Rachel Alexandra

Rachel Alexandra
Sire	Medaglia d'Oro
Grandsire	El Prado
Dam	Lotta Kim
Damsire	Roar
Sex	Filly
Foaled	2006
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Dolphus C. Morrison
Owner	1) L and M Partners, LLC (Michael Lauffer & Dolphus C. Morrison) 2) Stonestreet Stables & Harold T. McCormick (May 6/09)
Trainer	Hal R. Wiggins Steve Asmussen (May 6/09)
Record	14: 11-2-0
Earnings	US$ 2,948,354
Major wins
Golden Rod Stakes (2008) Martha Washington Stakes (2009) Fair Grounds Oaks (2009) Fantasy Stakes (2009) Kentucky Oaks(2009) Mother Goose Stakes (2009) Haskell Invitational Handicap (2009) Woodward Stakes (2009) American Classic Race wins: Preakness Stakes (2009)
Last updated on 18:42, Friday December 27 2024 (UTC)

Rachel Alexandra (foaled January 29, 2006 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred filly racehorse who came to fame on May 16, 2009 when she became the first filly in 85 years (since Nelly Morse in 1924) to win the Preakness Stakes. She has won races in six states (KY, LA, AR, MD, NY, and NJ.), against fillies and top colts, achieving a long string of consecutive wins including many Grade 1 stakes races. She has broken or come close to the stakes and/or track records in many of her races, as well as broken records for largest winning margins.

Rachel Alexandra is a bay filly with a distinctive upside-down-exclamation-point-shaped white blaze on her nose. She is considered quite tall for a filly and stands an estimated 16 hands at the withers. Her preferred style of running is generally that of a front runner (running on the lead) or a stalker (running close to the lead.)

Rachel Alexandra was bred and originally owned by Dolphus Morrison who named her after his granddaughter. Before she became successful as a racehorse, Dolphus Morrison sold part interest in her to Michael Lauffer. Her initial trainer was Hal Wiggins, Morrison's regular trainer, who trained her up until the Kentucky Oaks 2009. After her Kentucky Oaks victory, Rachel Alexandra was sold for an undisclosed amount (rumored to be in excess of $10 million) to Stonestreet Stables & Harold T. McCormick, with billionaire Jess Jackson of Kendall Jackson Winery holding controlling interest. Her current trainer is Steve Asmussen. Her regular jockey is Calvin Borel.

Breeding and Early Life

Pedigree

Rachel Alexandra is sired by Medaglia d'Oro out of the mare Lotta Kim, by Roar.

Sire

Medaglia d'Oro (foaled 1999, Kentucky) was a successful multiple Grade 1 Stakes winner and earned $5,754,720 in his racing career spanning to 5 years old. His notable performances included wins in the 2002 Travers Stakes, 2003 Whitney Handicap, and 2004 Donn Handicap, as well as second place finishes in the 2002 Belmont Stakes, Breeders' Cup Classic (twice, in 2002 and 2003), and 2004 Dubai World Cup. On the track, Medaglia d'Oro was a frontrunner known for his consistency and tenacity. Medaglia d'Oro was retired from racing in 2004 and entered to stud. Rachel Alexandra is a member of Medaglia d'Oro's extremely successful first crop to race, which also includes major stakes winners Gabby's Golden Gal (Acorn Stakes) and Payton d'Oro (Black-Eyed Susan Stakes). As of July 2009, Medaglia d'Oro was the leading second-crop sire in North America, with over $4 million in 2009 progeny earnings.

Dam

Morrison bred and raced Rachel Alexandra's dam, Lotta Kim (foaled 2001, Kentucky), a moderately successful racehorse whose biggest win came in the Tiffany Lass Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course. Soon after that race, she was injured in a training accident and retired. Rachel Alexandra is Lotta Kim's first and only surviving foal; Lotta Kim's 2007 colt by Empire Maker succumbed to a rare neurological disorder known as Wobbler disease, while her 2008 foal was born prematurely and died. Morrison did not breed Lotta Kim in 2009, but plans to return her to Medaglia d’Oro next year, having declined numerous offers to sell the mare in the wake of Rachel Alexandra's success., and then to Darley Stud in June 2009.

