Rachel Alexandra Sold

Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and Harold T. McCormick have purchased spectacular Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Rachel Alexandra from Dolphus Morrison and Mike Lauffer.

“Rachel Alexandra is one of the best horses in racing today,” Jess Jackson said in a news release. “She is fast, strong and durable -- the traits we should all be breeding into all future generations of race horses. Her beauty and athleticism will thrill thousands of fans. ”

McCormick, the release said, is from Birmingham, Ala.

Rachel Alexandra, by Medaglia d'Oro , won the May 1 Oaks at Churchill Downs in spectacular fashion, drawing away from the field under jockey Calvin Borel to win by 20 ¼ lengths.

The release makes no mention of who will train Rachel Alexandra, but Daily Racing Form reported she likely will be transfered from Hal Wiggins to Steve Asmussen.

Jackson is the majority owner of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, who was trained by Asmussen. Curlin now stands at Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky., and Jackson said following her retirement, Rachel Alexandra will be bred to Curlin .

In addition to the Oaks win, Rachel Alexandra’s graded stakes victories include the 2008 Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II), 2009 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), and 2009 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II). Bred in Kentucky by Morrison from the Roar mare Lotta Kim, the 3-year-old filly has won five of seven starts and has earnings $958,354.

I Want Revenge Injury More Serious

By The Associated Press

The injury that kept I Want Revenge out of the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) will keep him from racing for months and threaten his career if he doesn't respond well to therapy, the horse's veterinarian said May 5.

Dr. Foster Northrop said swelling in I Want Revenge's right front ankle, once considered only mild, progressed over the weekend, and an ultrasound and MRI showed additional ligament damage. The morning-line Derby favorite was undergoing a bone scan and other tests at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington.

"Part of the prognosis is determined by the horse's response to therapy, but this is a serious injury, and depending on his progress, could be career-threatening," Northrop said.

Northrop commended the horse's owners and trainer for making an agonizing decision on Derby morning, just hours before the race, to pull the 3-year-old colt out of the race. Although he showed no problems while jogging, inflammation was detected in the ankle, making it difficult for him to flex.

It was the first scratch of a Derby favorite the day of the race in the 60 years since Churchill Downs has kept track of the morning line.

Northrop says the decision may have saved the colt's life.

I Want Revenge, by Stephen Got Even , was bred by David Lanzman and races for him in partnership with IEAH Stables, Puglisi Racing, Charles Winner, Michael Dubb, and Steven Marshall. The colt won the Wood Memorial (gr. I) in his last start. He has won three of eight lifetime starts and earned $816,000. He is trained by Jeff Mullins.

"It was a gigantic move," Northrop said. "Derby hysteria really clouds people's judgment, so I was really proud of the trainer and owners."

Northrop said the early prognosis was minor, but the MRI and other tests showed a more serious soft-tissue injury than originally suspected. The ligament in question is critical for racehorses, he said, because it helps support the fetlock joint during high-speed exercise.

"The problem with that ligament is when you ultrasound it, it's not a real accurate ultrasound because of location, shape and the way runs through the ankle," Northrop said. "When you see a partial tear, it can be a major tear you're not seeing totally."

Mine That Bird Headed to the Preakness

By Deirdre B. Biles

Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I), will run in the May 16 Preakness Stakes (gr. I), according to Pimlico spokesman Mike Gathagan.

Gathagan said Mine That Bird’s trainer, Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr. informed him of the decision to come to Maryland in a telephone conversation about 11 a.m. (EDT) May 4.

“He (Woolley) also talked to our horsemen’s relations person about 30 minutes before that,” said Gathagan, who is the vice presiident of communications for the Maryland Jockey Club, which operates Pimlico.

Plans call for Mine That Bird, a gelded son of Birdstone , to arrive at Pimlico May 11 or 12, Gathagan added.

Other possible Preakness starters from the Derby are runner-up Pioneerof The Nile (second), Musket Man (third), Join in the Dance (seventh), and General Quarters (10th).

Four potential new shooters are Big Drama, winner of the 2008 Boyd Gaming Delta Jackpot (gr. III); Mr. Fantasy, winner of the Withers Stakes (gr. III); Take the Points, fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I); and Miner's Escape, winner of the Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico May 2.

The Preakness is limited to 14 starters. There have been 10 or more starters in 14 of the last 17 years.

