RACHEL ALEXANDRA RETIRES!!!

Majority owner Jess Jackson announced today that Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year has retired.

I'm very sorry to announce this shocking and sad news. We fans will miss Rachel very very much!!!

Rachel Alexandra Workout Statistics Since Her Last Race:

Rachel Alexandra Workout Statistics Since Her Last Race:

Date            Track    Dist.   Time        Surface     Condition      Rank
9/13/2010    Sar       5F      1:00.65    Dirt           Fast              1/6
9/20/2010    Sar       6F      1:12.05    Dirt           Fast              1/2
9/27/2010    Sar       4F      0:48.45    Dirt           Fast              1/49

WORKOUT 9-27-2010

On Monday morning, September 27, 2010, shortly after 6:00 am, Rachel Alexandra fired a bullet four furlongs in 48.45 over a fast track at the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga, New York. She galloped out 5 furlongs in galloping out in 1:01.09. It was the fastest of fifty works at the distance.

This is her final workout before her next race, this Saturday.

WORKOUT 9-20-2010

On Monday morning, September 20, 2010, shortly after 6:00 am, Rachel Alexandra ran six furlongs in 1:12.05 over a fast track at the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga, New York. Exercise rider Dominic Terry rode her handily at that distance. It was the fastest of two works at the distance.

Rachel is nominated for the Beldame and Jockey Club Gold Cup

Nominations are out.

Rachel Alexandra is nominated for the Beldame and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

 Rachel sticks out her tongue last year at Belmont Race Course

The BELDAME: 10/2/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/8 $350,000 (open to fillies and mares 3 year old & up) at Belmont Race Course. Other fillies nominated are:
AWESOME MARIA E. Paul Robsham Stables, Todd A. Pletcher gr/ro.f.3
BLIND LUCK Mark Dedomenico, Jerry Hollendorfer ch.f.3
BONNIE BLUE FLAG Peachtree Stable, Bob Baffert b.f.3
DEVIL MAY CARE Glencrest Farm, Todd A. Pletcher b.f.3
FUNNY MOON Mrs. C. Wilson McNeely, III Christophe Clement ch.f.4
HAVRE DE GRACE Fox Hill Farm, Anthony W. Dutrow b.f.3
LIFE AT TEN Candy DeBartolo, Todd A. Pletcher ch.m.5
MALIBU PRAYER Edward P. Evans, Todd A. Pletcher b.f.4
MILWAUKEE APPEAL Eugene George, Scott H. Fairlie b.f.4
MISS MATCH (ARG) Lael Stable, Michael R. Matz dk b/.m.5
PERSISTENTLY Phipps Stable, Claude R. McGaughey III ch.f.4
QUEEN MARTHA Robert Trussell, Patrick L. Biancone b.f.4
RACHEL ALEXANDRA Stonestreet Stables, Steven M. Asmussen b.f.4
UNRIVALED BELLE Peter Vegso,William I. Mott gr/ro.f.4

The JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP: 10/2/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/4 mile $750,000 (open to 3 year olds & up) at Belmont Race Course. Other horses nominated are as follows:
AFLEET EXPRESS Gainesway Stable, James A. Jerkens dk b/.c.3
BLAME Adele B. Dilschneider, Albert M. Stall, Jr. b.c.4
CONVOCATION Centennial Farms, James A. Jerkens b.c.4
COOL COAL MAN Robert V. LaPenta, Nicholas P. Zito b.h.5
DRY MARTINI Carol Nyren, Barclay Tagg gr/ro.g.7
FLY DOWN Richard C. Pell, Nicholas P. Zito ch.c.3
HAYNESFIELD Turtle Bird Stable, Steven M. Asmussen ch.c.4
HOLD ME BACK WinStar Farm, William I. Mott dk b/.c.4
MUSKET MAN Eric Fein, Derek S. Ryan dk b/.c.4
MYTHICAL POWER Peachtree Stable, Bob Baffert b.c.4
RACHEL ALEXANDRA Stonestreet Stables, Steven M. Asmussen b.f.4
RAIL TRIP Jay Em Ess Stable, Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. b.g.5
REGAL RANSOM Godolphin Stable, Saeed bin Suroor dk b/.c.4
TRANQUIL MANNER Darley Stable, Kiaran P. McLaughlin b.c.4

Final list of actual entrants are expected to be released Wednesday September 29, 2010.

Rachel's morning gallop yesterday
Rachel coming off the track after her morning gallop
Rachel getting washed and groomed yesterday

WORKOUT 9-13-2010

On Monday morning, September 13, 2010, shortly after 6:00 am, Rachel Alexandra fired a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.65 over a fast track at the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga, New York. She ran her first quarter in 25 seconds and three furlongs in 37.20, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80. Rachel reunited with previous exercise rider Dominic Terry who rode her handily at that distance. It was the fastest of six works at the distance.

Rachel Alexandra - STILL GREAT?

New Video I made on YouTube to cheer up Rachel Fans:

Rachel Alexandra - STILL GREAT?

Where will Rachel race next?

Rachel has had a rough year, but we Rachel fans still love her and are highly anticipating her next start. Where will Rachel race next? Looking at the Race Schedule for the next month or two, the following are some possible choices (in order of the highest to lowest possibilities):

1- 10/2/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/8 $350,000 Beldame (open to fillies and mares 3 year old & up) at Belmont Race Course - the distance is good for Breeders Cup prep, the timing is perfect for JJ's current schedule pattern. It is all female, so the competition may not be as fierce as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, considering her recent loss in the Personal Ensign, this seems the logical choice. Many other articles are already pegging her to run here, so this is the MOST LIKELY.

2- 10/2/2010 (Grade 2) 1-1/4 mile $250,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (open to 3 year olds & up) at Hawthorne Race Course - the distance may be good for Breeders Cup prep, the timing is perfect for JJ's current schedule pattern. It's a grade 2 so the competition may not be as fierce as the Jockey Club Gold Cup. However, since it is with males, it might be more of a challenge and I am not sure Rachel's connections would be willing to risk it. Given her upsets this year this race is LESS LIKELY.

3- 10/2/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/4 mile $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (open to 3 year olds & up) at Belmont - the distance may be good for Breeders Cup prep, the timing is perfect for JJ's current schedule pattern. I doubt JJ would really enter her here. The competition is much scarier than the aforementioned two races as this is often used by top horses as a prep for the BCC. Given Rachel’s success record this year, this race is UNLIKELY.

4- 10/9/2010 (Grade 2) 1-1/8 mile $300,000 Monmouth Cup (open to 3 year olds & up) at Monmouth Park - this is barely a choice because the timing may be a little too close to the BCC for JJ's current schedule pattern, it's a grade 2. Unless he plans to not run Rachel in the Breeders Cup at all, or burn her out for the Breeders Cup races, this race is VERY UNLIKELY.

