Rachel Alexandra breezes half-mile; still not definite for Preakness

Rachel Alexandra breezes half-mile; may have difficulty
making Preakness field

Rachel Alexandra may have to forego her date with Preakness destiny (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com) Possible Preakness S. (G1) candidate RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d’Oro), a record-smashing 20 1/4-length winner of the Kentucky Oaks (G1), tuned up for a possible bid at the middle jewel of the Triple Crown with an easy four-furlong work on Sunday at Churchill Downs. Working for the first time for new trainer Steve Asmussen, Rachel Alexandra covered the half-mile distance over a fast track in :48 2/5. Exercise rider Dominic Terry was in the saddle as Rachel Alexandra turned out fractional times of :12 2/5 and :24 2/5 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02. The move ranked 13th among 81 works at the distance. “I thought it went beautiful,” Asmussen said. “I’m surprised the racetrack dried out so well considering they canceled (races) two days ago. “She’s a beautiful filly. I think she’s doing extremely well. Every sight of her has been impressive and I’m just very happy to get this light move in this morning under very good conditions.” Rachel Alexandra was transferred from the care of trainer Hal Wiggins to Asmussen when the filly was purchased for an undisclosed price early last week by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Farm and Harold McCormick.

Despite the strong work, a full field of 14 Triple Crown-nominated horses
could stymie plans to enter the standout filly in Saturday’s Preakness.

Pimlico officials had been expecting a field of 13 runners — including
Rachel Alexandra — to be entered in the Preakness, but late Sunday afternoon it
appeared the filly might be excluded from the Preakness by the prospect of two
new shooters being entered.

Rachel Alexandra was not nominated to the Triple Crown, but she could be
eligible to compete in the Preakness if Stonestreet pays a $100,000 supplemental
entry fee and one of the 14 positions in the starting gate is available.
Nominated horses have preference, however, and the probable Preakness field
suddenly swelled Sunday to 15, including 14 Triple Crown nominees and Rachel
Alexandra.

Pioneerof the Nile will get a second shot at Mine That Bird in the Preakness (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com) Ahmed Zayat, the owner of the Kentucky Derby runner-up PIONEEROF THE NILE (Empire Maker) said in an interview on the HRTV (Horse Racing Television) program “RaceDay America” Sunday morning that he had been called by Mark Allen, the co-owner of Derby winner MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone), and discussed entering other horses to exclude Rachel Alexandra. If Rachel Alexandra did make it into the Preakness field, Allen would be forced to find a replacement for Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel, who has made a year-long commitment to ride Stonestreet’s star filly. Mike Smith would likely get the assignment. Zayat, who nominated 22 horses to the Triple Crown, said in the interview that he agreed to enter a second horse. Allen also told HRTV that he intends to enter INDY EXPRESS (A.P. Indy), a maiden owned by Fourteen Enterprises, in which he has an interest. Indy Express is winless in nine career starts and has earnings of $12,618. Late Sunday afternoon, Zayat told Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas that he intended to enter only Pioneerof the Nile. At mid-day Sunday, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas announced that he planned to enter a second colt, Marylou Whitney’s LUV GOV (Ten Most Wanted), who broke his maiden on the Kentucky Derby Day program, in addition to FLYING PRIVATE (Fusaichi Pegasus), who finished last in the Derby. Whitney owns Birdstone, the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

“We think he’s our Belmont S. (G1) horse and we are looking for another spot
to get a good one in,” Lukas said regarding Luv Gov. “He’s truly a
mile-and-a-half, a mile-and-three-sixteenths horse. And he ran a huge race on
Derby day. He actually ran better than most of the horses in the Derby. We’re
going to give him a shot to go.”

Luv Gov worked four furlongs in :48 1/5 at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning.
No rider has been named for Luv Gov.

“Rachel Alexandra had an impressive workout today and she is ready to run in
the Preakness,” Jackson said in a statement. “Since it’s Mother’s Day, I wish I
could announce to all mothers everywhere that this incredible filly is entered
to take on the boys, but Triple Crown rules may prevent us from sending her to
Pimlico. I want the fans to know that we are prepared to enter here and I’m
hopeful that her entry will be accepted. I know that we all want the thrill of
seeing her race next weekend.”

The first four finishers in the Kentucky Derby — Mine That Bird, Pioneerof the
Nile, MUSKET MAN (Yonaguska) and PAPA CLEM (Smart Strike) — automatically make the Preakness field because
they earned purse money in Louisville. The next three in the field, based on
graded earnings, are GENERAL QUARTERS (Sky Mesa), FRIESAN FIRE (A.P. Indy) and
BIG DRAMA (Montrbook). TERRAIN (Sky Mesa), Flying Private, TAKE THE POINTS (Even
the Score) and HULL (Holy Bull) qualify in the next category (earnings in all
non-restricted stakes). The final three spots are currently filled by Luv Gov,
TONE IT DOWN (Medaglia d’Oro) and Indy Express (total lifetime earnings). All 14
were pre-nominated to the Triple Crown prior to the Kentucky Derby.

Rachel Alexandra would rank fifth on the list and bump all the others down
one notch.

Asmussen won the Preakness in 2007 with eventual Horse of the Year Curlin, who rallied to edge Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Street Sense in that
race. He declined to speculate where Rachel Alexandra fits among the males being
pointed toward Saturday’s race at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course.

“I think it’s like all races — you only worry about what you can take care
of,” he said. “The filly has proven what a tremendous mare she is. Mr. Wiggins
has done a remarkable job with an amazing filly and we’re just very fortunate to
be around her.”