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FOR THE RECORD MAY 9, 2009 Rachel Alexandra's winning margin is definitely an Oaks record When RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) romped by 20 1/4 lengths in last Friday's Kentucky Oaks (G1), her astounding margin sent interested observers scurrying to find out if it were, in fact, a stakes record. Initial reports stopped just short of hailing it as such because Churchill Downs' detailed records only go back to 1916, leaving the first 41 years of Oaks history shrouded in obscurity. Rachel Alexandra's 20 1/4-length triumph was therefore cautiously classified under the heading of "believed to be a record." Although the track itself does not have the winning margins of every Oaks since its inception in 1875, those detailed results are still accessible at the majestic Keeneland Library in Lexington, Kentucky. After rummaging through the shelves, scouring Watson's Racing Guide, Krik's Guide to the Turf, Goodwin's Official Annual Turf Guide and Daily Racing Form chart books, I happily confirm, beyond any doubt or cavil, that Rachel Alexandra's Oaks margin stands alone. In fact, no other Oaks winner has even come close to annihilating her field in such a manner. Indeed, the Oaks had not witnessed so much as a double-digit winning margin in its first four decades, from the time Vinaigrette scraped home by a neck in 1875, through Waterblossom's five-length score in 1915. During this time frame, the largest margin of victory was eight lengths, posted by the front-running Rush in the 1899 Oaks contested at 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy track. In 1916, Kathleen became the first filly to win the Oaks by 10 lengths. According to the Daily Racing Form chart, she "raced into a long lead at once and won all the way as her rider pleased." Incidentally, her rider was Roscoe Goose, who will forever be remembered for guiding Donerail to his 91-1 shocker in the 1913 Kentucky Derby. Two lengths in front after the opening quarter of the 1 1/16-mile affair, Kathleen widened her advantage to six lengths at the half-mile mark and 10 lengths at the six-furlong mark. Her margin was reduced slightly to eight lengths in midstretch, but she was 10 on top at the wire. Kathleen racked up a total of nine wins from 14 starts during her three-year-old campaign, including the Falls City H. (then open to older males) at Churchill, and was later recognized as the top three-year-old filly of 1916. The next 10-length Oaks heroine arrived in 1931, when the hardy Cousin Jo spread-eagled the field at the current distance of 1 1/8 miles. The Daily Racing Form chart notes that she "forced the early pace under restraint, and drawing away under mild hand riding after reaching the final three-eighths, won with speed to spare." Piloted by Eugene James, ironically a pupil of Goose, Cousin Jo spurted three lengths clear after six furlongs, opened up by five lengths in midstretch, and doubled that margin at the wire. Cousin Jo was a marvel of resilience, racing 19 times as a juvenile and 20 times at three. During her busy two-year-old season in 1930, she won five races, chief among them the Fort Thomas H., and placed in seven others. As a sophomore, she racked up eight wins and seven placings. Despite the authority of her Oaks success, it was her only major victory in 1931, and she was simply not championship caliber. Instead, Tambour, the winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks and Potomac H., was regarded as the year's best three-year-old filly. Another 60 years passed before an Oaks winner enjoyed a double-digit margin, with Lite Light breaking through by 10 lengths in 1991. Rallying from off the pace beneath Corey Nakatani, the Jerry Hollendorfer filly unleashed a powerful move leaving the far turn and struck the front. Lite Light was four lengths ahead of the pack at the eighth-pole, and she rapidly opened up through the final furlong to complete 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.83, then a stakes record at the distance. The Kentucky Oaks was her fourth straight victory, following coups in the Las Virgenes S. (G1), Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Fantasy S. (G2). Her skein ended there, however, for she lost by a nose to Meadow Star in the Mother Goose S. (G1) next time out. Although Lite Light rebounded with a seven-length tour de force in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), she was well beaten in her two remaining starts of the year, and she never won another race. The Eclipse Award went to Dance Smartly, who compiled a perfect eight-for-eight record in 1991, sweeping the Canadian Triple Crown as well as the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). As impressive as Kathleen, Cousin Jo and Lite Light were in their respective Oaks, Rachel Alexandra was twice as dominating. She more than doubled their jointly held, 10-length record margin of victory. Granted, the quality of her competition was not particularly strong, and if Justwhistledixie had not been scratched with an ill-timed foot abscess, Rachel Alexandra may not have won by such a gaudy margin. On the other hand, if Justwhistledixie had run, and finished second, I think that Rachel Alexandra might still have broken the old record margin. Justwhistledixie would have to have beaten the others by more than 10 lengths herself to come within 10 lengths of Rachel Alexandra, and to keep her from breaking the record. It's also worth pointing out that Rachel Alexandra just missed the stakes-record time as well, despite traveling with ridiculous ease throughout and encountering no sort of challenge. She cantered home effortlessly, with ears pricked, under no encouragement whatsoever, entirely on her own initiative, in 1:48.87, a risible .23 off the mark set by a driving Bird Town in 2003. How much faster might Rachel Alexandra have gone, if required? However suspect her opponents, Rachel Alexandra deserves full credit for obliterating the record margin, and for turning in the most jaw-dropping performance in the 135-year history of the Oaks. Her triumphal procession has inspired the creation of this new occasional feature, "For the Record," which will run whenever a performance of historic proportions warrants it.
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