Rachel Alexandra had a different personality than her dam. "Lotta Kim had a terrible disposition," Wiggins recalled. "She wasn't really mean, but plumb ornery. She made it a project every time you wanted to do something with her. Completely the opposite from Rachel Alexandra. I don't know what you could do to get Rachel Alexandra excited, except go into the starting gate."

Breeding and Early Training

Morrison stated that he bred Lotta Kim to Medaglia d'Oro because he was impressed with the stallion's physical presence and compatibility with the mare:

"I bred Lotta Kim as a good physical fit for Medaglia d'Oro. He was, in my opinion at that time, the best thing I'd ever seen. He was an awesome thing, physically. Great balance, great racehorse, and obviously with the way he could finish a race, he had a great airway. That's one thing I've always looked for in broodmares, horses that can finish two turns effectively. Some sprinters are okay, but I prefer the good airway. That's what makes a good racehorse, along with the rest of the physical machine."

According to Morrison, Rachel Alexandra looked "a little raw-boned and a little scruffy" as a foal. Morrison rarely sells the first couple of foals out of his mares, but he almost made an exception with Rachel Alexandra, entering her in the 2006 Keeneland November Sale as a weanling. When X-rays revealed a "minor development problem" - he scratched her, convinced she wouldn't bring the $125,000 he thought she was worth.

In August 2007 Morrison sent Rachel Alexandra to Diamond D Ranch in Lone Oak, Texas, where Jimmy (Scooter) Dodwell broke her in. In November of that year Morrison called Dodwell and asked if Rachel was ready to be entered in a Florida sale. Dodwell wasn't so sure. Rachel Alexandra was one of the best young horses he had seen. "She had a ton of speed, with a long stride, and [I thought] she might be able to run forever," recalls Dodwell. "I stuck my neck out and told Mr. Morrison, 'You might want to hang onto this one.'"

Jockey

Rachel Alexandra's original Jockey was Brian Hernandez, Jr, who rode Rachel Alexandra to two wins in five starts. But by chance, Wiggins had used Calvin Borel to work Rachel and considered a change. Borel first rode Rachel Alexandra in the 11/28/2008 Golden Rod Stakes (Grade II) to a 4 ¾ length victory, setting a stakes record for time. Since that race, Rachel Alexandra has been on a winning streak with Calvin Borel on the mount, as well as broken several stakes records for time and winning margin. One of the secrets to success, according to Calvin is that he just lets Rachel Alexandra do her thing. Borel said he's learned not to hold back Rachel Alexandra, even if she wants to run the first quarter-mile in a fast 22 seconds or the half-mile in 44. "I don't fight her ever since I've been on her," he said. "The first day I learned that." Since Borel took Rachel Alexandra's mount, she has not lost a race.

