Rachel Alexandra back at Churchill Downs

Last updated: 10/7/09 5:48 PM

Rachel Alexandra gazed from her stall at Churchill Downs
(Churchill Downs/Darren Rogers)

Last-out Woodward S. (G1) winner RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d’Oro), the
three-year-old filly who is the front runner for Horse of the Year honors,
returned to her home base at Churchill Downs early Wednesday.

Owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick,
Rachel Alexandra has settled into familiar surroundings in
trainer Steve Asmussen’s Barn 38 following a long van ride from
Saratoga, where she spent much of the summer and the early days of fall.
She arrived at Churchill Downs around 4 a.m. (EDT).

“She walked the shed this morning,” Asmussen said. “It was a little
cool here this morning, but it feels great. She’s in her stall resting
comfortably.”

Rachel Alexandra has no racing objectives on her near horizon.
Jackson has reiterated his stance that she will not compete in the
Breeders’ Cup early next month at Santa Anita and Asmussen
said his superstar filly has been taking it easy since her dramatic
victory over Stephen Foster H. (G1) winner Macho Again (Macho Uno) and
other males in the September 5 Woodward.

“We’re just trying to keep her happy,” he said. “I’m very pleased
with her attitude and her weight and how she’s doing. I think the time
in Saratoga with everything gone was very beneficial to her. It just
took a lot of the pressure off.”

The filly has won all eight of her starts in 2009, with three of those wins
coming at the expense of males. She defeated Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mine
That Bird (Birdstone) in the Preakness as well as Belmont S. (G1), Travers S. (G1) and Jockey
Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Summer Bird (Birdstone) in the Haskell Invitational (G1) at
Monmouth Park. Her Woodward win was the first by a female in that prestigious
fixture, a race in which she was pressed on a hot pace throughout and fought off
the late charge by Macho Again.

“After reading all the quotes, I thought (trainer) Graham Motion’s quote
summed it up as he said, ‘She had 10 reasons to lose and didn’t use any of
them,'” Asmussen said. “I don’t think anything will ever do it justice unless
you were there.”

If Rachel Alexandra does not race again this year, Jackson has indicated she
will compete next year as a four-year-old. After her perfect eight-race campaign
thus far in 2009 her career record has improved to 14-11-2-0 with
earnings of $2,948,354.