5- A "Custom-Made-For-Rachel-Race" (with a bumped up large purse moved into whatever date JJ wants) conjured by some opportunistic track president/official who wants to attract Rachel and her fans to boost slumping track attendance. JUST KIDDING (... or not)

Personal Ensign Stakes 2010

 Rachel Alexandra is upset by Persistently

On a warm (low 80's) and sunny afternoon on August 29, 2010, in front of a crowd of 23,347, as the 2-5 favorite in a five horse field, Rachel Alexandra ran the 1-1/4 mile $300,000 (Grade 1) Personal Ensign at Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York. Toting the high weight of 122-lbs, Rachel Alexandra with regular jockey Calvin Borel aboard took the lead almost immediately with (6 race winning streak) Life At Ten glued to her side in a stalking position through fractions of 23.66 seconds, 47.73, and 1:12.02 until the top of the stretch when 20-1 long shot Persistently caught up with the front runners, but Rachel shortened stride in the final furlong and Persistently powered past for a clear win in 2:04.49, beating Rachel by 1 length. Life At Ten tired badly from her early efforts, finishing another 10 1/4 lengths farther back. She was followed by Miss Singhsix and Classofsixtythree.

The Beyer Speed Figure for Rachel was a 93. She hasn't had a BSF as low as 93 since she was a 2 year old.

"After we put away Life at Ten at the quarter-pole, I didn't feel any acceleration and I got worried," Borel said. "She wasn't really there. I knew if anyone was running behind us, we were in trouble... She just got outrun. I had everything my way, and she just got outrun. If you can't take the losing with the winning, you can't be in the game."

"The winner won the race and I don't want to take anything away from that," said Steve Asmussen, who trains Rachel Alexandra. "In a five-horse field, you can't complain about where you are. It is what it is. I thought (Rachel) put a very good mare (Life at Ten) away. It obviously took more out of her on the front end than we would have hoped for. When she moved away from (Life at Ten) that's what you were hoping to see. Then she got run down late... I’m very disappointed that she lost but I’m always very happy with Rachel. It hurts to lose and you’re disappointed for it. But if that’s the case just think how happy she’s made you and all the things that she has done for us.”

Jackson, who did not attend the race, issued a statement about the result, but not her future.

“We are disappointed in the result, as we are sure her countless fans are, but we are certainly not disappointed in her,” Jackson said. “She is still a superstar in our hearts and minds. The old sports adage applies …. on any given Sunday, anything can happen.”

Reference: Brisnet.com

Sizing Up Rachel's Competition in the Personal Ensign

This coming Sunday, Rachel Alexandra will make her fifth start of the year in the 1-1/4 mile $300,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. Not only is this the first time Rachel will be running in Grade 1 competition this year, but it will be the first time ever that Rachel will take on the Classic distance of 1-1/4 mile. The closest she's ever come to this distance was over a year ago in the Preakness when she covered 1-3/16 mile and won by a length. The outcome of this race will be pivotal to Rachel’s career as it will reveal whether she is indeed back to form and perhaps even ready to conquer the 1-1/4 mile Breeders Cup Classic in November.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA at post position 2, as the 2-5 favorite, carrying the high weight of 122 pounds, will of course be ridden by Calvin Borel. We Rachel fans know all about her "downs and ups" this year with her initial races turning out to be narrow losses, and then wins in her next two races. Rachel fans are anxious to see how she is progressing. But how about the competition? Is there any cause for worry?

LIFE AT TEN at post position 4, at 5-2 odds, carrying 120 pounds, ridden by Johnny Velazquez, is a 5 year old out of the prolific stallion Malibu Moon.  Life At Ten has been on an outwardly impressive 6 race winning streak including the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps and the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap. However, this is not as formidable as it sounds because only 3 of those 6 races were stakes races. She has a lifetime record of 7 wins in 14 starts. Still, Life At Ten has proven herself at the classic distance of 1-1/4 mile when she won at that distance at the Delaware handicap. She is a front runner, which is similar to Rachel, however Rachel although generally being a front runner, has the ability to also stalk (Kentucky Oaks) or even come off the pace (Mother Goose).

Life At Ten

MISS SINGHSIX at post position 1, at 10-1 odds, carrying 116 pounds, ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr, is a 5 year old out of the Irish stallion Singspiel.  She won the Grade 3 Obeah and came a gamely second to Life At Ten at the Delaware Handicap. She has been in the money in her last four consecutive races and seems to be improving. She's had a lifetime record of 5 wins in 20 starts. Miss Singhsix running style is that of a closer, and that could be an advantage for her considering Rachel and Life at Ten have similar running styles and "could" sneak past the two front runners on the (unlikely) chance they tire each other out in a duel for the lead in such a long race.

Miss Singhsix

CLASSOFSIXTYTHREE at post position 5, at 20-1 odds, carrying 116 pounds, ridden by Javier Castellano, is a 4 year old out of Include. She has a lifetime of 5 wins in 21 starts, but has never won a stakes race. However, she was in the money in the past 8 consecutive races and seems to be improving. She came in 3rd in the Ruffian this year. Her running style is that of a closer.

PERSISTENTLY at post position 3, at 20-1 odds, carrying 116 pounds, ridden by Alan Garcia, is a 4 year old out of Smoke Glacken. She has a lifetime win of 3 in 13 starts, but never won a stakes race. She won an allowance race her last race going into the Personal Ensign. Persistently has the running style of a closer.

I've listed the above according to how I think they will finish. But anything can happen in horse racing so don't bet on it.

The 1 1/4 mile, $300,000, Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga is this Sunday August 29, 2010 at 5:56 p.m. Eastern Time. The race will be covered on television by TVG and HRTV.

Rachel Alexandra Workout Statistics Since Her Last Race:

Rachel Alexandra Workout Statistics Since Her Last Race:

Date            Track    Dist.   Time        Surface     Condition      Rank

8/02/2010    Sar       5F      1:02.45    Dirt           Fast              6/9
8/09/2010    Sar       6F      1:12.96    Dirt           Fast              2/2
8/16/2010    Sar       6F      1:13.24    Dirt           Fast              1/1
8/23/2010    Sar       4F      0:48.80    Dirt           Muddy         2/14            

Video of Rachel Schooling on 8-26-2010

WORKOUT 8-23-2010

On Monday morning, August 23, 2010, shortly before 6:00am, Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in 48.80 seconds over a muddy sealed track at Oklahoma Training Track near Saratoga Race Course in New York. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard, she ran at an even pace throughout, posting opening and final quarter-mile splits of 24.40, then she set galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.18. She ran the second fastest out of 14 horses running the same distance on that track.

 “I was very concerned about the weather but they did a good job with the racetrack, it was safe and she went well over it,” Asmussen said as Rachel Alexandra cooled out back at the barn. “She seemed really happy.”

“We just wanted to see her happy and loose,” he said. “She knows what her job is by now, and you want to see an acceptance and a willingness to do it.

“With her, you’re careful with the rhythm you get into to start off. She’s very strong, very physical, and likes to do quite a bit. Shaun has done a great job with her, getting her away from the pole smoothly, and then once she gets into a rhythm, it’s been pretty good from there.”

Asmussen said Rachel Alexandra would school in the paddock during the week, dependent on the weather. Rain is forecast into Wednesday.

“As we’ve talked about and by design with Mr. Jackson, it’s time to pick it up,” Asmussen said. “She’s very keen. We’re just trying to keep her in a rhythm right now and keep her happy, and we feel that’s where she’s at.”

This is Rachel's fianl workout in preparation for the 1 1/4 mile, $300,000, Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga this Sunday August 29, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. E.S.T. The race will be covered on television by TVG and HRTV.

