NEWS
Rachel makes ‘strong move’ at Churchill
Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 3:15 PM
RACHEL ALEXANDRA
Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs photo
Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra breezed six furlongs in 1:12 on Monday, her second published workout since returning to Churchill Downs.
The four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly, under regular exercise rider Dominic Terry, recorded fractional times of :12.80, :25.40, :37.20, :48.40, and 1:00.20 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.20.
Owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, Rachel Alexandra had the fastest time of seven at the distance. Two other Steve Asmussen-trained horses, Grade 2 winner Friesan Fire and Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, worked the same distance in 1:12.80 and 1:13.40, respectively.
“I was very pleased with her work,” Asmussen said of Rachel Alexandra. “She looks happy and she cooled out great. It was a very strong move.”
Rachel Alexandra, who won last year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) by a record 20 1/4 lengths over the same track nearly a year ago, turned in a solid five-furlong work in 1:00.20 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 a week earlier in her first workout at the Louisville track since last fall.
Asmussen said he and his team will be waiting to see how she recovers from the workout as they try to plot her next start. He said there is still no decision on when or where she will race next.
“I’m very anxious to see her attitude off of the work,” Asmussen said. “How she acts, how she rests in her stall, and if she’s comfortable with everything we’re doing. From a work standpoint it was very impressive and fast, which she is.”
Rachel Alexandra’s has started only once since a victory against males last fall in the Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. She finished second after surrendering the lead in the stretch to Zardana (Brz) in the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies on March 13 at Fair Grounds (video).
That loss caused Jackson and Asmussen to pull Rachel Alexandra from a planned meeting with undefeated two-time champion older female and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom Invitational Stakes (G1) on Friday at Oaklawn Park, a race Zenyatta won by 4 1/4 lengths.
“We’re trying to get her back in the rhythm that she had success with last year because we were very unsuccessful in trying to alter that,” Asmussen said.
