a closer, it would be an interesting race, and Zenyatta would have to run a little bit differently to win. but all in all. i personally think Zenyatta is a better mare.

Not to mention Rachel raced top competition year round and Zenyatta did it once a year.

Rachel Alexander wasn't even in the same zip code as Zenyatta at a mile and a quarter. I could name at least 10 females that would have toyed with RA. Ruffian, Zenyatta, Sky Beauty, Personal Ensign are just the short list

Rachel Alexander beat both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winners in the Haskell Stakes for 3 year olds . Rachel also beat older males in the Woodward Stakes. Rachel ran at many different racetracks . Rachel won several races by more than 10 lenghts and she had a very high cruising speed and could carry it up to a mile an a quarter. Zenyatta ran 99 % of her races in California and on synthetic racetracks and they picked her spots very carefully. I don't think Zenyatta ran against males until she was 4 years old. If there was a match race between Rachel Alexander and Zenyatta , Rachel would win because of high cruising speed and by the time Zenyatta would get going, Rachel would be in front by 10 lenghts and long gone. None of the fillies and mares that Zenyatta ran against were no were the caliber of Rachel Alexander.

You need to understand the races that Zenyatta ran in she doesn't get to dictate the pace and whatever the pace she ran them all down if you're a graded stakes going 25 for the quarter and 49 for the half mile

Secretariat aren't related in blood...but both of them have Nasrullah (bold rulers sire) and princequillo (something royal daughter)blood in her blood......

@TheSecretariatfan THANK YOU!!!!! GO RACHEL ALEXANDRA!!!!!!

@xxcrystlecityxx RA couldnt get the 10f need to beat Zenyatta. RA is more of a sprinter then a miler. Plus the horses in the mother goose were weaklings compared to the horses in the Breeders Cup Classic of that year

That is a tough question because I think RUffian, Zenyatta, and Rachel are all great horses. Zenyatta got to show it the most of her greatness, but the others I feel are just as great and only the three can prove that too us! I dont think any explaination can really tell us who is the greatest, because its the heart of the horse that determines a winner. Size and physicality is something all three of the horses have in common, but the heart? Personally I think Ruffian and Zenyatta would be the closest to battle, as Rachel is great and I believe she has it but she has not showed it as solidly as the other two within the heart to win. However running wise Rachel is much more like Ruffian, but Heart and Physically Zenyatta is much like Ruffian, as Zenyatta never gives up even if that means she has to take second by a nose after being Dead last behind good! Race Horses! Since Zenyatta's run was not as much outwardly empressive, I think we do not always count her as great, but that is how she got us all good, because she took the strange way to win victory, but being dead last and making up all of those lengths in a short amount of time against horses that were good horses, and passing them up to the finish line as if they weren't running fast at all and just leaving them behind all at the last minute , every single time! Is that not greatness! She pulled at our hearts because she make it look soo impossible and then here come Zenyatta! Her strides were huge, and just demolished the other horses in just a matter of minutes. Yes Zenyatta wasn't the front runner of Ruffian but she ran with the same spirit and will! I see Zenyatta being the horse that Ruffian never got to fullfill, as if almost Ruffian returned in a entirely different form, instead of the front runner, she would just decide to sit back and loose until she finally decide to run and when she decided to run that was the end! Rachel was great too but I think she wasn't quite as lucky as Zenyatta in her situation, because although she lost, I feel as if her loses were not showing her true potiental. Yet even in Zenyatta's last race, It wasn't even a Loose, she almost won! She would of won, if she could re due it she would have won! Even the people with her said it wasn't her fault because she would have won and she DID! She only came in a nose short despite alll of the things that held her back she never failed! TO show her greatness, just like Ruffian pushed herself hard until the very end, she never gave up.

This is a really hard question to answer becuz Rachel Alexandra has been a powerful competitor winning races other fillies can't..... Zenyatta Is a great horse too she is unbeaten and the jockey mike smith knows how to control Zenyatta.......this horse Zenyatta also has one the Breeder's Cup Classic which was the first filly to win it... And Rachel Alexandra Also has won many races where fillies have never won it...........good question....... Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta?

