Finite Upsets British Idiom in Rachel Alexandra
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Finite wins the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course
Finite entered the Feb. 15 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with a reputation as a winning filly who runs to her competition. So when the competition stepped up Saturday, with the Rachel Alexandra marking the return of reigning 2-year-old filly champion British Idiom, so did Finite, scoring an emphatic 4 3/4-length victory over the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner.
In winning her fifth consecutive race, Finite stalked the pace in third, three wide around both turns, as His Glory showed the way early in the 1 1/16-mile, $294,000 dirt test with fractions of :24.20, :47.92, and 1:12.64 under token pressure from Ursula. But after the six-furlong stage, it was clear this was Finite's race.
She took command entering the lane, and though British Idiom closed from sixth to grab the runner-up prize, she never came close to catching Finite, who surged clear under urging from regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr.
After his mount finished in 1:43.97 on a fast track, Santana gave a couple of fist pumps in celebration. The 3-year-old daughter of Munnings paid $7.40 as the second choice in the field of seven.
British Idiom, the 4-5 favorite, looked rusty in her first start since the Nov. 1 Juvenile Fillies. Off a step slow, she became a bit eager in the opening quarter-mile and raced four wide when carried out by a rival into the first turn. She settled thereafter and continued with a wide advance under Javier Castellano, but in more of a grinding effort than was seen from her during a 3-for-3 season last year that also included a victory in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1).
Finite, bred in Kentucky by Winchell Thoroughbreds, races for her breeder, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson, and Debbie Easter. She is out of the stakes-winning Tapit mare Remit, a full sister to graded winner and sire Tapiture .
Remit has also produced Reride (by Candy Ride), who won the Mine That Bird Derby and Big Drama Stakes in 2018.
The Rachel Alexandra was worth 50 points to Finite in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, and British Idiom picked up 20. Third-place Swiss Skydiver picked up 10 points and fourth-place Tempers Rising five points.
Finite now has 70 points, topping the Oaks leaderboard. British Idiom is second with 50.
The Rachel Alexandra has produced four of the past six winners of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Untapable (2014), Monomoy Girl (2018), and Serengeti Empress (2019) won both races, and Lovely Maria took the 2015 Oaks after a second in the Rachel Alexandra.
It was trainer Steve Asmussen's fifth win in the race. He also won it with Untapable, War Echo (2009), Appealing Zophie (2007), and Summerly (2005). The latter also became an Oaks winner.
Winchell Thoroughbreds owned Untapable and, at the time of her Oaks victory, Summerly.
The next major race for 3-year-old fillies at Fair Grounds is the $400,000 TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) March 21.
"We know the importance of running here at the Fair Grounds, and it's obvious the series here and what's it's meant to the fillies here over the last several years," Asmussen said. "Hopefully, we're trying to recreate similar circumstances to Summerly and Untapable."