Clairiere All Class in Rachel Alexandra
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Clairiere wins the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course
Bred to excel, Stonestreet Stables' homebred Clairiere put her class on display Feb. 13 when she reeled in favored Travel Column to win the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
The daughter of Curlin is the first foal out of three-time grade 1 winner Cavorting, who took the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) and Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) in 2016 and won the Longines Test Stakes (G1) in 2015.
Jockey Joe Talamo rode Clairiere with confidence from post 1 in an eight-horse field in the 1 1/16-mile Rachel Alexandra, allowing 25-1 shot Off We Go to dictate a quick tempo while tracking along at the back of the pack. Despite hitting the inside of the gate at the start, Clairiere recovered well and saved ground as Off We Go put up fractions of :23.73 and :47.99, with even-money choice Travel Column tracking along in second.
Travel Column made her move as three-quarters went in 1:14.22 and took command off the turn for home, but Clairiere ranged up into contention and was primed to strike along the rail. Talamo shifted the 2-1 second choice out to run down the favorite in the final sixteenth, and the Steve Asmussen trainee got up by a neck under strong handling. The final time was 1:45.34 on a fast track.
The order of finish was completed by Moon Swag, Littlestitious, Becca's Rocket, Souper Sensational, Zoom Up, and Off We Go. Charlie's Penny was scratched.
"I was actually pretty confident the whole race," Talamo said. "As stuff would open up down the backside, she was able to pick her spots little by little. Obviously the filly in front of us (Travel Column) was pretty talented, but (Clairiere) is very talented as well."
Clairiere ($6.60) notched her first graded win in her third start and season debut, coming in off a runner-up finish to Travel Column by a length in the Nov. 28 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. She broke her maiden at first asking in October at the Louisville track, winning a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight by half a length. Her dam has an unnamed 2-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly and a yearling colt by Curlin. She was reported barren on a cover to Quality Road for 2021.
"What a really nice filly," said Talamo, who picked up the mount for the first time on the bay filly. "I watched both of her replays; she was very professional her first two starts."
Improving her earnings to $270,492 with two wins and a second from her trio of starts, Clairiere picked up 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with her Rachel Alexandra win. The race awarded points on a 50-20-10-5 scale to the top four finishers toward a spot in the starting gate for the April 30 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. The next step on Fair Grounds' Road to the Kentucky Oaks is the March 20 TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).
"We'll discuss it with the team and see how we're doing, but this filly has a very bright future," Asmussen said. "Obviously (we're) extremely excited about who she is. Third run of her life, (she's) just getting better. Races going further look like they'll be right in her wheelhouse. For her to win the Rachel Alexandra in the Stonestreet silks is extremely special."
Asmussen trained Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra through her nine starts for Stonestreet and Harold McCormick. She was trained through the first 10 starts of her career by Hal Wiggins.