Video of Rachel's workout today

Video of Rachel galloping 2 days ago

References: drf.com and thoroughbredtimes.com

WORKOUT 8-16-2010

On Monday morning, August 16, 2010, shortly after 6:00 am, Rachel Alexandra worked six furlongs in 1:13 1/5 over a fast track at the main track in Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga, New York. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard she then galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25 4/5 and a mile in 1:39.

Rachel was the only horse running that distance on the main track.

Her trainer Steve Asmussen was very pleased and said, "She was off (the first eighth) in :13, then she came off the bridle for him, very relaxed, her ears forward, stuck in a bunch of :12 and changes, came home just a tad better the last quarter, and her gallop out was strong. That rhythm, because of the 1 1/4 miles, is what we were looking for. That’s where she is…I feel she is more relaxed in the middle of her works than she was last year."

Yesterday morning (Sunday), Life At Ten also had a Saratoga workout and went five furlongs in 1:01.98. She will be Rachel Alexandra's main threat in the Personal Ensign. She is currently on a 6 race winning streak, including Gr1 Ogden Phipps, and The Delaware run at 1-1/4 mile.

This is Rachel's third workout since her last race. Rachel will have one more work in preparation for the 1 1/4 mile, $300,000, Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes run in less than 2 weeks at Saratoga, at 5:56 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday August 29, 2010. The race will be covered on television by TVG and HRTV.

Rachel works out 8-16-2010

Asmussen and Barbara Banke (JJ's wife) discussing her workout

Reference: Bloodhorse.com

WORKOUT 8-9-2010

On Monday morning, August 9, 2010, shortly before 6:00 am, Rachel Alexandra worked six furlongs in 1:12.96 over a fast track at the Oklahoma training track near Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga, New York. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard she set fractional times of 12.79 for the first furlong, 25.46 for the quarter, 37.98 for 3 furlongs, 49.77 for the half mile, then galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.04 and went a mile in 1:40.35, according to the drf clocker.

New York Racing Association clockers disagreed slightly and caught Rachel Alexandra''s finishing time at 1:12.95 with 38.02 for her first three furlongs and 50.53 for a half-mile, galloping out seven furlongs in 1:26.00.

“I’m pleased with how well she came out of the Monmouth race, how she trained that week, the work last week, it’s just a progression,” Asmussen said. “She’s done really well up here. I’m expecting two more moves before the Personal Ensign. Hopefully the weather will cooperate as much as it has to this point. It’s time to pick it up. We’re trying to get this to climax in November.”

Asmussen plans to keep Rachel Alexandra on the training track leading up to the Personal Ensign. Last summer, he worked her on the main track because of inclement weather and to give her a glimpse of her surroundings prior to her Saratoga debut in the Woodward Stakes (G1), where she beat older males in what turned out to be her final start of the year.

“I feel very comfortable about it, with her being here and having the success she did here last year,” he said. “Right now, you try to get your work schedule where it is and hope that Mother Nature and weather allows you to do that.

“I remember last year before the Woodward, trying to decide which racetrack we were going to work on because of all the rain and the condition of one track as opposed to the other. Hopefully, it’ll be a little easier than that this time.”

This is her second workout since her last race and will be in preparation for the 1 1/4 mile, $300,000, Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes run in less than 3 weeks at Saratoga, at 5:56 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday August 29, 2010. The race will be covered on television by TVG and HRTV.

Lady's Secret 2010

On a hot (mid 90's) and muggy afternoon on July 24, 2010 (with a heat index over 100 degrees), in front of a crowd of 12,859, as the 1-9 favorite in a seven horse field, Rachel Alexandra ran the 1-1/8 mile $400,000 (ungraded) Lady's Secret at Monmouth Race Course, Oceanport, New jersey. Toting the high weight of 123-lbs, Rachel Alexandra with regular jockey Calvin Borel aboard took a stalking position beside Queen Martha until the 6 furlong mark, then duked it out at the stretch, and won by 3 lengths in a time of 1:49.78 on a listed fast track.

“We’re very pleased with her, how she ran today,” her trainer, Steve Asmussen, said. “It was an awfully warm day, and she kept her composure. She was very relaxed off the other mare. The first thing Calvin said when he came off her was he loved how she came home today, and I think that will be the key to her future success.”

"She's bigger than she was last year," said assistant trainer Scott Blasi. "She's put on weight. Last year, if you looked at her neck, it was narrow. Now it's filled out. She's just doing great."

“She won very easily again today,” her jockey Borel said. “I let her run a little bit in the stretch to make sure she got something out of the race, but I think we saved a little bit in the tank for next time... She’s back to herself. We just have to get her ready, and where Mr. Jackson runs her, I’ll be there to ride. I think she’s the greatest filly around and the greatest I’ve ever been on in my life.” 

Rachel's preliminary Beyer Speed Figure was 110 and was later adjusted to 105.

The Lady’s Secret was originally scheduled to be run August 1st at 1-1/16 mile with a $150,000 purse, but to lure Rachel Alexandra to run, Monmouth management moved the race up eight days to July 24th, increased the distance to 1-1/8 mile, and increased the purse to $400,000.

Racing was canceled at Philadelphia Park and at Delaware Park that day due to heat restrictions, as it was earlier that week. Despite that and the urging of horse enthusiasts to do the same at Monmouth Park, officials at the beleaguered Oceanport track opened. But Monmouth County SPCA Chief Law Enforcement Officer Victor “Buddy” Amato said he received multiple calls from people concerned about the welfare of horses, as temperatures approached 100 degrees and heat indexes reached between 104 and 108 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Amato said he made a strong recommendation to Monmouth management that racing be postponed, but the races went off promptly at 12:50 p.m.

 “I told them that if a horse goes down in this heat, and it’s determined it died from heat stroke, animal cruelty charges will be handed down,” Amato (SPCA) said.

Monmouth management reiterated to Amato that the condition of the horses and the heat index are taken into consideration.

“I’m not saying it’s not hot, but these horses get acclimated to heat,” Kulina added. “They’ve been in it for awhile now. Some race in Texas all summer.”

He also noted Monmouth Park sometimes benefits from higher winds that come from its close proximity to the ocean.

That day's race day featuring Rachel Alexandra, called "the most popular female racehorse in the world" by some, was believed by some to be too good to pass up.

Jess Jackson, the majority owner of Rachel Alexandra, has previously said that he and trainer Steve Asmussen want to space Rachel Alexandra's races out five weeks apart between now and the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs in November. Jess Jackson today announced that Rachel Alexandra will indeed run in the 1 1/4 miles, Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Aug. 29. The Personal Ensign is a race that will likely feature Life at Ten, winner of six consecutive races including the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps and the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap.

 References: nytimes.com and nj.com

Music Video of the Lady's Secret

WORKOUT 7-12-2010

On a very foggy Monday morning, July 12, 2010, shortly before 6:00 am, Rachel Alexandra worked six furlongs in 1:12.45 over a fast track at the Oklahoma training track near Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga, New York. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard she set fractional times of 13.20 for the first furlong, :36.40 for 3 furlongs, :48 for the half mile, then galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.80 and went a mile in 1:38.40, according to the Saratoga clocker.

Her trainer Steve Asmussen said of her morning exercise, "She's Rachel, she's incredible."

