'Rachel' Sets Stakes Record in Mother Goose
Rachel Alexandra is all alone at the finish of the Mother Goose. Order This Photo
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Coglianese Photos
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'Rachel' Sets Stakes Record in Mother Goose
Updated: Saturday, June 27, 2009 9:33 PM
Posted: Saturday, June 27, 2009 5:33 PM
Rachel Alexandra faced only two opponents in the $300,000 Mother Goose (gr. I) (VIDEO)
June 27 at Belmont Park but the sensational filly put on a dazzling
display anyway, setting a stakes record while romping by nearly 20
lengths under Calvin Borel.
Owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet
Stables and Harold McCormick, Rachel Alexandra scored her seventh
consecutive victory in the 1 1/8-mile Mother Goose, which went to post
with only three starters after the scratches of Hopeful Image and Don’t
Forget Gil earlier in the day. The daughter of
Medaglia d'Oro—Lotta Kim, by Roar, captured her third straight grade I win while making her Belmont debut. She has now earned $1,798,354.
Breaking from post 3, Rachel
Alexandra was content to sit three to four lengths off a suicidal pace
set by Edward Evans’ Malibu Prayer, who posted fractions of :22.57,
:44.66, and 1:08.86 under John Velazquez. Godophin Stable’s Flashing
and Javier Castellano pressed the leader throughout, which was all the
better for a stalking Rachel Alexandra.
It was nearing the three-eighths
pole that Rachel Alexandra began to inch closer to her two rivals, and
when they neared the quarter-pole Borel decided to split horses with
his charged-up filly. She took over with ease coming off the turn and
sprinted away from her overmatched opponents.
Borel peeked over his right shoulder
a couple of times before gearing down on Rachel Alexandra midway
through the stretch, but she still hit the wire 19 1/4-lengths ahead of
Malibu Prayer. The final time on a track labeled "fast" was 1:46.33,
breaking the mark of 1:46.58 set by Lakeway in 1994. She also shattered
the record for margin of victory, which was previously held by the
great Ruffian, who won by 13 1/2 lengths in 1975.
The race, which began in 1957, was
run at 1 1/16 miles for the first two years. Since it changed to 1 1/8
miles in 1959, only Lakeway and Rachel Alexandra have run the Mother
Goose in a time under 1:47.19. Only seven fillies have finished in a
time better than 1:48.
The nine-furlong Belmont track record of 1:45.40 was set by Secretariat in the inaugural Marlboro Cup Sept. 15, 1973.
Malibu Prayer, making her stakes
debut, finished 12 1/4 lengths ahead of Flashing. Sent off at 1-20,
Rachel Alexandra paid $2.10 to win. There was no place or show betting.
“I knew they were going fast early
but around the three-eighths pole they were getting tired and I kind of
squeezed her a little bit and she just went in there,” Borel said. "I
nudged (her) on the turn for home around the quarter-pole, but that was
it--to make sure she'd get something out of it and do something for me.
"She set a new track record, believe me, she's not normal. I'm telling you, she's unbelievable.”
Rachel Alexandra was making her
first start since defeating males in the May 16 BlackBerry Preakness
(gr. I) at Pimlico. Prior to that, she romped by 20 1/4 lengths in the
May 1 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). She is perfect in six starts this season
and 9-2-0 from 12 starts overall. The bay was bred in Kentucky by her
previous owner, Dolphus Morrison.
A larger-than-usual crowd of 13,352
fans turned out to see Rachel Alexandra at Belmont. Pink bracelets with
the filly's name were given away to the first 10,000 through the
turnstiles in support of Jackson's decision to donate a percentage of
Rachel Alexandra's future earnings to the Susan G. Komen breast cancer
foundation.
“I am a modest guy. I was hoping for
maybe 10 lengths," Jackson said. "She is a special filly, she is a
champion, she is a lady. We don’t know where her bottom is. She has
beauty combined with speed, so fast.”
“I think she’s the best 3-year-old right now. She just broke a (stakes) record and she wasn’t even asked.”
Trainer Steve Asmussen did not
commit to Rachel Alexandra's next race but did say, “She is going to
Saratoga from here. We will train her there and that’s where Scott
(Blasi) and our stable move this time of year. Curlin did the exact
same thing. It’s gotten plenty warm back home (in Louisville) and we
are very much looking forward to the cool mornings this time of year.
“The plans are for me to take to
care of her. Just to have her in the best health possible and then sit
down and try and decide what’s best for her.”
Earlier in the week Jackson
indicated that Rachel Alexandra's next race could come in the July 19
Delaware Handicap (gr. II) against older fillies and mares at Delaware
Park, July 25 Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) at Belmont, or the
Aug. 22 Alabama (gr. I) at Saratoga. He also indicated that she might
race against males in either the Aug. 2 Haskell Invitational Handicap
(gr. I) at Monmouth Park and the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers (gr. I) at
Saratoga.
