Meet the New Mom: Rachel Alexandra

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.

Farewell Rachel

Sunday October 10 2010

She's done. Already gone home.

4-year-old Rachel Alexandra, Thoroughbred racing's Champion 3-year-old filly and Horse of the Year last year, was suddenly retired from racing on September 28th.

She was brilliant at 3, undefeated in 9 races, including 3 against males (the Preakness, Haskell Invitational, and Woodward Stakes); she had the largest winning margin in the Kentucky Oaks (20 1/4 lengths) and in the Mother Goose Stakes (19 1/4 lengths), she set 3 stakes records, and she became the only female ever (a 3 year old filly nonetheless!) to win the Woodward Stakes.

Many say that stunning effort in the Woodward Stakes - winning by a head and fighting for it every step of the way - took a lot out of her. It was one of the greatest performances ever seen by a filly against the boys.

Her next start - her first one at 4 - was a rather shocking defeat (second place against what looked to be soft competition) that would have set her up for a showdown with the Great racemare Zenyatta. That never happened. Rachel was again defeated in her next start (second place). In the next one she showed some of her brilliance of last year, winning by 10 1/2 lengths. Next race she won by 3. Next race - another defeat (second place).

She was preparing for the Beldame Stakes, and working sharply up to it - and suddenly her retirement was announced. Owner Jess Jackson said that Rachel "did not return to her 2009 form."

And that was it. There was no big Farewell party, no Rachel Alexandra Day to honor one of the Greatest fillies in Thoroughbred racing, ever.

I was a skeptic when that easily bandied about G-word ("Great") was thrust upon Rachel early in her 3-year-old year. I was a skeptic when, about the same time, Zenyatta started being showered with that banner too. Man O' War (in 1919) was a Great horse. Secretariat (in 1973) was a Great horse. I'll get back to you on the others. (Like I said, I'm a Skeptic).

Nowadays when a horse wins the Kentucky Derby, announcers and analysts already have him winning the Triple Crown. If he happens to win the Derby and Preakness, he's already being compared to Secretariat (Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973; Affirmed was the last horse to win it in 1978). Nobody who has won the Derby and Preakness could have come close to filling out Secretariat's shoes, so you'll have to pardon me when I scoff at the 20th horse in 10 years who's been called 'Great', who most of us can't remember the names of anymore.

But Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta wore me down. Rachel made me gasp at her wins, and still Zenyatta brings me to weeping with her every race. They are both the two Greatest mares I'll ever see in my lifetime. It has been a privilege to watch Rachel Alexandra run, and it's still a drop-to-my-knees humbling privilege to watch Zenyatta run.

Long live the two Great racehorses Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. Farewell Rachel, may you have a long productive life as a broodmare. Thanks for the thrills.

(And Zenyatta goes for her record 20th straight win in the Breeders' Cup, November 6th).

Return of the Amazons

Friday March 12 2010

To quote Paul Sidio, "Quit yapping about Tiger Woods and the girls and start talking about Rachel and Zenyatta!"

Because they're back: 2009 Champion 3-year-old filly and Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and 2009 Champion Older mare (and Horse of the Year runner up) Zenyatta.

Both have been training magnificently for a return to the 2010 racing season, which will begin for both of them tomorrow, March 13th.

4-year-old Rachel Alexandra, 8 for 8 last year, will face 4 other mares in the 1 1/16 mile New Orleans Ladies Stakes at the Fair Grounds. She'll carry top weight of 123 pounds, but she'll be spotting the others just 2 to 5 pounds. Her trainer says she "will not be 100% cranked for her debut," but that Rachel may not have to show up to win.

6-year-old Zenyatta, unbeaten in 14 career starts, will make her bow in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita. It's a tall order even for the likes of her: the race is at 1 1/8 miles against 8 other mares, and she's carrying top weight of 127 pounds. If all that wasn't remarkable enough, she'll be giving her opponents from 12 to 19 pounds.