It was a very misty foggy morning. The half-mile pole was totally blanketed by fog. Her workout was very difficult to see, much to the dismay of a dozen or so fans who lined the rail to take pictures or videos or her.

Rachel is no stranger to working out in the morning mist (picture from 2009)

Video of her daily gallop last Saturday, July 10, 2010

Video of her Workout TODAY

Rachel Alexandra is to race next at Lady's Secret!

To the surprise of everyone, Jess Jackson has announced that Rachel Alexandra is to race next at the Lady's Secret at Mounmouth Race Track in New Jersey on Saturday July 24th! This announcement has come unusually far in advance compared to his usual last minute announcements. Perhaps Jess Jackson's confidence in this filly has increased dramatically since her last win where she demolished the field by 10-1/2 lengths?!

The ungraded Lady's Secret was moved from August 1st to July 24th, distance increased from 1-1/16 to 1-1/8 mile, and the purse raised from $150,000 to $400,000 to lure Rachel Alexandra back to the Jersey Shore. As you might recall, Rachel Alexandra won the Haskell Invitational at that same Monmouth Race Track by a 6 length romp there last year in the slop achieving the highest Beyer Speed Figure of any horse in North America.

“We had a great experience at Monmouth Park,” Jackson said. “And we appreciate the overwhelming show of support the fans there have given us. It’s the perfect place to start what we hope will be another championship run.”

Rachel romped in the Haskell Invitational in Monmouth last year

Bob Kulina,  Monmouth General Manager, said that Rachel Alexandra’s connections in part chose the July 24 date at his track because of its place on the calendar, 15 weeks before the Breeders’ Cup World Championships November 5-6 at Churchill Downs.

“They’re very interested in keeping Rachel [Alexandra] on a five-week schedule,” Kulina said. “They worked back from the Breeders’ Cup because that’s their objective, and July 24 worked well for Steve’s pattern. The distance of 1-1/8 miles was what they wanted. We had contact with them long before this and told them we’d do whatever to make a race work with their schedule."

The Lady’s Secret could serve as a prep for a number of late summer races, including a Woodward defense on September 4 or the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) on August 29, both at Saratoga, or the Molly Pitcher Stakes (G2) on the same day as the Personal Ensign but at Monmouth.

After that, another 5 weeks would take us to Jockey Club Gold Cup (Gr1) or the Monmouth Cup (Gr2) both run at October 2, 2010.

Timing is everything to Jess Jackson. Remember how he withdrew Rachel from the Apple Blossom, but as soon as Oaklawn offered to run it 6 days earlier, he said yes? Even 6 days made a difference to him. Moving the Lady's Secret from August 1st to July 24th is 8 days earlier.

If Rachel Alexandra is unable to compete in the Lady’s Secret, the purse will revert to the originally scheduled $150,000.

Rachel Alexandra has arrived at Saratoga - she's a "pro" at traveling!

Rachel Alexandra arrived at the Albany International Airport today. She was on a flight from Louisville, Ky. with 19 other thoroughbreds from trainer Steve Asmussen's training stable. They are headed for Saratoga Race Course. (Photo taken by Skip Dickstein)

Video of Rachel disembarking off the plane

"We left Churchill Downs at 7:15am and we got here at 11:15am; four hours from track to track is pretty impressive," said Blasi. "She's at Saratoga and everything is good. The air is good; the water tastes good. It's all positive. She looks fabulous right now. I am looking forward to getting her back to the track tomorrow." Blasi said that Rachel will most likely have her first breeze at Saratoga on Monday, July 5. "She's the ultimate pro as far as traveling," he said. "She's great at everything she does."
Unlike some other horses who might be apprehensive about traveling, Rachel is an old pro at moving around and has no problems with being shipped:

As a yearling, she was shipped from Kentucky to Texas to get broken in, then she was shipped back to Kentucky.

As a two year old, she stayed in Kentucky and was raced three times at Churchill Downs and once at Keeneland then two more times at Churchill Downs.

As a three year old, she was shipped to Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, then shipped to Fair Grounds in Louisiana, then shipped back to Oaklawn Park, then shipped back to Churchill Downs, then shipped to the East Coast to Pimlico in Maryland, then shipped to Belmont in New York, then moved to Monmouth in New Jersey, then moved to Saratoga in upstate New York, then shipped to Fair Grounds in Louisiana for the winter. (Whew!)

As a four year old, she was shipped from Fair Grounds in Louisiana back to Churchill Downs in Kentucky, and now she has been shipped to Saratoga in upstate New York again.

Rachel is anticipated to have her next start in a race on the East Coast.

Critics of Rachel Alexandra's Fleur de Lis win: Don't Underestimate Rachel!

BIG DEAL. Rachel Alexandra just won a grade 2 race against a bunch of former claimers. Some Rachel critics and doubters love to point that out. But here is a sound warning: Don't underestimate Rachel Alexandra. The Fleur de Lis win gave Rachel Alexandra a speed figure of 109, which is the HIGHEST speed figure for any filly or mare this year so far. That race also ties her for 4th best speed figure this year of any horse male or female in a race longer than 1 mile. (Quality Road 121, Understatement 115, Redding Colliery 111, were ahead of her.) And she's only starting to roll.

Many of the Rachel-critics come from the Zenyatta group of fans. I like Zenyatta the horse (who is currently number one in the NTRA polls), but a few of her fans can become quite obnoxious in their critical attacks on Rachel. To set matters into perspective, let's do a simple comparison of Rachel's and Zenyatta's Speed Figures for the past 2 years:


                                       BEYER SPEED FIGURES

Rachel Alexandra                                   Zenyatta

2010 (4 y.o)                                  2010   (6 y.o)
Fleur de Lis            109                Vanity                       103
La Troienne            103                Apple Blossom            95
New Orleans Ladies 100                Santa Margarita        102

2009  (3 y.o)                                 2009  (5 y.o.)
Woodward               109                Breeders Cup Classic 112 (highest)
Haskell                   116 (highest)   Lady's Secret            97
Mother Goose          111                Clement Hirsch          99
Preakness               108                 Vanity                     104
Kentucky Oaks         108                 Milady                    103
Fantasy                   101
Fair Grounds Oaks   103
Martha Washington  100

Speed figures show different aspects for different running styles. Speed figures for front-running horses like Rachel give us a glimpse of her capabilities because she usually gives her best effort regardless of the competition (thus, at times winning by a head and other times winning by 20+ lengths). Speed figures for deep closers like Zenyatta show how tough (or weak) the competition is because she usually gives just enough effort to win. You will not usually see deep closers winning by 20 lengths. The above comparisons of their Beyer Speed Figures are simply to show that, regardless of the competition (whether they be former claimers or not, as in the Fleur de Lis), Rachel still performs like the champion that she is and should not be gauged by her competition, as a deep closer like Zenyatta would.

