Photo by Anne Eberhardt/The Blood-Horse - Order here
February 25 2012
Remember The Freak?
Rachel Alexandra, 2009 Horse of the Year, beat the boys as a 3-year-old in the Preakness, the Haskell, and (against older males) the Woodward Stakes (the only filly ever to win it), and set stakes records, winning 9 in a row that year, and winning the Horse of the Year title in a hotly contested vote against Zenyatta. Rachel didn't come back quite as sharp as a 4-year-old, then she abruptly retired and faded from sight and mind as Zenyatta fever took over (and Queen Z was voted Horse of the Year in 2010).
But we shouldn't forget Rachel. You can throw her up there as one of the great 3-year-old fillies of all time.
She had her first foal on January 22 of this year, a colt by Curlin (2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year). Both were taken to the equine hospital a few days later for "pain management related to the birth," (said the Blood-Horse) but apparently they returned home and all has been well, as you can see from the photos of the two in the slideshow by Anne Eberhardt - top photo is by Anne and you can buy the photos here as well:
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/slideshows/slideshow/RachelA/rachel-alexandra-and-foal
Here's a video of the growing foal at his home, Stonestreet Farm in Kentucky.
How beautiful is this sweetheart! Dean has a beautiful new filly too - hope to get some sunshine photos soon!
ReplyDeleteThat's a really nice looking colt; pretty head he has, too. Hope he can run like the wind when he grows up!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like she has found her new career!
ReplyDeleteIt would be a shame to breed Rachel again so soon. Why not give her a year off?
ReplyDeleteWonder if he's going to run? He certainly has some royal breeding.
ReplyDeleteI love this mare.
ReplyDelete