Rachel Alexandra resting in Louisville ending 2009 campaign
By Don Agriss, Horse Racing Editor Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Four weeks until the 26th Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park and the leading thoroughbred in the nation is taking it easy at home. No hurry for the horse to prepare for the next start, that won't come till 2010.
Rachel Alexandra, the three-year-old filly who won this year's Preakness Stakes, Haskell Invitational and Woodward, is back home at Churchill Downs. She arrived earlier this week from Saratoga Race Course following a long van ride.
Owned by Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, 'Rachel' has put together one of the most amazing years for any thoroughbred regardless of sex. She blew away other fillies in the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes and has won all three starts versus male horses.
"We have seen an amazing 2009 campaign from Rachel Alexandra our three-year- old filly. She not only beat the fillies by 20-lengths in the Kentucky Oaks and 19-lengths in the Mother Goose Stakes, she beat the boys in the Preakness and the Haskell, and older males in the Woodward," Stonestreet's Jess Jackson said in a press release. "She beat the winners of the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont. Rachel raced on eight different tracks.
"She prevailed in all eight of her races in '09 -- five of them Grade One contests.
Hers was a campaign for the ages beyond what any filly has ever accomplished and she is only three-years-old.
Our family and racing fans will always remember and enjoy her historic 2009 campaign.
"Today, I am formally announcing our decision to conclude Rachel's 2009 campaign and allow her to mature naturally. She has moved to Churchill Downs for a well-deserved rest.
"We are all looking forward to an exciting 2010 season.
In the interim, I want to sincerely thank the fans, the track officials and the media for all their heartfelt support of this wonderful filly." Jackson made it clear during the summer that the filly will not start in the Breeders' Cup this year because of his dislike for synthetic racetrack surfaces.
He is pointing 'Rachel' toward a 2010 campaign culminating at Churchill Downs with the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
"We're just trying to keep her happy," trainer Steve Asmussen said. "I'm very pleased with her attitude and her weight and how she's doing. I think the time in Saratoga with everything gone was very beneficial to her. It just took a lot of the pressure off.
"After reading all the quotes, I thought (trainer) Graham Motion's quote summed it up as he said, 'She had 10 reasons to lose and didn't use any of them.' I don't think anything will ever do it justice unless you were there." Rachel Alexandra, who was ridden this year by Calvin Borel, concludes her 2009 season with eight wins in eight starts for better than $2.7 million. She'll begin 2010 with career earnings of nearly $3 million and 11 wins in 14 career starts.
On Thursday, the filly was visited by 18-year-old actress Amanda Joy 'AJ' Michalka who will portray Penny Chenery's daughter Kate in Walt Disney Studio's motion picture 'Secretariat'.
"I've always loved horses and I'm a fan of horse racing," said Michalka. "To actually be here at Churchill Downs and film a movie about Secretariat with this tremendous cast and crew is truly exciting. But to meet Rachel Alexandra up close and personal was a special treat. She is so amazing, watching her run just gives you goose bumps." Scenes for 'Secretariat' are being shot at Churchill Downs and Louisville. Expected to be released sometime in the fall of 2010, the movie stars Diane Lane as Chenery, Secretariat's owner, and John Malkovich as Lucien Laurin, the trainer of the legendary thoroughbred.
10/09 14:21:10 ET
