A quick review of 2009, so far

Horseracing Betting Lines

09/17/2009 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Now that the summer of 2009 is concluding, I feel a quick look back at the year is in order. What has transpired in the first nine months of 2009 is enough for an entire 12 months of racing.

Three names dominated the year entering autumn. Rachel Alexandra, Mine That Bird and Zenyatta. Rachel Alexandra is the three-year-old filly who dominated her own division, vanquished three-year-old boys and defeated handicap horses in the Woodward Stakes.

Mine That Bird won the Kentucky Derby as a 50-1 longshot after finishing fourth in the ungraded Sunland Derby in New Mexico. He nearly caught Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness Stakes and had his primary jockey, Calvin Borel, not always ride him.

Zenyatta won the 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic and was named champion older filly and mare. She then took her time starting her 2009 season, letting the three-year-olds unfettered access to the headlines. She hasn't left California this year and isn't expected to.

Zenyatta opened 2009 with wins in the Milady and Vanity Handicaps, then won the Clement L. Hirsch for the second straight year. All of this year's starts have been on synthetic surfaces which is keeping Rachel Alexandra from coming west for the Breeders' Cup.

Jess Jackson, majority owner of the filly, despises the artificial tracks and has strongly expressed his derision. Everybody and his brother is working to get the top two females into the same race.

Mine That Bird, meanwhile, followed his second-place finish in the Preakness with a third to half-brother Summer Bird in the Belmont Stakes. He's the first horse to finish one, two, three in the Triple Crown races since Ferdinand in 1986. The gelding went to Mountaineer Park in West Virginia for the West Virginia Derby and was third to longshot Soul Warrior.

Summer Bird followed his Belmont Stakes win with a second to 'Rachel' in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and then won the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Mine That Bird underwent throat surgery in August and was held out of the Travers.

Zenyatta will win her second straight Eclipse Award as champion older female and Rachel Alexandra will be champion three-year-old filly. The late surge by Summer Bird and Mine That Bird's inability to win since the Run for the Roses, has put the three-year-old male crown up for grabs.

Calvin Borel has been reengaged to ride Mine That Bird in the Goodwood Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic, Summer Bird will make his next start in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Zenyatta is being pointed toward the Ladies Classic again.

Rachel Alexandra may be done for the year, or not, but she is expected to race in 2010 and start in the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs.

Things are beginning to heat up as the thoroughbred racing season enters its final three months. The Breeders' Cup World Championships will once again be staged at Santa Anita Park on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7.

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Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

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Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com

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