NEWS
Rachel Alexandra cruises in Lady’s Secret
Posted: Saturday, July 24, 2010 6:14 PM
RACHEL ALEXANDRA
Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
To view the Lady's Secret Stakes, click here.
by Mike Curry
Rachel Alexandra turned in a performance befitting a Horse of the Year and 1-to-10 favorite on Saturday at Monmouth Park, seizing command in the stretch and powering to victory in the $412,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes.
The four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly dispatched game pacesetter Queen Martha in early stretch and shook free to a facile three-length win under regular rider Calvin Borel.
Rachel Alexandra stalked a moderate pace from second in the 1 1/8-mile race, moved ahead to challenge on the far turn, and took charge when roused in the stretch en route to her 13th win from 18 career starts. She covered the distance in 1:49.78 on a track rated as fast for trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick.
“She was right where I wanted,” Borel said. “I was very impressed with the finish; the last quarter of a mile was unbelievable. Steve [Asmussen] has done a great job with her; she’s back on track. She’s on her game.”
After winning eight times in as many starts at three, including record-setting wins in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Mother Goose Stakes (G1), a classic victory in the BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (G1), and a win over older males in the Woodward Stakes (G1), Rachel Alexandra finished second in her first two races this season. She bounced back in a big way in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) on June 12 at Churchill Downs, drawing away to a dazzling 10 1/2-length romp that evoked memories of last season.
Rachel Alexandra returned to Monmouth on Saturday for the first time since she defeated 2009 champion three-year-old male Summer Bird by six lengths in last year’s Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1). Although the Lady’s Secret was not as convincing as the Fleur de Lis in terms of margin of victory, Borel came away from Saturday’s win brimming with confidence in Rachel Alexandra.
“I think she’s the greatest filly around, and the greatest horse I’ve ever been on,” said Borel, who declined to speculate on a potential showdown with unbeaten two-time champion older female Zenyatta. “I can’t worry about that; I ride race to race. I leave that up to Steve and Mr. Jackson, and if it happens it will be great for racing.”
To lure Rachel Alexandra back to the New Jersey shore, Monmouth increased the Lady’s Secret purse from $150,000 to $400,000, moved the race up by eight days on the calendar, and lengthened the distance by a sixteenth of a mile to 1 1/8 miles. She was the only graded stakes winner in the six-horse field.
Rachel Alexandra was bred in Kentucky by Dolphus Morrison out of the stakes-winning Roar mare Lotta Kim. She has earned $3,446,730 in three seasons.
Queen Martha, second in a turf allowance race on May 30 at Monmouth Park in her U.S. debut for Patrick Biancone, was 7 3/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Ask the Moon.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Garry, Elizabethtown, KY on August 01, 2010 at 03:28 PM
mimi,
have you ever seen Rachel run live? Me and my wife have a 4 month old baby girl that we named Rachel Alexandra after her. Jess Jackson took a picture with her. Because of her name at Rachel's race we got to into the winners circle and be on HRTV and the local channels in Louisville KY. When the KY Derby Museum opened back they announced that there was a 1 month old named Rachel Alexandra there and everyone cheered for her.
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Posted by: Mimi, San Antonio, TX on July 31, 2010 at 08:01 PM
This is in response to Garry,
Yeah, it would be great to see them all on a traditional dirt track together! I certainly agree with you about Rachel Alexandra-I can't see why she can't be the comeback kid. (And she will!) I don't see why there aren't more people who genuinely care about horses like us.
And about the "Scary Garry" stuff-that was totally ridiculous and childish of those morons. You know that those are most likely adults if they're reading the TBTimes too...that's pretty sad! (I can see if it was a tease-but, come on!)
I can't believe all the criticizm on here just because she lost twice this year. (Only by very short distances too.) So what? She wasn't in her top form. Zenyatta's always in her top form, (That's why she never loses) so there SHOULDN'T be any arguments about that.
It's just so crazy that people can still think of themselves as "mature" if they bash horses all the time and call others names. Grow up people, and get a life other than bashing horses. ESPECIALLY Bob from Orlando FL, calling Rachel Alexandra "rocks for brains" and the others in the Lady's Secret "tomato can claimers". How do you socialize with other people?? (Or horses for that matter) You're either some dumb kid or a VERY [VERY!] immature adult. Get a life, seriously.
Ha! And if all of those great fillies were in a race, Ruffian would be the victor.
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Posted by: Garry, Elizabethtown, KY on July 30, 2010 at 04:27 PM
This is to the grim reaper in haides,HI.
Is that a prediction? If so can you predict exactly which race that will be in? and wouldn't that prediction go for each and every race horse that leaves the starting gate? Let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope that doesn't happen, right?
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Posted by: Garry, Elizabethtown, KY on July 30, 2010 at 04:24 PM
This is to Mimi,
It is just Garry. The "Scary Garry" stuff was started by to morons one in Boston and one in Lexington. Wouldn't it be great to see Ruffian, Zenyatta, Winning Colors, Rags to Riches, and Rachel Alexandra when she was at her best all on the same track "dirt track"? You seem to genuinely care about the horses as do I. Rachel Alexandra has had a weak first half of the season, I don't see any reason why she can't become the comeback kid. Her speed figures says that she can. Look for Jess Jackson to start moving her up now and we will hope for the best.
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Posted by: Mimi, San Antonio, TX on July 29, 2010 at 09:44 PM
Hey "Scary Garry" -I'm with you! Oh, I thought that was the same Bob from earlier, but at least another Bob gave us a good laugh.
And you have a very good point too; Secretariat lost five times, like Rachel Alexandra.
And no I do not think that RA or Big Z are as great as the unforgettable Ruffian. I love and cheer for the both of them and respect them highly, but they aren't as good as Ruffian; she is the Godess of fillies. Rachel Alexandra, Rags To Riches, Zenyatta, and Winning Colors can take the cake as the princesses. There is only one mare that rests right at God's side, and that is Ruffian. Winning Colors rests near, but not at his side. When the other 3 get there, they will rest with Winning Colors.
People please stop bashing the horses (LET'S ENJOY THEM WHILE THEY'RE AROUND!!!) and even furthering your stupidity by putting it on the TBTimes. It's okay, though, if idiots like them didn't exsist than the smart ones like us wouldn't be regarded as "smarter" but just "normal". And, we wouldn't have anyone dumb to laugh at.
By the way, I can't wait for the Haskell. Good luck to all of our racehorses, forever and always.
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