Guau este caballo me recuerda a un caballo de México yamado EL PROFETA tiene el mismo estilo de carrera zenyatta es lo máximo

Prime to Prime Zenyatta would have had close to ZERO chance to catch Rachel Alexandra in the stretch...Rachel would have ran away from Zenyatta by at least 2 comfortable lengths...Maybe more

Zenyatta at the wire with the race of her life

If you don't want to read all of this do at least skip to the bottom to the part about the weights the two females were assigned against males and in general in their careers. It's pretty informative and quite telling. It is disrespectful to even try and compare the 2, but it seems even despite everything we learned and saw from Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandras careers there are still some Rachel fans whos denial still runs deep to this date. You see we have these nifty little ways of comparing horses, even if they dont run against eachother, there called "Wins" (Which Rachels owners/trainer made sure didn't happen spending much of her career avoiding races that might have matched her up against Zenyatta). Avoiding the first 2 Breeders' Cups with the silly claims that he wasnt gonna race her on "Plastic" as he called it, despite the fact that Rachel had been run on Synthetics before, once at Keeneland and she won. So, yeah...super excuse. This was without a doubt proven to be bullshit once the 2010 Breeders' Cup rolled around. Not only was it ran on dirt this time (remember the previous excuse) but even more amazing it was held at Rachel's home track!! So what was the excuse this time? Not to mention this came on the heels of them scratching Rachel from the highly anticipated "would be Showdown" with Zenyatta. Even though the track raised the purse to $5000000 to entice both horses to show up. The claim that time was "injury" which was more than a little suspicious considering the fact that they ran her jsut 3 weeks later, meaning she would have had to start training pretty much right away. Suspicious because of what happened in her previous race heading into the Apple Blossom, where she was passed and beaten by Zardana, a horse who happened to be one of Zenyattas stablemates by the way. A horse that often trained along side Zenyatta and was so overmatched they had to do what they often had to do when training Zenyatta. In order to actually push her and make her have to actually try they had to use 2 horses back to back. One horse for the first half of the lap and a second fresh one for the second half to try and run Zenyatta hard to the finish line. Zardana was no exception, and seeing her beat their horse Rachels people clearly knew what the result would be and figured in the years to come a "What if?" was the better option as the details surrounding it would slowly be forgotten. The only way a horse with fewer wins in roughly the same number of career races could be ranked ahead is if the horse ran in harder races against tougher competition during their career. But for these two that just isn't the case, in fact it just serves to further separate the 2. Seein as how Zenyatta had as many Grade 1 Wins (13), Gr.1's being the highest rated and toughest races in the sport as Rachel Alexandra had wins total, LOL. In fact for their careers Zenyatta ran 18 Graded stakes (all Grade 2 or Higher. 14 Gr.1s & 4 Gr.2's) Zenyatta raced in her first Graded Stakes (G2) in her 3rd career race and never looked back. Meanwhile Rachel only ran in 6 Career Gr. 1's and only 13 Graded Stakes period. Rachel won her 5 Gr.1 wins in a row tying a record held by Spectacular Bid, Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Cigar to name a few which was good that is until Zenyatta got a hold of it, by the time she was done with it Z had nearly doubled the record with 9! What's cool to see (well cool for Zenyatta fans lol) is how they were treated against the males. Rachel's male races were all much easier fields than the ones Zenyatta faced, even Rachel's best of the bunch (by far), The Preakness, had a field that paled in comparison to Zenyatta Breeders' Cup Classics. Despite facing much tougher opponents that wasnt enough she was also forced to carry way more weight. Not just more weight than Rachel was assigned against the males but in an almost unheard of scenario Zenyatta was actually forced to carry more weight than about half the males in the race! Here's a look at what im talking about: Race R.Alexandra Males 2009 Preakness Stakes (12 Opp.) 121 lbs 126 lbs (All Males) 2009 Haskell Invitational (6 Opp.) 117 lbs 118 lbs (5 Males) / 122 lbs (1 Male) 2009 Woodward Stakes (7 Opp.) 118 lbs 126 lbs (All Males) Race Zenyatta Males 2009 Breeders' Cup Cl. (11 Opp.) 123 lbs 122 lbs (5 Males) / 126 lbs (6 Males) 2010 Breeders' Cup Cl. (11 Opp.) 123 lbs 122 lbs (5 Males) / 126 lbs (6 Males) Zardana, the horse I spoke of who was Zenyattas stablemate/training punching bag shortly after beating Rachel Alexandra also faced Zenyatta. She was a nonfactor while Zenyatta was running down St. Trinians Zardana was left behind with devastating ease. But that's not the reason I bring it up, the reason is this insane bit of info... Zardana beat Rachel carrying 2 lbs less than Rachel (121 lbs to 123 lbs) yet when Zenyatta destroyed her (and this is not a typo) ZENYATTA HAD TO CARRY A WHOPPING 11 LBS MORE THAN ZARDANA LOL!! (118 lbs to Zenyatta's eye popping 129 lbs). That 129 lbs by the way is 5 more than Rachel ever carried in any race in her entire career. Zenyatta won carrying 129 lbs twice in her career becoming the first female to win under those restrictions since 1977. Since they never met the best way to compare is common Track/Distances, of which they had one. 1 Mile and 1/16th at Oaklawn on Dirt. youll see both were eased at the end so no excuses. Zenyatta won by 2/3 of a second or about 3.5 lengths. Heres a link to a split screen ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QEc2B_DT6Yw.html

