RAPID REDUX GOES FOR WIN #20

Later tonight, the remarkable five-year-old gelding Rapid Redux will attempt to win his 20th straight race. A son of Pleasantly Perfect, the tough-as-nails competitor began his winning streak late last year with two consecutive victories, and has subsequently proceeded to reel off seventeen straight wins this year already. The majority of his victories have come in starter allowance company at tracks such as Laurel Park, Parx Racing, Charles Town, Penn National, Mountaineer, and others.

Tonight's race will be a one-mile $5,000 starter allowance race at Mountaineer. Following a number of scratched, he will only have to face four rivals -- with morning line odds of 20-1, 30-1, 30-1, and 30-1.

It appears as though little will stand in Rapid Redux's way as he bids to win number twenty. Of course, this is more than just an impressive streak of wins. The modern-day North American record for consecutive victories is held jointly by three horses: the undefeated mare Pepper's Pride, the remarkable four-time Eclipse champion Zenyatta, and Rapid Redux. A win for Rapid Redux would make him President of an elite club of which only he would be a member. And it could potentially be many, many years before another joins him.

I have been following Rapid Redux's quest for the record since early this year, when he had only six straight victories under his belt. I wrote about him frequently early this year on my other blog, Veterans of the Turf. In celebration of his remarkable achievements, here are the links to some of the posts that I wrote about him during the spring of this year:

http://veteransoftheturf.blogspot.com/2011/06/rapid-redux-goes-for-13.html
http://veteransoftheturf.blogspot.com/2011/05/of-awesome-gem-rapid-redux-and-horse.html
http://veteransoftheturf.blogspot.com/2011/05/of-rapid-redux-garden-dancer-workout.html
http://veteransoftheturf.blogspot.com/2011/04/rapid-redux-entered-to-race-tonight.html
http://veteransoftheturf.blogspot.com/2011/04/exciting-potential-saga-of-rapid-redux.html

In addition, here is the link to a terrific piece about Rapid Redux from DRF.com, written by Joe DiVevo:

http://www.drf.com/news/mountaineer-rapid-redux-will-have-overcome-post-pace-set-record

With luck, Rapid Redux will enter the history books forever. And of course, one must remember that twenty straight wins might only be the beginning. Who knows how many consecutive victories he may end up claiming?

-Keelerman