It is interesting to look at the career best BSF for the two. Both Rachel and Zenyatta had their career best speed figures last year: Rachel at the Haskell and Zenyatta in the Breeders Cup Classic. Rachel's was higher by 4 points. To give you an idea of how high a speed figure of 116 is, let's do a comparison with the Beyer Speed Figures for Haskell winners going all the way back to 1991:

2009 Rachel Alexandra (116)
2008 Big Brown (107)
2007 Any Given Saturday (113)
2006 Bluegrass Cat (106)
2005 Roman Ruler (108)
2004 Lion Heart (109)
2003 Peace Rules (109)
2002 War Emblem (112)
2001 Point Given (106)
2000 Dixie Union (111)
1999 Menifee (110)
1998 Coronado’s Quest (110)
1997 Touch Gold (114)
1996 Skip Away (113)
1995 Serena’s Song (110)
1994 Holy Bull (115)
1993 Kissin Kris (108)
1992 Technology (108)
1991 Lost Mountain (107)

Historically over the past 18 years of the running of the Haskell, Rachel Alexandra achieved the highest BSF over females and males. Please look over the list of well respected horses she beat. Some of them are legends in their own right. But she topped them all. Stop and think about it. That was last year, but she is now older, bigger, stronger, and already picking up speed in each and every succeeding race this year. What will the future bring? More excitement for Rachel fans I'm sure!

WORKOUT 6-28-2010

On Monday morning, June 28, 2010, at about 6:30am, Rachel Alexandra worked five furlongs in 1:03 over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. It rained hard overnight, so jockey Shaun Bridgmohan was careful as he guided her over the slop in fractional times of 12.80 for the first furlong, :25.60 for the quarter mile, then :38.40 for 3 furlongs, :50.60 for the half mile, then galloped out six furlongs in 1:17, according to the Churchill Downs clocker.

Rachel tied for 16th fastest of 26 horses running at that distance. Rachel ran on a "sloppy" track but as the day progressed the track condition improved to "muddy". Mine That Bird was one who worked out 2 hours later on the now "muddy" track and ran over 3 seconds faster than Rachel, coming in at :59.80. He came in 1st place of the 26 horses. The main difference between "sloppy" and "muddy" is that "sloppy" tracks are the risk factor for all the horses and jockeys, wheras "muddy" tracks are sometimes beneficial for some horse. A sloppy track tends to be more slippery due to standing water accumulating. Many trainers choose to run their horses slower and more carefully on a sloppy track.

Where racehorses are concerned, running on a sloppy or muddy (ie: wet) track has advantages and disadavantages. In addition to being slippery, mud is also heavy, and horses which run in it for long distances tend to tire more easily than they otherwise might have. On the other hand, because mud is softer, it's easier for horses which are sore to run on, at least in some cases.

Asmussen was pleased with the move and said the sloppy track condition after overnight rains was no reason for concern.

"She handles it really well," Asmussen said. "She went good. We've got travel plans this week and want everything to go smoothly."

Asmussen will be sending the champion and many others of his horses to historic Saratoga on Wednesday. The hot weather in Louisville convinced Asmussen to ship to upstate New York a week early.

"It's time," said Asmussen. "I'll be very happy when she's settled in there and we can get into our routine up there."

Rachel Alexandra to be shipped to Saratoga, New York soon

Saratoga Race Course

"Oklahoma Track" at Saratoga, where Rachel will be training this summer.

Steve Asmussen, the trainer of Rachel Alexandra announced today that she will be shipped out of her Churchill Downs (KY) base ahead of schedule to a more northern climate at Saratoga (NY) in the next week or so.

Rachel Alexandra worked out early this morning around 6:30 am, but the heat had already crept up to 81°F.

“It’s a ridiculously hot morning, you know. That’s a big concern. It’s time to get out and go north. I think we’ve got to get out of this weather," said trainer Steve Asmussen,"She acts like the rest of us do right now – it’s hot. Her weight’s good and she’s very sound, and her strength is good. But it’s hot. We’d all feel better if it was about 20 degrees cooler.”

Even though the high today in Louisville will be near 95°F, the humidity made the heat index over 100. Unfortunately, tomorrow the temperature will escalate further.

Saratoga Race Course is located in upstate New York, and is expected to have temperatures about 10-15 degrees cooler than Churchill Downs. Specifically, she will be based out of the "Oklahoma Track" which is about 1/3 mile from the main course, and is used for warmups and training. The Saratoga Race Course would be an ideal spot for Rachel to stay because two of her possible next races are there: the Ruffian Handicap (on 8/1/2010) and the Whitney Handicap (on 8/7/2010).

Rachel trained there last summer, too.

WORKOUT 6-21-2010

On an already hot (81F) and muggy Monday morning, June 21, 2010, at about 6:30am, Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in :51:20 over a fast track at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. Under a tight hold from jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, she set fractional times of :12.40 for the first furlong, :25.20 for the quarter mile, then galloped out five furlongs in 1:05.20, according to the Churchill Downs clocker. She ranked 44 out of 55 horses on that track running at that distance.

What Next for Rachel Alexandra?

We are revved up from Rachel's win in the Fleur de Lis. We Rachel-lovers are already chomping at the bit to see her next race. Which one will it be? Well, there are 4-1/2 months until the breeder's cup. Her connections seem to be developing a pattern of racing her every 1-1/2 months. That means that, if they are consistent, they will run her around August 1st, then September 15th, then November in the Breeders Cup. This is all extrapolation and speculations, but hey, I don't get paid for writing this stuff and I can't fire myself, so what have I got to lose? Here goes:

Well, the ideal race would be a 1-1/8 (or even a 1-1/4 mile race,) set on dirt, Grade 1, around August 1st. Why do I say possibly 1-1/4? Because Jess Jackson wants her to win the Breeder's Cup CLASSIC which is a 1-1/4 mile race. A full furlong more can make a difference for a horse and perhaps they want to get her used to that new distance, BUT more likely, though, they will stick with the 1-1/8 for at least the next race.

Here are some possibilities for her next race:
1- 8/1/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/16 mile $300,000 Ruffian Handicap (for fillies and mares 3 & up) at Saratoga - This would be perfect timing for her, but a little short on distance. Running in a Grade 1 distaff might be a further confidence booster at this point. This seems to be the race in which most news outlets are guessing she will run.
2- 8/7/2010 (Grade 1) 1-1/8 mile $750,000 Whitney Handicap (open to 3 year olds & up) at Saratoga - This is the perfect distance, and not bad timing. I am not sure how her connections feel about running her with boys this soon. The anticipated competition will include Quality Road and should be stiffer than the other races mentioned here.
3- 7/17/2010 (Grade 2) 1-1/4 mile $1,000,000 Delaware Handicap (for fillies and mares 3 & up) at Delaware Park - Well the money is good, the distance is interesting, but the timing is a bit too close to her last race (not consistent with the way JJ is spacing them out), and it is a grade 2. JJ might not want to run her the longer distance this soon.

If you have other ideas, please let me know in the comments section what other races YOU think we might add to the list as possibilities for her next race.

Fleur de Lis 2010

On a hot (mid 90's), partly-cloudy, and muggy afternoon on June 12, 2010, as the 1-5 favorite in a five horse field, Rachel Alexandra ran the 1-1/8 mile $214,000 (Grade 2) Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky. Toting the high weight of 124-lbs, Rachel Alexandra with regular jockey Calvin Borel aboard took a stalking position beside Jessica is Back for nearly 7 furlongs, repelled an advancing Distinctive Dixie entering into the stretch, and won by 10-1/2 lengths in a time of 1:48.78 on a listed fast track. Her time was faster than her Kentucky Oaks victory last year, and faster than the winner of the Stephen Foster today!

