Rachel’s historic quest in perspective
According to research done by National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
historian Allan Carter, RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d’Oro) will rank as only the
second sophomore filly to ever attempt the Woodward S. (G1).
Carter has found that Summer Guest is the only previous three-year-old filly
who has competed in the Woodward, which was run for the first time in 1954.
Summer Guest, trained by J. Elliott Burch and ridden by Laffit Pincay, Jr.
both members of the Hall of Fame, finished second to entrymate Key to the Mint
in 1972, but was disqualified and placed third. The Woodward, then contested at
Belmont Park, was a 1 1/2-mile race. The Woodward is now run at 1 1/8 miles at
Saratoga.
Summer Guest also ran in the Woodward in 1973, finishing last in a field of
five. In 1974, the Rokeby Stable homebred was sixth, just behind another female
runner, Magazine.
The only other fillies and mares who have competed in the Woodward are:
Shuvee, who was fifth as a four-year-old in 1970 and sixth at the age of five in
1971; Relaxing, fourth at the age of five in 1981; and Lady’s Secret, second as
a four-year-old during her Horse of the Year season in 1986.
Shuvee, who won two runnings of the Jockey Club Gold Cup against males, and
Lady’s Secret, who won the Whitney as a four-year-old, are members of racing’s
Hall of Fame.
Furthermore, a victory in the Woodward would make Rachel Alexandra the first
three-year-old filly to win a Grade 1 unrestricted route race on the dirt in New
York since races began receiving a Grade in 1973.
Carter has reviewed the results of every major unrestricted Grade 1 dirt
route race in New York and could confirm only one victory by a three-year-old
filly, Lady Primrose in the 1887 Manhattan, then a 1 1/4-mile race on dirt. In
addition to the Woodward and Manhattan, the races Carter examined were: the
Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Whitney, the Suburban, the Metropolitan H. and the
Brooklyn.
Rachel Alexandra is unbeaten this year, with victories over three-year-old
males in the Preakness (G1) and Haskell Invitational (G1). She is a leading
contender for the Horse of the Year award, which has not been won by a
three-year-old filly since Hall of Famers Twilight Tear and Busher received the
honor in consecutive seasons more than 60 years ago.
During her Horse of the Year season in 1944, Twilight Tear compiled a record
of 14-1-1 from 17 starts, with earnings of $167,000. She led all fillies and
mares in earnings for the year and was second overall to Pavot. She defeated
older males, including Hall of Fame member Devil Diver, in the Pimlico Special
in her final start of the season.
In 1945, Busher defeated older males in the Arlington H. at Washington Park
and the Washington Park H. at Washington Park. In the Washington Park H., she
defeated 12 others, including Hall of Famer Armed. She had a record of 10-2-1
from 13 starts that year and her purse earnings of $273,735 led the nation.
In his research, Carter found several other three-year-old fillies with
victories in stakes races, including sprints, open to of both sexes,
three-years-old and up:
Miss Woodford (member of Hall of Fame) — October 17, 1883, District of
Columbia S., Washington D.C.; Pimlico S. (beat Iroquois et al.)
Beldame (member of Hall of Fame) — April 15, 1904, Carter H., Aqueduct;
August 20, 1904 Saratoga H. (beat Africander, Caughnawaga, Major Dangerfield et
al.) Saratoga Race Course; September 19, 1904, First Special Gravesend (beat
Caughnawaga et al.); September 24, 1904, Second Special Gravesend (beat
Broomstick, Africander et al.).
Artful (member of Hall of Fame) — August 6, 1905, Brighton H. (beat Beldame
et al.).
Maskette (member of Hall of Fame) — October 12, 1909, Pierrepont S.,
Jamaica.
Princess Doreen (member of Hall of Fame) — September 1, 1924, Labor Day H.
at Hawthorne; September 13, 1924, Covington H., Latonia; October 25, 1924, Falls
City H. (then open to both sexes), Churchill Downs.
Black Maria — September 14, 1926, Twin City H., Hawthorne; September 25,
1926, Aqueduct H., Aqueduct; October 6, 1926, October H., Jamaica.
Ta Wee (member of Hall of Fame) — August, 25, 1969, Fall Highweight H.,
Belmont Park; November 1, 1969, Vosburgh H., Aqueduct (beat Gamely, et al.).
Dahlia (member of Hall of Fame) — November 10, 1973, Washington, D.C.
International S., Laurel.
April Run (Ire) — October 24, 1981, Turf Classic, Aqueduct.
Gold Beauty — September 10, 1982, Fall Highweight H., Belmont Park.
Miesque (member of Hall of Fame) — November 21, 1987, Breeders’ Cup Mile,
Hollywood Park.
Very Subtle — November 21, 1987, Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Hollywood Park.
Ridgewood Pearl (GB) — October 28, 1995, Breeders’ Cup Mile, Belmont Park.
Surfside — November 24, 2000, Clark H., Churchill Downs.
Six Perfections (Fr) — October 25, 2003, Breeders’ Cup Mile, Santa Anita.
Goldikova (Ire) — October 25, 2008, Breeders’ Cup Mile, Santa Anita.