Copyright © 2009 Blood-Horse Publications. All rights reserved internationally.

BIG WEEKEND RECAP!!

Rachel Alexandra a Breathtaking Oaks Winner
By Dan Liebman
Those who believe Rachel Alexandra could have won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) had she been entered now have evidence to back up their belief after she won the $554,500 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) (VIDEO) May 1 in spectacular fashion before a crowd of 104,867 at Churchill Downs.

The 3-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly was dominant over her six rivals, drawing off down the lane to win by a staggering 20 1/4 lengths in a magnificent performance.

Under Calvin Borel, Rachel Alexandra had won her previous two starts in wire-to-wire fashion, but in the Oaks, Borel allowed Victor Espinoza to put Gabby's Golden Gal on the lead. Borel was content to sit behind her as the field went through a quarter in :23.75 and a half in :47.46. Be Fair was in third and Flying Spur sat in fourth.

Kentucky Oaks Slide Show
2009 Kentucky Oaks
All eyes were on Rachel Alexandra down the backstretch as Borel sat chilly with a lot of horse under him. As the field moved into the turn after six furlongs in 1:11.91, he moved Rachel Alexandra to the outside of the pacesetter and easily went by Gabby’s Golden Gal.

Borel had already opened up a clear advantage as the field straightened away for home and the race was for second at that point. Borel patted Rachel Alexandra on the side of her neck as she coasted under the wire and the crowd applauded her performance appreciatively.

“She is the best horse I’ve ever been on, and I don’t know how good she is,” said Borel, who won the Kentucky Derby on Street Sense. “Street Sense was a good horse; he had a good turn of foot. But until I really have to ask her, I don’t know how good she is. She’s incredible.”

Borel has won five races in a row aboard Rachel Alexandra. The filly has never lost with Borel in the saddle.

Stone Legacy ran second, 4 1/4 lengths in front of Flying Spur, who finished third. Be Fair was fourth, followed by Nan, Gabby's Golden Girl and Tweeter. The final time was 1:48.97, which just missed the stakes record of 1:48.64 established by Bird Town in 2003.

The margin of victory is believed to be an Oaks record. Available records date to 1916 and the largest previous victory margin was 10 lengths, a feat last achieved by Oaktown Stable’s Lite Light in 1991.

Rachel Alexandra’s win was very warmly received on both the front side and backstretch. Her trainer, Hal Wiggins, regularly stables at Churchill Downs and is popular with horseman and horse players. In 40 years of training, this was Wiggins first grade I win.

“It was just unbelievable,” said Wiggins. “When he (Borel) asked her, she just naturally took off. And just finished tremendous. It looked like she came out of the race really, really good. That’s the main thing.”

Those who may want to run against Rachel Alexandra in the future should take note of Wiggins’ comment that the filly “is getting better and better.”

As for the Oaks: "I kept looking at that other filly, the Baffert filly (Gabby's Golden Girl), and I thought she looked pretty comfortable. But our filly looked pretty comfortable, too," Wiggins said.

Wiggins said he had no second thoughts about not nominating Rachel Alexandra to the Triple Crown.

"We're not going to look back," he said. "We're going to enjoy this. We're not going to have any regrets."

In fact, he said he was looking forward to a possible showdown with champion older female Zenyatta later this year in the Breeders' Cup.

In capturing her first grade I victory, Rachel Alexandra was the heavy favorite, her odds moving from 2-5 to 1-5 with about three minutes to the post. She ended as the 3-10 choice and paid $2.60, $2.20, and $2.10. Stone Legacy returned $11 and $5, while Flying Spur paid $2.80 to show.

The Oaks winner was bred in Kentucky by Dolphus Morrison, who owns her in partnership with Michael Lauffer. They race her in the name of L and M Partners. Rachel Alexandra earned $336,914 for her seventh lifetime win in nine starts. She has banked $958,354.

Morrisson said he never considered running Rachel Alexandra in the Derby and will not run her in the Preakness (gr. I) or Belmont Stakes (gr. I). He did not, however, rule out meeting males following the Triple Crown races.

The Oaks was run over a track that began the day listed as muddy but gradually improved as forecasted rain held off. It was officially listed as fast for the Oaks.

Out of the Roar mare Lotta Kim, Rachel Alexandra has won five straight races, and seven of 10 lifetime starts.