Rachel had the big speed advantage...She more more purely Talented...She had better overall Numbers and speed figures...Rachel would have had a pretty easy time holding off Zenyatta with energy still left in the tank...Zenyatta was a great "Winner" but she spent 95% of her career racing against her own division and on the synthetic surface...But Zenyatta might be 1 of the best looking Horses i ever seen...Such a BIG girl too

i think if they do race rachel alexandra will win if she pulls away to a big lead however if she stays with the group zenyatta might be able to pick her off, will be interesting :) oh and just to add about everyone saying zenyatta lost a race she came second by a nose and one or two more strides and she would have won so yeah to me it wasn't a defeat.

You are absolutely correct! RUFFIAN was the best filly of all time. Period. She was the female version of Secretariat.

Your comment about Walmart parking lot is hysterical!!! LOL. BUT, in my opinion, RA would have started at such a lead (as a 3 year old) that Zenyatta's late run would never have been able to run RA down. RA beat the boys and even they couldn't beat her. Of course we are talking Mine That Bird, so that's not really fair, but would Z have caught RA in the Mother Goose or Kentucky Oaks, NO. RA deserved HOY that controversial year for fans of Zenyatta.

I heard that Seabiscket won 49 races in a row O.o or did I hear wrong

I Dont Think They Should Have A Match Race , Whats The Point

...and then you woke up, right?

One more stride and Z would have beaten him. She was waaay too far back (20 lengths) during the first half+ and then got caught in traffic. To lose by a nose in uncanny under those circumstances. But that's horse-racing. As far as I'm concerned, she was the best horse in that field by far.

a lot of people would pay big bucks to see them race. I don't see why not. it's last chance ever because Zenyatta is retiring. this opportunity will not come again and people will keep wondering. next year Zenyatta will be too old to make it a fair race. they're both great. only way to decide fairly is to have a race. RA people are actually afraid because they think their horse already deserve the crown.

Personal ensign. Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra

Zenyatta

i'd say rachel alexandra has great acceleration therefore she would be able to hold an early lead but zenyatta is big and powerful and has lots of stamina so if it came down to a battle on the final strech probably zenyatta would win but if zenyatta had to come back from behind than rachel alexandra could accelerate because shes small but very fast and handles corners well and if she was to race in europe against zenyatta than she'd definately win

According to the NTRA news letter the NYRA is trying to set up a race between them in the Beldame at Belmont on Oct. 3rd. They have a sponsor who is sweetening the pot to a million. Both connections are reportedly considering it with excitement. I LOVE both of these great horses but ZENYATTA will beat Rachael!

