Jackson And Borel Get Rachel To Winner's Circle

Curlin Lost to A Lady So Jackson Bought Hot Filly and Hired Borel

May 17, 2009 BarbaraAnne Helberg

Rachel Alexandra and Calvin Borel hadn't lost when Jess Jackson, majority owner of reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, bought the filly and hired Borel to keep riding her.

Calvin Borel is a Cajun man who rides Thoroughbreds with confident fearlessness, and his new boss, Jess Jackson, is a Thoroughbred owner unafraid to take a risk with the fairer racing gender. Jackson's eventual Horse of the Year, Curlin, won the 2007 Preakness, but lost to filly Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes. Curlin gutted out the one and a half mile marathon with the filly only to get nipped by a nose, or so at the wire.

Jackson didn't forget that. This season he bought the best filly around, Rachel Alexandra, and unabashedly upped the ante on the year's best colts (and two geldings) by supplementing the filly into the Preakness Stakes.

Then he hired Borel, the unbeaten filly's jockey, a man who had said after Lady Rachel's Kentucky Oaks win, "She's the best I've ever ridden." Borel wanted the ride on the filly in the Preakness, even though he had won the Kentucky Derby on 50-1 longshot Mine That Bird, the filly's chief rival for the Preakness.

Borel trails only Don Brumfield and Pat Day in number of victories at Churchill Downs. Brumfield also won the Kentucky Oaks, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in the same year on just two horses. Native Street took Brumfield to the Oaks winner's circle, and he rode Kauai King to fame in the Derby and the Preakness.

Jackson and Borel and a filly and a longshot gelding gave this season's Preakness more charisma, charm, and intrigue than any other Triple Crown race since the 1978 Belmont Stakes. They gave the race one other thing -- the first filly victor in 85 years.

Borel Reads Best From Horseback

Borel, from rural Louisiana's St. Martin Parish, never finished the eighth grade, but he rode his first horse at the age of eight and from there he learned to read – horses.

His finacee of over seven years, Lisa Funk, has been his loyal readin' and writin' coach, while Borel attends to the 'rithmatic of horse racing. The jockey's only regret, he claims, is not having his parents still on earth to share in his recent high profile success.

After winning the Kentucky Derby aboard Mine That Bird, Borel tossed roses skyward to honor his deceased father and his mother, who died just last fall. His first thoughts after the race were for them, and his tears flowed freely for the first few moments of celebration.

Borel also won the Kentucky Derby in 2007 aboard 2006 Champion Juvenile Street Sense. Last year, he finished third in the Derby on Denis of Cork.

Complete Order of Finish 2009 Preakness

  • No. 1 --- Rachel Alexandra, by 1 length
  • No. 2 --- Mine That Bird, by 1/2
  • No. 3 --- Musket Man, by 2-1/2
  • No. 4 --- Flying Private, 1-1/2
  • No. 5 --- Big Drama
  • No. 6 --- Papa Clem
  • No. 7 --- Terrain
  • No. 8 --- Luv Gov
  • No. 9 --- General Quarters
  • No.10 --- Friesan Fire
  • No.11 --- Pioneerof The Nile
  • No.12 --- Tone It Down
  • No.13 --- Take the Points

Jackson and Borel love the game of Thoroughbred racing. Horse racing, says Borel at age 42, is all he's known and all he wants to do. Jackson is an outspoken industry leader. Last season, he reported that one of the reasons he wanted to take his champion, Curlin, to Dubai was to race in a Thoroughbred drug-free environment.

When asked if Rachel Alexandra and Curlin have a future date to mate, Jackson smiled. Definitely, he replied, "That's a plan."

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