The field was reduced by one a couple of hours prior to the race when Justwhistledixie was scratched because of a foot abscess.

Wiggins said he was disappointed for the West Point Thoroughbred team that had the second choice on the Oaks' morning line.

"They were there right until the last minute," he said. "I really felt for them. I really hated that."

It was the third win on the day for Borel. He was aboard Miss Isela in The Louisville Distaff (gr. II) in an upset of heavy favorite One Caroline, and won an allowance race aboard Warrior's Reward.

Copyright © 2009 Blood-Horse Publications. All rights reserved internationally.

Mine That Bird shocks Derby at 51-1

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Trainer Bennie Woolley Jr. was running a horse in the Kentucky Derby for the first time, and he wasn't going to let a little thing like a broken leg keep him from making the walk over from the barn area before the race. He came over alongside a 51-1 shot, largely ignored by the raucous crowd along the outside rail. But minutes later Woolley became, improbably, a Derby winner.

BEGINNER'S LUCK

With Mine That Bird's victory, Chip Woolley became the seventh trainer since 2000 to win the Kentucky Derby in his first attempt.
Year Trainer Horse
2009 Chip Woolley Mine That Bird
2008 Rick Dutrow Big Brown
2006 Michael Matz Barbaro
2005 John Shirreffs Giacomo
2004 John Servis Smarty Jones
2003 Barclay Tagg Funny Cide
2000 Neil Drysdale Fusaichi Pegasus

Woolley's horse, Mine That Bird - the only gelding in the race - rallied from last to first in the 19-horse field under jockey Calvin Borel and scored a runaway victory in the 135th Kentucky Derby before an announced crowd of 153,563 on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

He returned $103.20, the second-highest price in Derby history. Only Donerail ($184.90) in 1913 was a bigger upset.

Mine That Bird took the lead inside the furlong pole and quickly opened up on his opposition, winning by 6 3/4 lengths. Pioneerof the Nile finished second, outdueling third-place Musket Man and fourth-place Papa Clem in a three-way battle for second.

Chocolate Candy was fifth and was followed, in order, by Summer Bird, Join in the Dance, Regal Ransom, West Side Bernie, General Quarters, Dunkirk, Hold Me Back, Advice, Desert Party, Mr. Hot Stuff, Atomic Rain, Nowhere to Hide, Friesan Fire, and Flying Private.

Mine That Bird completed 1¼ miles on the sloppy main track in 2:02.66.

It was the end of an improbable journey. Mine That Bird, purchased as a yearling for $9,500, began his career on a synthetic surface at Woodbine in Canada, where he won four starts last year at age 2 for trainer David Cotey. He was voted Canada's champion 2-year-old male of last year.

Mine That Bird then was sent to California last fall for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and turned over to Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, but he finished last in the 12-horse field.

After being privately purchased, Mine That Bird was turned over to Woolley. He ran Mine That Bird twice this spring at Sunland Park. He was second in the Borderland Derby, then was fourth in the Sunland Derby, ungraded races that heretofore had not exactly been key Derby preps.

The last part of the journey involved Woolley bringing Mine That Bird from New Mexico to Kentucky by van, a 21-hour journey that included an overnight stop near Dallas. Woolley had won with 1 of 32 starters this year before Saturday.

"I can't say enough. This is a feeling like I've never had before," Woolley said.

Mine That Bird
Horsephotos.comJockey Calvin Borel picked up his second Kentucky Derby victory, this time aboard longshot Mine That Bird.
Mine That Bird is owned by the Double Eagle Farm of Mark Allen and the Buena Suerte Equine operation of Dr. Leonard Blach, a veterinarian. They earned $1,417,200 from a gross purse of $2,177,200.

Borel was winning the Derby for the second time. He also won with Street Sense in 2007. Borel gave Mine That Bird an almost identical ride, dropping back to last and then hugging the rail.

"I just took him back, rode a Street Sense race," Borel said. "I knew at the three-eighths, if I got through, Katie bar the door."

Borel also won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday with Rachel Alexandra. He became the seventh jockey to win both of Churchill Downs's signature races in the same year.

"I love you, Mom and Daddy," Borel, crying, said to NBC's Donna Barton Brothers after the race. "Unbelievable. It's been a long, hard road, but it's paying off."

