Rachel Alexandra headed for Mother Goose Stakes

[billhill999]

Preakness Stakes winner Rachel Alexandra will make her next start in the $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, June 27.
Majority owner Jess Jackson made the announcement in a statement released on Wednesday. The 1 1/8 mile Mother Goose will be the filly's first start since her historic victory in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course on May 16.
"Rachel is rested, healthy and ready to run," Jackson said. "On Monday, she turned in a very strong six-furlong work, galloping out seven-furlongs around the clubhouse turn in 1:24.80."
Rachel Alexandra destroyed the competition in the Kentucky Oaks this year by better than 20-lengths. Currently on a six race winning streak, the three- year-old has career earnings of $1,618,354 with eight wins in 11 starts.
"She's got a great presence about her," trainer Steve Asmussen said on Monday. "She always seems to take everything in stride so well. She comes back so sure of herself."
Calvin Borel has been her regular rider during the win streak and is expected to be in the saddle for the Mother Goose. Borel this year won the Kentucky Derby aboard Mine That Bird, but switched to the filly for the Preakness Stakes.
Currently stabled at Churchill Downs the filly will arrive at Belmont Park early next week.

 

[joeyp]

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Belmont Park | Posted 6/22/2009, 5:27 pmPrint
Short field for Mother Goose
By David Grening
Rachel Alexandra
Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer
Rachel Alexandra gets her final workout before the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes on Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It appears as though there will be only three challengers for Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra in Saturday's Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park. Justwhistledixie will not be among them.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin confirmed Monday that the multiple graded stakes winner Justwhistledixie would skip the Mother Goose and be pointed to the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 8. The Test is run at seven furlongs. Justwhistledixie, who scratched out of the Kentucky Oaks the afternoon of the race due to a bruised foot, had a five-race winning streak snapped when she finished second as the 4-5 favorite in the Acorn on June 7.

"It's a little quick back for her, and we're trying to pick the ideal spot for her," McLaughlin said. "August 8th, Grade 1 Test should set up perfect for a come-from-behind sprinter."

Prior to the Acorn, Justwhistledixie had won the Davona Dale and Bonnie Miss - both Grade 2 stakes at Gulfstream Park.

McLaughlin had three other fillies nominated to the Mother Goose, but said none is up for the challenge of taking on Rachel Alexandra, who has won five consecutive races.

Those expected to be entered against Rachel Alexandra on Wednesday, when post positions are drawn, are Flashing, winner of the Grade 3 Nassau County; Don't Forget Gil, winner of the Grade 3 Florida Oaks; and Malibu Prayer, who has won her last two starts by a combined 20 1/4 lengths - the exact margin of Rachel Alexandra's Kentucky Oaks victory.

On Monday at Churchill Downs, Rachel Alexandra completed preparations for the Mother Goose, a one-turn race run at nine furlongs, when she worked four furlongs in 49.80 seconds over a fast main track. Exercise rider Dominic Terry was up for the move, which Churchill clockers timed in fractions of 13 seconds, 25, and 37.40. She galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.40. Calvin Borel will ride Rachel Alexandra for the seventh consecutive time in the Mother Goose.

"The filly went beautiful this morning," trainer Steve Asmussen said. "She looked very happy."

Rachel Alexandra was expected to arrive at Belmont Park late Tuesday afternoon after a flight from Kentucky.

On Saturday, Flashing worked five furlongs in 59.55 seconds over Belmont's main track, while Malibu Prayer covered the same distance in 1:00.80

 

[joeyp]

they are giving her a easy win here in mother goose to ship to saratoga next? i hope she runs while im up there and hoping to watch charitable man up there again

 

[trytrytry]

what a yawn of a race...

 

[gremlinlad]

They call this horse racing for a reason. Anything can happen during the race.

Recent example : Sunday June 23th Race 8

 

[Brewersin7]

itd be great if she got beat, after they announce they wont go in the breeders cup on the field turf track

 

[steaktartar]

what a yawn of a race...

probably......flashing can flat out run though......rachel wil most likely win.....but this other filly can roll

 

[trytrytry]

itd be great if she got beat, after they announce they wont go in the breeders cup on the field turf track

they already announce they are skipping the Breeders Cup even this fall.

they already know today that she will not be ready and not in her best interest for those races... sad but true..

 

[gremlinlad]

Sunday 6/28/09


Rachel rules the roost in Mother Goose

Rachel Alexandra crushed the competition to extend her winning streak to seven (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com)


With the scratches of Hopeful Image (Gulch) and Don't Forget Gil (Kafwain), superstar filly RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) was left with only two rivals in the $270,000 Mother Goose S. (G1) at Belmont Park on Saturday and, as anticipated, the 1 1/8-mile event turned into a virtual walkover for the massive bay.
Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon) led for the blistering opening half-mile, setting fractions of :22 2/5 and :44 3/5 with Flashing (A.P. Indy) pressing the pace to the outside and just behind. Rachel Alexandra and regular pilot Calvin Borel, in the meantime, were loping along four lengths behind the front runner. Just as Malibu Prayer posted three-quarters in 1:08 4/5, Rachel Alexandra began catching up and split her two competitors rounding the turn.
The future champion was never asked for her full run, and Borel began pulling her up long before the wire made an appearance. Nonetheless, Rachel Alexandra set a new stakes record for the Mother Goose when finishing up over the fast dirt in 1:46.33. The final margin on the line was 19 1/4 lengths.

 

[gremlinlad]

Beautiful animal !

However...

WHAT COMPETITION ? THE OTHER 2 HORSES DUEL THEMSELVES INTO DEFEAT. 22 First Qtr and 44 3/5 for the 1/2mile. THEY WERE NOWHERE AROUND AT THE FINISH. RACHEL JUST HAD A DAILY WORKOUT.

IMO.... NYRA SHOULD HAVE CANCELLED THE MOTHER GOOSE for lack of horses.

Bad financial decision NYRA :>(

 

[jellobiafra]

Didn't she set a stake's record yesterday? I thought that's what I heard. Doesn't matter how many horses were in the field, she wasn't going to be challenged.