Rachel Alexandra: A Filly For the Ages

Rachel Alexandra winning the 2009 Kentucky Oaks by over 20 lengths. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
Dolph Morrison bred Rachel Alexandra but was so unimpressed in the early stages of her development that he twice contemplated selling her.
She was entered in the 2006 Keeneland November sale as a weanling only to be withdrawn when x-rays revealed a minor issue in her development. Morrison sent the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro to Jimmy Dodwell’s Diamond D Ranch in Texas the following summer to be broken with the intention of putting her up for auction in Florida.
While Rachel Alexandra was with Dodwell, he saw in her qualities he had not often seen in young horses. She possessed a long stride and abundant speed that it appeared she could sustain at a distance.
Dodwell strongly advised Morrison against selling, advice that proved invaluable.
Rachel Alexandra ran sixth when she debuted on May 22, 2008 at Churchill Downs and won only two of her first five starts. Trainer Hal Wiggins shifted to Calvin Borel as her regular rider and she embarked on a nine-race winning streak that comprised one of the most impressive bodies of work in the history of the sport.

Borel always said the key to their success together was to allow her to be the boss. She knew she could handle fractions that often seemed impossibly fast. His biggest job was to stay out of the way.
“I don’t fight her since I’ve been on her. The first day I learned that,” he said during the course of a breathtaking streak that extended from her 4 ¾-length romp in the Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29, 2008 through her unforgettable victory against older males in the Woodward Stakes at New York’s Saratoga Race Course on Sept. 5, 2009.
Rachel Alexandra seemingly built momentum with every start after the Golden Rod. She was a handy winner in the Martha Washington Stakes and Fair Ground Oaks before she went wire to wire and coasted home by 8 ¾ lengths in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.
All of that got the attention of the fans who jammed into Churchill Downs to see Rachel run in the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks and sent her off as the prohibitive 3-10 favorite.  With so much on the line Victor Espinoza, aboard Gabby’s Golden Gal, made certain the top choice would not have an easy lead. In fact, he allowed her no early lead as his mount quickly took command leaving the starting gate.
Would Rachel be able to relax off the lead? Would Borel be willing to sit tight? Both did exactly what the situation called for. Borel gave his magnificent filly her cue. She rocketed to the lead and increased her margin with every awe-inspiring stride. She roared off by five lengths. Then 10. Then 15. She continued to pour it on until her final margin, an astounding 20 ¼ lengths that represented the most lopsided victory in the rich history of the Oaks.
As commanding as Rachel was, Morrison always maintained he would not run her against males amid building pressure to do so. Racing got what it wished for after a private sale led the great filly to be transferred to new owners Jess Jackson and his friend and partner, Harold McCormick.
Jackson, who shifted Rachel to trainer Steve Asmussen, was more than willing to pay the $100,000 fee required to supplement her to the Preakness. She rewarded him by holding off Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird to become the first filly to win the middle jewel of the Triple Crown in 85 years.
She would again turn back the boys in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and in the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The courage she displayed under heavy pressure in the Woodward resulted in a performance for the ages matched by a call for the ages by track announcer Tom Durkin.
RACHEL ALEXANDRA HOLDING OFF MACHO AGAIN IN THE WOODWARD

“They are coming to the top of the stretch. It is still the filly in front. A dramatic stretch drive awaits in the Woodward Stakes. On the outside, here’s Bullsbay. And Calvin Borel imploring his filly for more and Rachel Alexandra holds on to the lead.  Bullsbay is second. Macho Again is making a tremendous run from the back of the pack. Rachel Alexandra! Macho Again! It’s going to be desperately close! Here’s the wire. Rachel won! She is indeed Rachel Alexandra the great, beating Macho Again here and further back is Bullsbay in third. The time was 1:48 and one! Rachel Alexandra raises the rafters here at the Spa!”
Indeed, it felt as though the old grandstand was rocking and rolling, so great was the outpouring of affection for the rare filly.
Fun Facts

Named after granddaughter of Dolphus Morrison, original breeder and owner.
Boosted by Rachel Alexandra, sire Medaglia d’Oro was the leading second-crop sire in North America with more than $7.7 million in earnings.
Brian Hernandez Jr. was her first jockey, producing two wins in five starts.
Became first starter to win the Preakness from the 13th post position.
All 232 ballots were cast for her as champion 3-year-old filly in 2009.