Mine That Bird will move on to the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, on May 16. Should he prevail there, he will head to the June 6 Belmont Stakes and attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. The current Triple Crown drought is the longest since Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown in 1919.

The complexion of the Derby changed dramatically on Saturday morning, when Wood Memorial winner I Want Revenge, the Derby morning-line favorite, was scratched. His trainer, Jeff Mullins, said I Want Revenge had swelling in his left front ankle.

His withdrawal completed a week of last-minute defections. On Monday, Quality Road, the Florida Derby winner and, at the time, the Derby favorite, was withdrawn. On Tuesday, Square Eddie came out. And then on Wednesday, Win Willy was diagnosed with the beginning of a fracture, so he was not entered in the race.

Nineteen broke from the gate on cloudy but otherwise pleasant day. It had rained overnight, and the wet weather, combined with the lack of sun and an absence of wind, left the track listed as sloppy from the first race, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern, right up to the Derby, eight hours later.

Mine That Bird, breaking from post 8, was bumped solidly at the start by Join in the Dance, who veered in sharply and then set off at a rapid clip. Join in the Dance set fractions of 22.98 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.23 for a half-mile. Mine That Bird was last early. Dunkirk also got off poorly, stumbling at the start.

Friesan Fire, the 7-2 favorite, got shuffled back in traffic early to lose position, then was taken wide and ended up caught on the far outside entering the final turn in a dreadful trip.

As the field neared the far turn, Pioneerof the Nile ranged up outside Join in the Dance and Regal Ransom to challenge for the lead. Mine That Bird, after staying on the rail for nearly a mile, came knifing between horses at the quarter pole. Borel then dived to the inside, and squeezed through a tiny opening between Join in the Dance and the rail.

Woolley on NBC's telecast was asked about how little anyone knew of him or his horse before the race.

"They know me now," he said.

- additional reporting by Byron King and Marty McGee

KENTUCKY DERBY 135 RESULTS

Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 2
# Horse Jockey Weight Win Place Show
8 Mine That Bird C. Borel 126 103.20 54.00 25.80
16 Pioneerof The Nile G. Gomez 126 8.40 6.40
2 Musket Man E. Coa 126 12.00
Finish Time: 2:02.66
Scratched: I Want Revenge
Also ran (in order of finish): Papa Clem, Chocolate Candy, Summer Bird, Join in the Dance, Regal Ransom, West Side Bernie, General Quarters, Dunkirk, Hold Me Back, Advice, Desert Party, Mr. Hot Stuff, Atomic Rain, Nowhere to Hide, Friesan Fire, Flying Private
Winning Trainer: Woolley Bennie L Jr - Owner: Double Eagle Ranch and Bueno Suerte Equine
$2 Exacta (8-16) Paid $2,074.80
$2 Trifecta (8-16-2) Paid $41,500.60
$2 Superfecta (8-16-2-7) Paid $557,006.40

KY Oaks: Everyone Chasing Rachel Alexandra

By Esther Marr

Prior to the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) post position draw the morning of April 28, Mike Rutherford, owner/breeder of Flying Spur, and Michael Lauffer, co-owner of Rachel Alexandra, discussed the chances of their fillies in the 1 1/8-mile, $500,000 race May 1.

It was ironic that the two men were sitting next to each other, talking casually about the industry, considering the fact Rachel Alexandra and Flying Spur finished one-two, respectively, in the March 14 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II). But there was a feeling of mutual respect between them as they conversed about their fillies’ rematch in the run for the lilies.

“Do you think I did the right thing by entering Rachel in the Oaks instead of the (Kentucky) Derby (gr. I)?” Lauffer asked Rutherford.

“Well, I would have liked to see her run in the Derby, but I wouldn’t have run her in the Derby,” Rutherford said with a laugh.

After Rachel Alexandra drew the six post, and Flying Spur drew the eight, Lauffer and Rutherford rested easy and they both seemed satisfied with their respective positions.

“I think she’s going to be tough,” said Lauffer of Flying Spur, a daughter of Giant's Causeway —Lakeway, by Seattle Slew, who has won just once in six starts, a Jan. 5 maiden event at Fair Grounds. “She likes to run long distances, and I think a mile and an eighth is going to help her.”

