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.