Rachel Alexandra to face four in Mother Goose

Rachel Alexandra will return in the Mother Goose (EquiSport Photos) Only four fillies were entered against star filly RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d’Oro) in Saturday’s $300,000 Mother Goose S. (G1) at Belmont Park, and one of those is cross-entered to the grassy Perfect Sting S. on Friday. Rick Mettee, racing manager for Godolphin Stable, summed it up in one sentence: “We’re all kind of in the same boat, with Rachel Alexandra being in the race, of looking at a Grade 1 stakes placing.” Since Rachel Alexandra captured the Golden Rod S. (G2) at Churchill Downs in late November, a placing is all her rivals have been able to accomplish against the bay miss. A record-setting 20 1/4-length winner of the Kentucky Oaks (G1), the massive filly was sent against the boys last out, posting a front-running victory in the Preakness S. (G1) and denying Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone) the second jewel of the Triple Crown by a length. She’s been rested by trainer Steve Asmussen since that May 16 start and will begin a summer campaign in the Mother Goose that could lead to Monmouth’s Haskell Invitational (G1) on August 2 and/or the Travers S. (G1) at Saratoga on August 29. Calvin Borel, aboard since Rachel Alexandra began her current six-race win streak, will be up on the 1-5 morning-line favorite. One event Rachel Alexandra won’t be competing in during the coming months is the Breeders’ Cup in November at Santa Anita. Owner Jess Jackson stated during a conference call on Wednesday that his filly would skip the event due to the fact it’s being run over a synthetic track. He did offer hope, though, that she’ll return to the races as a four-year-old, so a shot at the 2010 Breeders’ Cup, which will be run at Churchill Downs, is still in the cards.

None of the Mother Goose entrants have yet to face Rachel Alexandra, and each
will be trying to dethrone the reigning three-year-old. Edward Evans’ homebred
MALIBU PRAYER (Malibu Moon) and Godolphin’s FLASHING (A.P. Indy) each bring a
winning streak into the 1 1/8-mile test, with the latter taking the Nassau
County S. (G3) by 1 1/4 lengths last out. Prior to that one, the chestnut filly
scored in two allowance/optional claiming events at Aqueduct by a total 9 1/4
lengths. She’ll keep Javier Castellano in the saddle. Malibu Prayer broke her
maiden by 13 lengths at Aqueduct, then shipped to Philadelphia Park to break
through in a first-level allowance by 7 1/4 lengths. She’ll get John Velazquez
holding the reins in the Mother Goose.

DON’T FORGET GIL (Kafwain) also owns a graded placing, posting a four-length
victory in the Florida Oaks (G3) earlier in the season. The Mark Hennig charge,
who will have Alan Garcia aboard Saturday, hasn’t visited the winner’s circle
since, most recently running eighth and last in the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2).
However, Hennig has a reason to dismiss that effort.

“She got sick a few days after the race, so maybe she was coming down with
something,” he explained. “She’s had a busy year and a few miles on the van.
This will be her first time running at her home track since she broke her maiden
(at Belmont last October), so we’re coming back to a place where she’s had
success.”

HOPEFUL IMAGE (Gulch) is entered as a main-track only runner in Friday’s
Perfect Sting, and is exiting a 1 3/4-length allowance/optional claiming win
over the muddy, sealed Belmont dirt. Edgar Prado was in the irons that day and
has the mount in whichever spot the bay lass goes.