The final results:
1- Rachel Alexandra
2- Distinctive Dixie
3- Jessica is Back
4- Multipass
5- Made for Magic

Rachel's fractional times were a quarter mile in 23:93, a half mile in 47:25, 6 furlongs in 1:11.16, a mile in 1:35.90 and she ran her last furlong in 12:88. Her Beyer Speed Figure was 109, the highest that day and also the highest so far for a filly or mare this year.

“She did everything right today,” Borel said. “(Trainer) Steve (Asmussen) told me just to run my race and see where we're at. She showed up today. She felt the same. I just don’t think she was ready before. Steve knows what he’s doing. She was perfect and we couldn’t ask for more.”

"This is Rachel," Asmussen said. "She's a very special horse, has proven to be so. Hopefully she has a lot of chapters left to write in her life ... She's a machine and she ran a great race today, and hopefully this is a step in the right direction for the rest of the year. It's an honor to train a horse like her. We will take her back to the barn and there will be a lot of petting her, and peppermints, and loving on her."

"I guess there's some relief because naysayers were saying she's done, no horse has come back and all of that," Jackson said. "She showed the stamina and endurance is coming back," Jackson said, referring to Rachel. "She's not 100 percent yet compared to last year, but we planned that her progression go slow so that she can last a whole season. We want the campaign to end up at the Breeders' Cup."

Fleur de Lis (Music Video)

Sizing Up Rachel's Competition in the Fleur de Lis

RACHEL ALEXANDRA, the 1-5 favorite, carrying the high weight of 124 pounds, will be making her third start of the year in the Grade 2, Fleur de Lis, and undercard for the Stephen Foster. We Rachel fans know all about her, but what about the other horses? Should we be concerned about the competition in Saturday's race? Let's look at their profiles:

JESSICA IS BACK, 5-1, carrying 116 pounds, ridden by Garrett Gomez, is a 6 year old out of Put it Back. She won two ungraded stakes races: the Nancy’s Glitter Handicap last year and the Ocala Stakes this year. She seems to be getting better because she finished in the money in her last 6 races.

Jessica is Back winning the Ocala Stakes in March 2010

MADE FOR MAGIC, 10-1, carrying 117 pounds, ridden by Omar Berrio, is a 5 year old out of Cape Canaveral. Most notably, she just won the Grade 2 Milady Handicap last month at Hollywood Park. Other than that she really hasn't won any other stakes races.

Made for Magic winning the GrII Milady last month

DISTINCTIVE DIXIE, 18-1, carrying 114 pounds, ridden by Robby Albarado, is a 5 year old out of Fusaichi Pegasus. You may remember her from a couple months back in La Troienne where she came in 4th. She has never won a stakes race. She was entered in the Fleur de Lis last year and came in 5th.

MULTIPASS, carrying 113 pounds, ridden by Jose Lecano, is a 4 year old out of Olmodavor. She has never won a stakes race.

So there you have it. It may not seem like much of a competition for first place with Rachel Alexandra in the mix. Evidently, her connections are attempting to groom her for the Breeders Cup run in November later this year, so perhaps this race is a sort of "training session" for her. Nevertheless, it is always exciting to see her race with whatever field there is!

REFERENCE: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5472304/sizing_up_rachels_competition_in_the.html?cat=9

Rachel Alexandra Workout Statistics Since Her Last Race

Rachel Alexandra Workout Statistics Since Her Last Race:

Date            Track    Dist.   Time        Surface     Condition      Rank

6/07/2010    CD       4F      0:49.20    Dirt           Fast              15/45
5/31/2010    CD       6F      1:11.20    Dirt           Fast               1/3
5/24/2010    CD       5F      1:00.40    Dirt           Fast              2/14
5/17/2010    CD       5F      1:04.20    Dirt           Sloppy          12/13
5/10/2010    CD       4F      0:50.00    Dirt           Fast                 ?

WORKOUT 6-7-2010

On Monday morning, June 7, 2010, a little before 6:00 am, Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in :49.20 over a fast track at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard she set fractional times of :12:60 for the first furlong, :25 for the quarter mile, then galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.80 according to the Churchill Downs clocker. She ranked 15th out of 45 horses that ran at that distance.

"She looked pretty, she looked good," said Asmussen. "Very smooth. That's what we were looking for, something nice and smooth like that."

WORKOUT 5-31-2010

On Monday morning, May 31, 2010, at about 6:30am, Rachel Alexandra worked six furlongs in 1:11.20 over a fast track at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard she set fractional times of 12.20 for the first furlong, :23.80 for the quarter mile, then :35.40 for 3 furlongs, :47.40 for the half mile, 0:59.20 for 5 furlongs, then galloped out seven furlongs in 1:23.80 and went a mile in 1:38, according to the Churchill Downs clocker. She came in first of 3 horses on that track running at that distance.

What is interesting is that in all the workouts this morning at Churchill, Rachel Alexandra's fractions she set were tied with "Bonaroo" the first place finisher for 3 furlongs (of 23 running at that distance), was only a fraction of a second behind the fastest "Wild Wit" at 4 furlongs (of 54 running at that distance), was faster than "Trippo" the fastest at 5 furlongs (of 15 running at that distance), and was a full second faster than the other 2 horses at 6 furlongs (even though the other 2 horses also fired bullet works)! What is also encouraging is that up to and including the six furlongs, she frequently clocked under and never over 12 seconds per furlong! THAT'S FAST!

Of course we shouldn't get too excited because these are just workout statistics and many of these horses have not extended themselves fully. Still this is encouraging news because it may show to some degree the state of Rachel's fitness and stamina. After all, before her Oaks victory she posted a phenomenal 0:46.40 for 4 furlongs, one of the fastest half miles in pre-derby week history.

Her next race is most likely June 12th, but which one could it be? Rachel Alexandra has been nominated to:
1- the Grade 1, $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap, run at 1-1/8 miles, open to both genders, at Churchill Downs,
2 - the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap, run at 1-1/8 miles, restricted to fillies and mares, at Churchill Downs, and
3 - the Grade 1, $250,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap, run at 1-1/16 miles, restricted to fillies and mares, at Belmont Park, and
4 - the Grade 3, $150,000 Obeah Stakes, run at 1-1/8 miles, restricted to fillies and mares, at Deleware Park

"We were impressed with Rachel's Memorial Day work ," noted majority owner Jess Jackson, "Our ultimate goal has not changed in scheduling Rachel Alexandra's campaign this year," Jackson added. "We are getting her back to her fitness level of last year with the long term hope to race her in the Breeders' Cup this fall."

She has one more workout this coming Monday before her next race.

WORKOUT 5-24-2010

On Monday morning, May 24, 2010, at about 6:30am, Rachel Alexandra worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 over a fast track at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard she set fractional times of 12.20 for the first furlong, :24.20 for the quarter mile, then :36.20 for 3 furlongs, :48.40 for the half mile, then galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80 and went seven furlongs in 1:26.60, according to the Churchill Downs clocker.

“She looked great and galloped out super,” her trainer Asmussen said. “She’s doing well. It was just very nice. It was nice and smooth, covered ground well and was out very strong.”

