Rachel Alexandra Records Easy Haskell Win
Calvin Borel and Medaglia d' Oro Filly Best Boys for Big Payday
Aug 8, 2009
Rachel romps again! Girl power created a laughing last, six-length victory for filly Rachel Alexandra in the August 2 $1.25 million Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, New Jersey. She tickled the clock at 1:47.21, one-fifth off the stakes record set by Bet Twice in 1987 and Majestic Light (1976).
Rachel Wins Over the Boys Again
The triumph was Rachel A.'s second conquest of her male counterparts. She won the Preakness Stakes, beating Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird on May 16.
It was hoped that Munnings' star would rise in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. It didn't; he finished tenth in the field of twelve, but he's come on recently in 2009, winning two straight races, the Woody Stephens Stakes (G2) and the Tom Fool Handicap (G2). The colt's pappa, Speightstown, was an Eclipse Award sprinter, and Munnings was birthed by La Comete, a Holly Bull mate.
Minus Rachel Alexandra in the Belmont Stakes, Birdstone son Summer Bird took center stage, surging past his half brother Mine That Bird's subtle fade. Jockey Kent Desormeaux enjoyed some love on the back of the Belmont champion.
Once again, however, all comers moved aside for the reign of Rachel. Alexandra the Filly polished off Summer Bird, the last of her Triple Crown race placed adversaries, and Munnings, who clung to show, in a powerful and graceful run to the Haskell winner's circle.
Jackson Says No to Rachel in Breeders' Cup
Girl power has rarely been stronger in a single Thoroughbred season than it is now, and Rachel Alexandra is the moment's queen of the track, even quelling the spell of the undefeated Zenyatta.
Unfortunately, these two female stalwarts are unlikely to get the opportunity to square off to claim an undisputed throne in a girly competition. Their schedules aren't in a path-crossing mode.
They won't meet in November's Breeders' Cup Championships. Rachel's risk-taking majority owner Jess Jackson won't be lured a second straight season onto the artificial dirt of Santa Anita race course, where his Horse of the Year Curlin took a season-ending beating in 2008.
Last year, Jackson reluctantly caved in to the public fervor for a showdown between the accomplished four-year-old HOY and three-year-old Kentucky Derby--Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown. That match-up never came about after Big Brown suffered a severe quarter grab injury and was retired to protect his previously arranged stud career.
Jackson Doesn't Like Synthetics
Jackson has no problem, generally, taking a stand. He took Curlin to Dubai to participate in the richest races in the world as much to recognize the Dubai World Cup Racing Carnival for its drug-free atmosphere as to show off his champion, whom he was certain could win the Cup. Curlin did.
After purchasing Rachel Alexandra, who's previous owners didn't support co-ed races, Jackson wasted no time declaring the super-looking, black-splotch faced filly would, indeed, take on the boys under his stable banner.
Alexandra the Filly had just destroyed the Kentucky Oaks field under veteran jockey Calvin Borel, and Jackson pointed them to the Preakness. Borel jumped ship from Mine That Bird to stay on the filly in the Preakness. The muddy track slowed the filly's hooves, but not her heart, and Borel had the right stuff to guide her to a first whipping of the boys.
Jackson has taken a firm stand against going to Santa Anita. He abhors racing surfaces that resemble "plastic", his reference to synthetic tops, and he won't risk Rachel's greatness as he did Curlin's, he told Haskell post-race interviewers.
Who Is Next for Rachel Alexandra?
Alexandra the Filly has defeated this season's winners of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Arkansas Derby, Illionois Derby, and Iowa Derby, as well as the country's best females.
Her career statistics shot to ten wins from thirteen starts, with earnings of $2,498,354 for owners Jackson's Stonestreet Stables and Harold T. McCormick and trainer Steve Asmussen. Rachel's sire, Medaglia d' Oro was sired by El Prado, by Sadler's Wells, by Northern Dancer, who also shows up as a great great grandsire of Rachel's dam, Lotta Kim.
Who dares next to hoof it up with the speedy pedigreed, steely, unflappable filly?