If both mares come out of their races well, both are expected to meet for the first time in the Apple Blossom Handicap (now worth $5 million) at Oaklawn Park on April 9th.

Both of tomorrow's races can be seen live, streaming on www.ntra.com beginning at 6 PM ET, and on television on HRTV. Post time for Rachel Alexandra's race is 6:15 PM ET; post time for Zenyatta's race is 6:40 PM ET.

You might want to tune in, and you JUST might want to skip any endurance ride you've got scheduled if the two meet in April...

The Bloodhorse.com has any and all information you'd like to know on the two mares.

The Way He Were

Tuesday January 19 2010

Stormy (ex-racehorse) wishes to pay tribute to those two great newly-crowned Champion Thoroughbred mares, Rachel Alexandra (2009 Champion 3-year-old Filly, Horse of the Year) and Zenyatta (2009 Champion Older Mare).

He acknowledges they would have galloped double circles around him, but they did the same job, and they have the same ancestors running in their pedigrees.

Stormy recalls:

Cooling out on the walkers after a workout, steaming on a cold morning




Schooling in the starting gate


Ready to head to the track


Going onto the track


Posing on the backstretch - look at that slick coat!


Having the wet racetrack to himself


Stall living - and sharing watermelons with his favorite exercise rider


Winning! (photo by Longacres racetrack photographer)


You know how parents keep stacks of photo albums of their kid, and they want you to sit down and look at every single picture, as if every single one would mean something to you, as it does to the proud mother? Fortunately for all of you, Stormy's many, many photo albums are in an attic in Seattle, so you don't have to do this. Stormy picked out his best photos here.

Cheers to the Queens of the Turf!

It's Rachel Alexandra!

Monday January 18 2010

Champion 3-year-old Filly: Rachel Alexandra
Champion Older Mare: Zenyatta

2009 Horse of the Year - Rachel Alexandra. 130 votes to 99 votes.

They are both set to run again this year. Cheers to the girls!

Gladiatresses

Monday January 18 2010

Tonight's the night. The ultimate Thoroughbred racing showdown. It won't be on the racetrack, but in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

It's the Oscars of Thoroughbred racing.

Year-end Eclipse awards will be announced, including Horse of the Year.

Both mares will undoubtedly be champions of their divisions, but which will be Horse of the Year? Will it be the freak 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra, winner of all 8 of her races in 2009, including the Preakness, Haskell Invitational, and Woodward Stakes (first filly to win it) against males?

Or will it be the freak 5-year-old mare Zenyatta, winner of all her 5 races in 2009 (to remain undefeated in 14 starts), including the Breeders Cup (first mare to win it) against males?

In addition, Zenyatta's owners, Ann and Jerry Moss, who had announced her retirement after her historic win in the Breeder's Cup Classic in November, have returned Zenyatta to training. A huge gamble for the now-6-year-old mare, with a 14 for 14 record. It's doesn't get any easier for the older horse on the racetrack, facing those fresh youngsters.

Now, whichever mare is named Horse of the Year for 2009... there is still a chance they will meet on the racetrack.

By 10:30 PM (eastern) tonight, it will be all over but the weeping and cheering - for the people. The horses won't know or care one way or the other - they both know they are great.

Steve Haskin of The BloodHorse.com has a usual excellent article summing up Rachel's and Zenyatta's accomplishments for 2009 here.

She IS a Freak!

Sunday November 8 2009

Thoroughbred racing skeptic-of-Superhorses that I am, I was impressed by Rachel Alexandra (Is She A Freak?), after she beat all the 3-year-old fillies she could find, the 3-year-old boys in the Preakness and the Haskell Stakes, and older males in the Woodward Stakes this year (the first 3-year-old filly to ever win the Woodward.)