In regards to her most impressive race, in which she was runner-up to Rachel Alexandra by 1 3/4 lengths, Rutherford noted, “(Flying Spur) was closing in at the end…Rachel Alexandra is obviously the big filly in this race, but they all go down sometimes. Maybe we’ll get lucky; we’re going to have to get lucky.”

Trained by Bill Mott, Flying Spur will be ridden by jockey Garrett Gomez.

Said trainer Hal Wiggins of Rachel Alexandra's post position: “It’s OK; it probably doesn’t make a whole lot of difference. I’d just as soon be on the outside…with eight horses (in the field), and going a mile and an eighth, you’ve got a long run up to the first turn, so I’m very satisfied (with her post).”

Rachel Alexandra, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro —Lotta Kim, by Roar, who has won her last four starts by more than a combined margin of 23 lengths, will be ridden by jockey Calvin Borel. She was bred by co-owner Dolphus Morrison, who named her after his granddaughter.

Justwhistledixie, who has the second most impressive record in the field, will break from post five. Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm, and R. Dee Hubbard, she is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, who had not yet traveled to Churchill Downs as of April 28.

Justwhistledixie, a daughter of Dixie Union —General Jeanne, by Honour and Glory , has won five consecutive starts, including the March 1 Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) and the March 27 Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park. Bred in Kentucky by Hermitage Farm, she has career earnings of $337,927.

Julien Leparoux gets the mount on Justwhistledixie, who will be facing Rachel Alexandra for the first time at Churchill. Rachel Alexandra has one major advantage over Justwhistledixie in that she has already won under the Twin Spires in last year’s Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II). This will be Justwhistledixie’s Churchill debut.

Who is the greatest filly to ever win the Kentucky Oaks? Rank your top 10!
Trainer Bob Baffert will saddle Gabby's Golden Gal, one of the horses trainer Hal Wiggins said could pose a threat to Rachel Alexandra. Also a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, Gabby’s Golden Gal has never finished worse than third in four lifetime starts, and she won her last race, the March 29 Sunland Park Oaks, by an impressive 13 lengths.

“(The Oaks) is a big step up for her, but the way she ran at Sunland Park, we felt like she deserved a shot at the big event,” said Baffert of the Arnold Zetcher homebred, who has raced exclusively on the West Coast circuit. “She’s trained well, and looks fantastic. This filly isn’t very big, but she’s very aggressive and will be one to be near the lead. She’ll be up on the pace. I just can’t see Rachel (Alexandra) getting beat…after watching her work, she’s just amazing. But Gabby’s tough. She’s little, but she’s a strong filly and she’s doing really well.”

Gabby’s Golden Gal drew the four post and will be ridden by Victor Espinoza.

Nan, one of the probable longshots in the field, drew post seven and has been prepared by trainer Wally Dollase’s daughter, Amy. Craig Dollase, son of Wally and brother of Amy, trains Nan, but will be unable to attend to Oaks due to a prior engagement in California.

“(Nan) has galloped really well over this dirt, and she’s worked really well,” said Amy Dollase of the filly by High Yield—Trip Around Heaven, by Halo, who has been winless in her last four starts, including an off-the-board finish in the April 4 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.

“You always like to see them come into a big race off a good performance, but she had an excuse that day, and she seems to have recovered well,” said Dollase of Nan, who had a slight bleeding problem in the Ashland.

Nan, who is owned by J. Paul Reddam and was bred in Kentucky by De Savino Stable, enters the Oaks off a record of 1-2-2 from 10 starts at tracks across the country. Corey Nakatani will ride.

D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer, will saddle three of the longest shots in the field: Tweeter, Be Fair, and Stone Legacy. Ironically enough, the horses drew the respective positions of 1, 2, 3.


Post positions, trainers and jockeys for the May 1 Kentucky Oaks:

Pgm. # Horse Trainer Jockey Morning Line
1 Tweeter D. Wayne Lukas Miguel Mena 30-1
2 Be Fair D. Wayne Lukas Rafael Bejarano 15-1
3 Stone Legacy D. Wayne Lukas Kent Desormeaux 30-1
4 Gabby's Golden Gal Bob Baffert Victor Espinoza 10-1
5 Justwhistledixie Kiaran McLaughlin Julien Leparoux 5-2
6 Rachel Alexandra Hal Wiggins Calvin Borel 3-5
7 Nan Craig Dollase Corey Nakatani 20-1
8 Flying Spur Bill Mott Garrett Gomez 8-1