Jockey Calvin Borel Grades Rachel Alexandra
Trainers and Owners Join in Praise of Preakness Winning Filly
May 17, 2009
"She struggled a lot," said jockey Calvin Borel in interviews following the Preakness Stakes.
He was referring to his mount's racing rhythm, he explained, adding, "I had to get into her a little."
Borel Already had Five Wins Aboard Rachel
"Getting into" Rachel Alexandra was new to racing Thoroughbred and rider alike in their sixth race together, a huge win in the middle jewel of the male Triple Crown race series on May 16. The 1-3/16 miles Preakness was Lady Rachel's first test against colts and geldings.
The unusually talented filly with the just as unusual black splotches across her white-blazed face "struggled" to a resounding, gut-check one length win over Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird. The noteworthy victory raised the filly to the level of a superstar. Only four other females in the history of the Preakness have won the race, and Rachel Alexandra was the first filly victor in eighty-five years.
Borel also entered a historic hall with the win. He became the only jockey in Thoroughbred history to take off a Derby winner (he rode Mine That Bird to the KD title on May 2) and win the second Triple Crown race on another horse.
Trainers and Owners Praise Rachel
"She wants to run. Gender doesn't matter," said majority owner of the filly Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables. Also owner of Horse of the Year Curlin, Jackson purchased the filly on May 7. "She showed the heart and skill of a champion," Jackson added.
Trainer Steve Asmussen, also conditioner of Curlin, was "very pleased" with the outcome of the Preakness.
Trainer of one-time Derby favorite Pioneerof The Nile Bob Baffert said, "Awesome...She took the heat and kept on going...she (took the race from) a vanilla cone to a banana split with all the toppings."
"She's a great filly," said trainer of Mine That Bird, Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr.
Jockey Mike Smith, who acquired the ride on Mine That Bird when Borel departed for the filly, offered, "...she's great." Smith noted his difficulty in trying to get Mine That Bird to the rail from his number two post position. "...they weren't going to let me do that," he said with a smile, referring to the route his gelding mount had taken under Borel to win the Derby.
Derek Ryan, trainer of Derby and Preakness third place finisher Musket Man, said, "...we were beat by a great one. She's a filly for the ages."
"She's something else," said Mine That Bird co-owner Mark Allen.
D. Wayne Lukas, the winningest trainer of Triple Crown races with thirteen victories, has saddled five Preakness winners. "She's definitely the one to beat," he observed before the race.
Biggest Accolade from Trainer Hal Wiggins
Jackson and Asmussen heaped praise on the filly's former trainer, Hal Wiggins.
What did Wiggins have to say about the gifted female Thoroughbred before the Preakness entrants gated up? "I think she'll drown the colts just like she did the fillies," he reported.
Unbeaten Rachel and Borel have cleaned up in six straight contests, and may be headed for real immortality if they compete in the final TC jewel, the June 6 Belmont Stakes. No filly ever has won more than one of the male Triple Crown races.
Of Rachel Alexandra, an emotional and grateful Calvin Borel says, "She's the best I've ever, ever had."