This workout was considerably faster than last week's workout where she tied for last place among 13 horses working the same distance (Ranking 12/13 along with the other last place finisher). She was a different horse today, however, and ran her last furlong in 12 seconds flat, and not only that, but "galloping out" the 6th furlong, she still clocked a hair over 12 seconds too! Today, she ranked 2nd of 14 horses who ran at that distance and she seemed very eager to run. Now this is the Rachel we know!

Two June 12 races at 1 1/8 miles conveniently located at Churchill are among the most logical options for her next race. Those are the Grade 1, $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap, open to both genders, and the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap, restricted to fillies and mares. There is also a very small possibility she may be shipped to Belmont, New York for the Grade 1, $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap, restricted to fillies and mares. However, I seriously doubt her connections would want to ship her when there are two perfectly good races right where she is at Churchill. These races are only 3 weeks away and nominations are beginning to pile up, so we will have keep our eyes and ears open!

What's up with Rachel?

Lately, there seems to be a lot of questions surrounding our dear Rachel.

Up until La Troienne, the internet was covered with articles about Rachel Alexandra: her schooling, her workouts, her preparations for the next race, down to details as to whether or not she is eating all her meals. Now? -- Hardly anything. Why is it that suddenly there is markedly less published about last year's horse of the year? Now this is the Horse of the Year, folks -- the one who broke all sorts of records last year, the one many have compared with Ruffian. Sure she lost a few races, but I find it odd that lately she is almost totally ignored.

Now newer puzzling developments are unfolding...

In the first workout after La Troienne, the usual exercise rider Dominic Terry was surprisingly absent. Instead, jockey Shaun Bridgmohan rode Rachel during her Monday morning workout. Later it was revealed that Dominic Terry was let go, and has since been hired by Dallas Stewart. Some speculate that this change was because he, as the exercise rider, was responsible for making sure Rachel is accustomed to changing leads immediately after the final turn, which she noticeably failed to to do in La Troienne, an error that some have blamed for her loss. Nobody knows for sure why Dominic Terry is no longer riding Rachel because there has been nothing publicly stated. That's fine, but ...

Shaun Bridgmohan is from Jamaica

Who is this Shaun Bridgmohan? Yes, he is a jockey, and was the the winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 1998. He is a moderately successful jockey, twice winning 6 races on a single card, and winning several well known races including the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2002, the Pimlico Special in 2008, and the Cigar Mile Handicap in 2009. But why is he on Rachel now? Is he just the new exercise rider for Rachel or is he more than that? There may be speculation that he will be the new jockey for Rachel. This speculation is most likely untrue. On one hand, Asmussen and Bridgmohan have had a long history together, and Asmussen has used Bridgmohan on more and more of his horses. But on the other hand, I would imagine that Asmussen would prefer a higher profile jockey such as Robby Albarado (over Bridgmohan) for such a high profile horse as Rachel. Also, it's unlikely Jess Jackson, with the money and flash that he has, would allow anyone other than a high profile - high caliber jockey (such as Calvin) to ride Rachel.

Also, curiouser and curiouser are the times posted for Rachel Alexandra's workouts. In her first workout after La Troienne, she clocked a tepid 0:52 (DRF) or 0:50 (Churchill). Now which one is it: 0:50 or 0:52? Why is there such a big discrepancy between the DRF clockers and the Churchill Downs clockers? Are these people even awake? Two seconds is a huge difference, especially clocking racehorses when accuracy is so important that time is traditionally calculated down to a fifth of a second. In her second workout this past week, she clocked five furlongs in a lukewarm 1:04.20 over a sloppy track. Remember that Rachel loves the slop so it came as a surprise she was that slow. In fact she ranked 12th out of 13 horses at that distance. I looked at the statistics for the other horses, and she was actually tied for last with another horse. Did Asmussen change his training technique? Or the unthinkable -- is there something physically (or emotionally) wrong with our dear Rachel? Let's hope not. Hopefully she's happy and healthy.

So far Rachel's going-ons is shrouded in mystery. If you follow Rachel closely like I do, you might be just as frustrated as I am! We hope we can get some answers soon.

WORKOUT 5-10-2010

On Monday morning May 10, 2010 at about 6:25am, with jockey Shaun Bridgmohan aboard, Rachel Alexandra worked an easy our furlongs in 0:50 (reported by Churchill Downs) in Louisville Kentucky. She covered the distance in fractional times of :13, :25 3/5 and :38 3/5 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:05 3/5.
Daily Racing Form reported the time at 0:52.

Reed Palmer photo of Shaun Bridgmohan on Rachel Alexandra

The first workout after a race, such as La Troienne, a trainer will usually allow the horse to breeze a short distance, such as half a mile, without pressing her too much, so as not to put too much stress on the horse since the horse may have expended quite a bit of energy in the race the week earlier.

Interestingly, Asmussen used a jockey instead of an exercise rider to work Rachel. Is there a deeper meaning to this, other than simply using whoever was available at the time? We'll see. Regardless, Dominic Terry is reportedly no longer the regular exercise rider for Rachel Alexandra, and is now working for Dallas Stewart. However, we all appreciate his fine record of love for her and his consistent hard work in her behalf.

Why Rachel is Still Currently One of the Best

After La Troienne, all of us Rachel fans were in disbelief she did not win again. But, upon closer analysis of the facts, I've come to a conclusion that Rachel Alexandra is still one of the best fillies this year. Let's examine her finishing times and her Beyer Speed Figures in her last 2 races. (And just for kicks, throw Zenyatta's speed figures in there)

                                        BEYER SPEED FIGURES

                    Rachel Alexandra                                     Zenyatta
2010                                                             2010

La Troienne            103                               Apple Blossom             95
New Orleans Ladies 100                               Santa Margarita        102

2009                                                            
Woodward               109                         
Haskell                    116                        
Mother Goose          111                      
Preakness                108                        
Kentucky Oaks         108                     
Fantasy                   101                               
Fair Grounds Oaks   103
Martha Washington  100

Although she lost the La Troienne last Friday (by between a nose and a head), her finishing time was a little over a second away from the Churchill Downs track record for that distance! That put her (and Unrivaled Belle's) Beyer Speed Figure at 103! This was the career best speed figure for Unrivaled Belle. In the New Orleans Ladies, Rachel came in second, losing by a head. Zardana, who won, had her career best speed figure of 101 in that race as well! The two horses that beat Rachel, by such a small margin, both had career best races when they competed against Rachel. It took a career best race for both horses to narrowly beat Rachel, who by all reports was only racing at only 85% and 90%. Yet in those same races where she came a close second, she achieved respectable speed figures over 100.

Just for fun, let's compare Rachel's speed figures with Zenyatta's speed figures. Zenyatta achieved a speed figure of 95 in the Apple Blossom early April of this year. That was the slowest speed figure Zenyatta has run in the last 2 years, and the lowest Apple Blossom speed figure in 21 years! In her prior race, the "Santa Margarita" in March of this year, her beyer speed figure was 102. Of course, with deep closers like Zenyatta, we can't judge by speed figures alone, but nevertheless, speed figures do show the level of the field she was competing against was not even close to Rachel's class. Winning against such a weak field may not really prove all that much. I like Zenyatta, but I would rather her owners put her in more challenging races with stronger fields.