Racing career

Date

Age

Distance

Race

Gr

Track

Surface

Time

Fin

Margin

New Record Made

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

05/22/2008

2

4 ½ f

Maiden Special Weight

CD

Dirt

0:51.20

6

Brian Hernandez Jr

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

06/13/2008

2

5 f

Maiden Special Weight

CD

Dirt

0:57.40

1

Brian Hernandez Jr

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

06/28/2008

2

6 f

Debutante Stakes

III

CD

Dirt

1:11.00

2

Brian Hernandez Jr

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

10/17/2008

2

6 f

Allowance

Kee

Synth

1:09.60

1

Brian Hernandez Jr

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

11/01/2008

2

1 m

Pocahontas Stakes

III

CD

Dirt

1:34.60

2

Brian Hernandez Jr

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

11/29/2008

2

1 1/16 m

Golden Rod Stakes

II

CD

Dirt

1:43.08

1

4 ¾

Stakes: Fastest Time

Calvin Borel

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

02/15/2009

3

1 m

Martha Washington

OP

Dirt

1:36.40

1

8

Stakes: Fastest Time

Calvin Borel

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

03/14/2009

3

1 1/16 m

Fair Grounds Oaks

II

FG

Dirt

1:43.55

1

1 ¼

Calvin Borel

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

04/05/2009

3

1 1/16 m

Fantasy Stakes

II

OP

Dirt

1:43.35

1

8 ¾

Calvin Borel

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

05/01/2009

3

1 1/8 m

Kentucky Oaks

I

CD

Dirt

1:48.87

1

20 ¼

Stakes: Largest Winning Margin

Calvin Borel

Hal Wiggins

Dolphus Morrison

05/16/2009

3

1 3/16 m

Preakness Stakes *

I

PIM

Dirt

1:55.05

1

1

Only horse to win from 13th gate

Calvin Borel

Steve Asmussen

Jess Jackson

06/27/2009

3

1 1/8 m

Mother Goose Stakes

I

Bel

Dirt

1:46.33

1

19 ¼

Stakes: Fastest Time Stakes: Largest Winning Margin

Calvin Borel

Steve Asmussen

Jess Jackson

08/02/2009

3

1 1/8 m

Haskell Invitational *

I

Mth

Dirt

1:47.10

1

6

Calvin Borel

Steve Asmussen

Jess Jackson

09/05/2009

3

1 1/8 m

Woodward Stakes **

I

Sar

Dirt

1:48.29

1

head

The only female ever to win

Calvin Borel

Steve Asmussen

Jess Jackson

An asterisk * designates a race where she faced colts her own age.
Two asterisks ** designates a race where she faced older males.

2009 Kentucky Oaks

I've been in the business 30 years, and I've never rode [sic] a horse like this.

Calvin Borel, Rachel Alexandra's jockey, immediately after her Kentucky Oaks victory.

On May 1, 2009, the filly scored the most impressive win of her career, running away from the field to win the Grade I Kentucky Oaks by 20 1/4 lengths.

Shortly after her Oaks victory, it was announced that Rachel Alexandra was sold to Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables and Harold T. McCormick. ESPN reported that she would be transferred to trainer Steve Asmussen. Before this, she was not expected to run against colts, but with her change of ownership came a change of plans. Jess Jackson, owner of Curlin, paid the US$100,000 supplemental fee which allowed her to race in the Preakness Stakes.

2009 Preakness Stakes

On May 16, 2009, Rachel Alexandra won the 2009 Preakness Stakes from the number 13 post position, with Calvin Borel as her jockey. Borel was the first jockey ever to win a Kentucky Derby on one horse (Mine That Bird) and then to choose another to ride in the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. The jockey, who had also won the Kentucky Derby in 2007 on Street Sense, was quoted as saying: "This is the greatest horse I've ever been on in my life."

Rachel Alexandra was the first filly to win the Preakness since 1924. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird made a late charge, and placed 2nd in the Preakness Stakes of $1.1 million dollars. Rachel Alexandra became the first horse to win from the 13th post position. She is also the first Kentucky Oaks winner to both contest and win the race.

2009 Summer Campaign

On June 27, 2009, Rachel Alexandra ran the $300,000 Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park, with Calvin Borel as jockey. Facing only two other rivals, she won the race by 19 1/4 lengths, breaking the stakes record with a time of 1:46:33 on a track listed as fast. She also broke the record margin of victory of 13 1/2 lengths set by great Ruffian in 1975. Despite being eased in the stretch her time was less than a second slower than Secretariat's 1973 track record of 1:45 2/5 in the inaugural Marlboro Cup Sept. 15, 1973 and per reports at the time "Big Red was working hard all the way".