After Zenyatta's stunning performance in yesterday's Breeders' Cup Classic (the first female to ever win it), I'm convinced they are both freaks. Secretariats? Ruffians? No. Freaks? Yes. Zenyatta had the announcers stuttering and sputtering after her implausible win. I couldn't believe her run. I couldn't believe it the second time I saw it, nor the third, nor the tenth (I can't stop watching it - I think it was the third time I got over being stunned, and had tears in my eyes.)

It's kind of sad Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta won't meet, (Zenyatta was to be retired after this race) but then I'm glad they won't. With two champions like this, one should not have to end up being a loser.

As for Horse of the Year honors for 2009, it's sad one will be a loser there. In fact it's silly for humans to have to vote who they think is the better Horse of the Year. It's a moot point. Both Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta are champions, both did everything they were asked this year, both accomplished far more than any other horse this year (or many other years), both turned in outstanding performances that would make them Horse of the Year any other year. It's not like the Affirmed and Alydar rivalry, where Alydar would have been Horse of the Year any other year that he hadn't run against Affirmed. They did compete, several times, and Affirmed came out on top more. What does it mean when humans vote that they think one filly/mare is better than the other this year, when they are so closely matched, but haven't run together? Nothing: it's just opinions. By choosing one, our opinions might just be wrong and still go down in the history books. One of them is not better than the other. They are both magnificent champions this year.

Both of them should share Horse of the Year honors.

Period.

(Guess that's why they don't let me vote. : )

Watch the race on Youtube

Is She a Freak?

Thursday September 3 2009

I'm talking Thoroughbred racing, and Rachel Alexandra: Is she a freak? Or is she a very good filly running down a pack of mediocre horses, or good horses? Does one dare speak her name in the same breath as the great Ruffian?

The 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra has been shockingly good, winning 8 races in a row this year, several by daylight (two races by about 20 lengths) and setting 4 stakes records (and one as a 2-year-old) along the way. She beat the boys this year in the Preakness and the Haskell Stakes. She really doesn't have any more to prove against her own age group, male or female.

But she's not shrinking from challenges: this Saturday she will run in the 1 1/8 mile Woodward Stakes, for 3-year-olds and upward. Few females have run in the Woodward since its inception in 1954, and only one 3-year-old filly has ever done it, Summer Guest in 1972, who finished second (and was then DQ'd and placed third).

Thoroughbred racing these days is desperate for another great champion. The sport tends to proclaim a champion after one big race is won. Win the Kentucky Derby? That horse has practically already won the Triple Crown (which was last won in 1978). Win the Derby and Preakness? Not only is the Triple Crown pretty much a foregone conclusion (repeat: Affirmed last won it in 1978), but the name of Secretariat is carelessly tossed about. If you win only one Grade One stake during the year, and cap it off with the Breeder's Cup Classic, you'll probably be named champion of your age group, and maybe Horse of the Year. It's all rather annoying, especially when some of this comes from TV anchors (and some turf writers) who've been around a while, who have seen some of the real greats and should know better.

I don't care what anybody says, Barbaro (R.I.P.), Point Given, Smarty Jones, heck let's go back to the 90's - Thunder Gulch, and Silver Charm, or the 80's - Lady's Secret, Alysheba, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer, were good, some of them very good 3-year-old racehorses, and some of them champions; but they were nowhere in the class of the real champions and rivals of yesteryear - John Henry, Affirmed, Alydar, Ruffian, Secretariat, Forego, Kelso.

Rachel Alexandra is already an outstanding racehorse, already deserving, if she quit right now, of being this year's 3-year-old champion (male or female); and maybe she will prove to be one of the greats. Saturday's Woodward would be another step along the way. I hope she wins... but I still can't help being skeptical, being a fan of the Good ol' Days of horse racing.

And I may not be able to watch the race anyway. There are so many breakdowns in racing nowadays, and I saw the match race against Foolish Pleasure in 1975 where Ruffian broke her leg.

I may wait to watch after I hear the results... but I'll be holding my breath, and crossing my fingers anyway...

The Bloodhorse.com has all you want to know about Rachel Alexandra, and will have the race replay afterwards.