@apachespook71, there you go sniffing glue again. LOL. I don't care if the two had raced on dirt, synthetics, turf, or on asphalt across a Wall-Mart parking lot. No way, especially in the kind of form that Rachel was in during 2010, could Rachel Alexandra have withstood Zenyatta's closing onslaught. No way!!!

Ruffian would smoke both of them, but then it would have to be Rachel, she beat more colts, more places than Zenyata, Rachel traveled, zenyata did not want to unless it was up and down in CA, or to the Apple Blossom, and they did not want to race Rachel, so what does that say?

Rachel was a good filly, but she was nothing comparing to Zenyatta im afraid.

*Team Zenyatta But why a match race? Sure, it would be so exciting if Zenyatta would use all her speed in the last few meters and defeated Rachel..but these races are still very hard. :/ Why not let them race until they meet on the track and after the career breeding a foal? :D Zenyatta II x3

Whos said anything of RA running against the boys in the Classic? No one! In case you didnt know (or read my comment carefully enough), the DISTAFF is nowadays called LADIES CLASSIC, and THATS what I was referring to. Not THE Classic, but the Ladies Classic = Distaff. Pointless to start mocking people when you obviously dont know what theyre talking about. AND, Ive heard shes backing out because of the track surface and not because of Zenyatta...

I could have researched the fact before asking, because I realized that just after posting the question, of course. XD Kind of obvious. But, thanks anyway.

Can you belive that Zenyatta The Queen of The Track in her time sold for 60,000?

Also, Ruffian had the ability of both RA and Zen, Ruffian could sprint at long distances. You don't see horses like that any longer. Not only that, unbeaten, was already tiring the colt out in the match race, if the tragedy did not happen by the turn she would have been quite a bit in front of him, by the grandstands she would have been all alone, winning. I always said she was a sprinter and a distance horse wrapped up in a show horse's body. Neither RA or Zen could hold a candle to Ruffian's looks or ability. Except those bones...ugh

it's not "intensive purposes" FYI. It's "intents and purposes".

You mean the filly that stayed in the state of New York all her life? Oh...I forgot she left the state once, to run next door in the state of New Jersey.

Zenyatta ran 20 times and not ONCE did she ever even come close to putting up a big number...All of her numbers were on the low side...Winning 19 races does not mean you could have beaten or even competed with some of the legit Great horses of All Time...Her numbers were simply inferior....And these numbers are VERY relevant

zenyatta is the best

She's a big girl. She can handle herself. She will. She doesn't race splits. Time is no object to Zen. Just giver a sight on the lead horse and she'll catch him.

I hate when comparisons are made regarding females..period..is Lady Gaga better Brittney Spears...Rhianna vs Beyonce..when both are good at what they do...Great Job Ladies! I do love me some Zenyatta! Thanks Rachael

Zen just leads with her head pulling that beast of a body and mess of legs through the last turn.........Once she hits stride it is OVER....OH VEE EEE ARE

Zenyatta is the best female in history ,only Secretariat could beat zenyatta and that is because his heart was two times bigger than Zenyatta ,if Secretariat heart was the same size like Zenyatta or any other horse he couldn't beat Zenyatta. Secretariat couldn't get tired because of the size of his heart , more oxygen to his to his brain and his lungs,so that is why Secretariat off spring was not good, he didn't give them his big heart. So in reality, Zenyatta is the best horse in history ,her heart is a normal size. Zenyatta also have the longest stride Male or female,her stride was 12 inches longer than Secretariat stride .

I dunno... If only these fillies had Secretariat to make great colts and fillies with...

Zen fan!!!!!!!!

ZENYATTA IS AN AWESOME RACE HORSE! SHE IS AS GOOD AS RA! MAYBE EVEN BETTER! HAVE YOU SEEN THE JOCKEYS THAT HAVE RIDDEN HER?! THEY SMACK HER EVERY SECOND! LOOK UP ZENYATTA IN THE BREEDERS CUP! NOW THAT'S A WINNER RIGHT THERE!