On August 2, 2009, Rachel Alexandra ran the (bumped up from $1 mil purse of) $1.25 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park at a distance of 1 1/8 mi. Toting 117-lbs she won by 6 lengths in a time of 1:47.21 on a listed sloppy track which was just 0.21 seconds off the stakes record and 0.41 seconds off the track record. . This impressive speed on a very sloppy track gave her a phenomenal Beyer Speed Figure rating of 116. This is the highest Beyer Speed Figure of any horse in North America this year. Despite heavy rains the track enjoyed a large attendance with 37,090 people at Monmouth. In the 42 runnings of the Haskell fillies have won just twice: Serena's Song in 1995 and now Rachel Alexandra.

On September 5, 2009, Rachel Alexandra ran the (bumped up from $500,000 purse of) $750,000 Grade 1 Woodward Stakes against older male horses at Saratoga Race Course. For the Woodward she carried 118 pounds compared to the 126 for the seven males. By her owner's reports, she was not feeling her best that day, and when she was spooked by the roar of the crowd, bucked off her jockey Calvin Borel just 6 minutes before post time. Usually easy to rate, Rachel Alexandra surprised everyone and worried her trainer by jumping out of the gates in front to set a blistering 22.85 opening quarter. In the stretch, she held off a run from the late-closing Macho Again and finished the Woodward Stakes in a time of 1:48.29, winning by a head. Only five other fillies have ever attempted to run in this race, and only two others came in the money: Summer Guest finished third in 1972, and Lady's Secret finished 2nd in 1986. She was the only filly or mare ever to win the Woodward Stakes. She also was the first 3-year-old filly to win a grade I route dirt race against older males in New York since 1887.

This increases Rachel Alexandra's winning streak to 9 in a row.

Near-Misses for Stakes and/or Track Records

In addition to breaking many stakes records, Rachel Alexandra also had many near-misses to both stakes and track records. Her finishing times came within a fraction of a second off of the following records:
5/1/2009 Kentucky Oaks (Gr I): A final time of 1:48.87, just missing the stakes record for 1 1/8 mile of 1:48.64 set by Bird Town in 2003.
6/27/2009 Mother Goose Stakes (Gr I): A final time of 1:46.33, just missing the Belmont track record for 1 1/8 mile of 1:45.40 set by Secretariat in 1973.
8/2/2009 Haskell Invitational (Gr I): A final time of 1:47.21, just missing the stakes record for 1 1/8 mile of 1:47.00 set by Bet Twice in 1987 and Majestic Light in 1976.
8/2/2009 Haskell Invitational (Gr I): Just missing the Monmouth track record for 1 1/8 mile of 1:46.80 set by Spend a Buck in 1985..

Pedigree

Pedigree of Rachel Alexandra

Sire Medaglia d'Oro dkb/br. 1999	El Prado (IRE) b. 1989	Sadler's Wells b. 1981	Northern Dancer (CAN)
			Fairy Bridge
		Lady Capulet b. 1974	Sir Ivor
			Cap and Bells
	Cappucino Bay b. 1989	Bail Jumper b. 1974	Damascus
			Court Circuit
		Dubbed In b. 1973	Silent Screen
			Society Singer
Dam Lotta Kim b. 2001	Roar b. 1993	Forty Niner b. 1985	Mr. Prospector
			File
		Wild Applause b. 1981	Northern Dancer (CAN)
			Glowing Tribute
	Kims Blues b. 1993	Cure the Blues b. 1978	Stop The Music
			Quick Cure
		Early Decision b. 1985	Lord Gaylord
			Biscayne Missy

External links

• Darley: Medaglia d'Oro
• Rachel Alexandra's pedigree and partial racing stats
• Bloodhorse.com profile on Rachel Alexandra
• May 1, 2009 Bloodhorse.com article titled Rachel Alexandra a Breathtaking Oaks Winner
• Video at YouTube of Rachel Alexandra winning the 2009 Kentucky Oaks
• May 6, 2009 Bloodhorse.com article titled Rachel Alexandra Sold
• Rachel Alexandra's complete racing history, pedigree, photos, silks, news and video race replays