Rachel Alexandra

Rachel Alexandra

Rachel Alexandra (foaled January 29, 2006) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse and the 2009 Horse of the Year. When she won the 2009 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, she became the first filly to win the race in 85 years (the last filly to win was Nellie Morse, in 1924). She also won races in six states (Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey), on eight different tracks, against fillies and Grade 1 colts and older horses, achieving a long string of consecutive wins including numerous Grade 1 stakes. Rachel Alexandra neared or broke multiple stakes records, track records and winning margin records throughout her career. On September 28, 2010, owner Jess Jackson announced Rachel Alexandra's retirement. She was bred to 2007–2008 Horse of the Year Curlin and delivered a colt on January 22, 2012. Rachel Alexandra is a bay mare with a distinctive upside-down exclamation-point-shaped white blaze. She stands an estimated 16 hands at the withers. Her preferred style of running is generally that of a front runner (running on the lead) or a stalker (running close to and just behind the lead), though she occasionally competed from off of the pace (Mother Goose Stakes). Rachel Alexandra was bred and originally owned by Dolphus Morrison, who named her after his granddaughter. Before she became successful as a racehorse, Morrison sold part interest in her to Michael Lauffer. Her initial trainer was Hal Wiggins, Morrison's regular trainer, who trained her until the Kentucky Oaks 2009. After her Kentucky Oaks victory, Rachel Alexandra was sold for an undisclosed amount (rumored to be in excess of $10 million) to Stonestreet Stables and Harold T. McCormick, with billionaire Jess Jackson of Kendall Jackson Winery holding controlling interest. Her training was taken over by Steve Asmussen, and her regular jockey was Calvin Borel.

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