Rachel has not lost her touch at all! On the contrary, she is still a very fast horse! She is just near the beginning of her season so we can even expect some more improvements as the year progresses!

For further information, see:
http://rachelalexandrafan.blogspot.com/2010/03/rachel-still-one-of-consistently.html

La Troienne - Rachel comes in second by another narrow margin

This is not easy to write:

On April 30, 2010, in front of a record crowd of 116,046, as the 1-5 favorite, Rachel Alexandra came in second by a head, to the winner Unrivaled Belle, in her second race of the 2010 year in the Grade II, 1-1/16 mile $418,800 La Troienne at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. Rachel Alexandra broke well and headed to the lead. Be Fair, was there to put pressure on her and the two traded leads with Rachel running on the outside. However, Rachel was caught wide going into the first turn, which may have lost her a few lengths. Unrivalled Belle then swept around her going into the stretch, and the two had a strong and long battle in which they exchanged leads inside the eighth pole before Unrivaled Belle finally surged ahead in the final strides. The third place finisher Morena was 5 lengths back. The final time was a very fast 1:42.97, a little over a second away from the track record. The fast finish by Rachel, although in second place, gave her a high Beyer Speed Figure of 103. Unrivaled Belle also received a 103 speed figure, a career best for her.

Rachel came in 2nd by a head in La Troienne 2010

Rachel just isn't fast right now and hadn't been fast all week in workouts, trainer Steve Asmussen said after the race. "She's just not been as fast as last summer. What we have to realize is there has been improvement since her last race."

"Calvin did absolutely nothing wrong today. I thought he got along with her great today. There's an old adage in racing: ‘You get paid for what you do, but you pay for what you do.' I think there's some hangover."

Regarding Rachel's two losses this year, Jess Jackson her owner commented, "I'm not disappointed in either race. She is still not 100% back. She could be 10 lengths better than she was today. This didn't define her as 100 percent, that's for sure. It's part of the foundation you have to build, race by race. Steve and I are both satisfied, most importantly, that she came out healthy, nothing wrong with her. I don't know that we used all of her in this race and that's not necessarily true that we should... After a six-month layoff, you don't ask a horse to come back [at 100 percent]. Now we have to see, when she gets back to her peak, what she can do this year. I'm not pushing her. We love her, she's going to improve, and I expect she will."

Rachel Alexandra’s owner, Jess Jackson, said his star filly would not be retired.

“She went right to the shed. She’s on her toes. She ate her oats. She’s happy and sound. We’re happy with her. We love her anyway,” he said. “We’re not trying to break track records yet. She needs another race or two under her belt, I think, before she’s back. And that’s what our hope is.”

Sizing Up Rachel's Competition in La Troienne

RACHEL ALEXANDRA (at odds) carrying 124 pounds, will be making her second start of the year in La Troienne. We Rachel fans know all about her, but what about the other horses? Should we be concerned about the competition in tomorrow's La Troienne? Let's look at their profiles:

ZARDANA carrying 120 pounds, is listed as a 6-year-old now, but because she’s South American-bred she’s really only five and a half. She was foaled on Sept. 12. She is a Brazilian mare out of Irish Crimson Tide and is being trained by John Sherriffs, the same trainer as Zenyatta.  She is most noted for breaking Rachel Alexandra's winning streak last month by winning the New Orleans Ladies with Rachel coming in second by only 3/4 of a length. Before then, she had a notable win in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap last December at Santa Anita. However, that was the only graded race she has ever won. She has won 7 other races but they were ungraded (including the New Orleans Ladies). She seems to be improving in her races and earned a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure for her last performance in the New Orleans Ladies.

Zardana beat Rachel by 3/4 lengths last month

UNRIVALED BELLE carrying 120 pounds, is a 4 year old filly out of Unbridled's Song. As a 3 year old, she won two ungraded races before coming in 2nd in the Grade 1 Gazelle Handicap (the winner was Flashing, who Rachel beat by 19+ lengths a few months prior). This year, she finished just out of the money in her first race, the Grade 2 La Canada, probably because she did not like to run on synthetics. However, in her second race of the year run on dirt, the Grade 3 Rampart Stakes, competitor Bambera stumbled out of the gate and cut a tendon, so Unbridled Belle took advantage of the situation and won by 1-3/4 lengths.

Unrivaled Belle wins the G3 Rampart last month

BE FAIR carrying 118 pounds, is a 4 year old filly out of Exchange Rate. It is deja vu again because last year around the same time Be Fair and Rachel Alexandra also competed. That was the Kentucky Oaks where Rachel won by 20+ lengths, and Be Fair finished just out of the money in 4th place. Be Fair has actually only won one stakes race, the Grade 3 Lake George in July of last year, and mostly finished out of the money in most other races. However, she seems to be improving because she came in a gamely 3rd place in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at the beginning of this month where Zenyatta won (of course).

Be Fair won the G3 Lake George last summer

DISTINCTIVE DIXIE carrying 118 pounds, is a 5 year old mare out of Fusaichi Pegasus. She won 3 allowance races, but has never won a stakes race. However, she came in 2nd early this month in the Bayakoa at Oaklawn (not the same race as the Bayakoa Handicap at Santa Anita that Zardana won, of course).

MORENA carrying 118 pounds, is a 6 year old mare out of Privately Held. Because she is an import from Peru, I had a hard time finding accurate information about her from Peru. In the U.S., however, it seems she has never won a stakes race but has placed in the money three times. She placed second in a Grade 3 race, second in a Grade 2 race, and third in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Handicap last August.

Rachel's Workout Statistics (since her last race)

Date         Track    Dist.    Time     Surface    Condition         Rank
4/26/2010     CD       4F      0:49.87   Dirt          Sloppy              n/a

4/19/2010     CD       6F     1.11.22    Dirt            Fast                1/7

4/12/2010     CD       6F     1:12.00    Dirt            Fast                1/7

4/5/2010       CD       5F     1:00.20    Dirt            Fast                n/a

3/29/2010     FG       5F     1:03.20    Dirt            Fast           13/105

3/23/2010     FG       4F     0:50.40    Dirt            Fast                 1/2

WORKOUT 4-26-2010

On Monday morning April 26, 2010 at about 6:15am, with regular rider Dominic Terry aboard, Rachel Alexandra bucked and played before breezing four furlongs in 0:49.87 over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. She set fractional times of  13.37 for the first furlong, 25.78 for the quarter mile, :37.80 for 3 furlongs, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.56. She went her last quarter in a whopping 24.09 under a tight hold from her rider.

“I thought Dominic did an excellent job with her,” Asmussen said. “Turning around she was obviously feeling really good and he got her to settle down loping down the backside. She broke into it smooth and she was very fluid, straight to the wire. I can’t tell you how excited we are about the prospects of Friday. The level of excitement for Friday, it's definitely there," said Steve Asmussen, "I am very, very pleased with her. She's doing very well."

Asmussen said putting Rachel Alexandra back on her old schedule has been the key to getting her ready for her second start of the year.

"After trying to rush her back and seeing how it didn't work, Mr. Jackson and the whole team thought we should get her back on her once a week schedule and see how that went," said Asmussen. "Her last two works before we left the Fair Grounds were not what we've come to expect from Rachel, but the three works she had before this morning were what we have come to expect."