Classic Fillies, Part II

Classic Fillies, part II

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the second of my two part series on fillies who have in the last 40 years won either the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, or the Belmont Stakes. In part I, I looked at the careers of Genuine Risk and Winning Colors who had triumphed in the Kentucky Derby. Here, I will discuss Rachel Alexandra who was victorious in the 2009 Preakness Stakes and Rags to Riches who won the 2007 Belmont Stakes. 

Rachel Alexandra was bred in Kentucky by Dolphus Morrison and originally owned by Morrison in partnership with Michael Lauffer under the stable name of L and M Partners. Her racing career began under veteran mid-western conditioner Hal Wiggins. The bay daughter of Medaglia d’Oro started racing in May 2008 at Churchill Downs, breaking her maiden in her second start. After finishing second in the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs in June, “Rachel” was given time off to prepare for a fall campaign. Returning in October, she won an allowance race at Keeneland Racecourse and finished second in the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. Rachel Alexandra concluded her juvenile season with an eye-opening 4¾ length victory in November in the Golden Rod Stakes under new jockey Calvin Borel. This impressive victory signaled she was a filly to watch in 2009.

If Rachel’s juvenile year was promising, the start of her sophomore campaign in 2009 was a revelation. Debuting in February at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, AK in the Martha Washington Stakes, Rachel Alexandra romped by 8 lengths. Shipping to New Orleans for the Fair Grounds Oaks, she took the lead from the start, and jockey Calvin Borel throttled her down in the stretch for an eased up 1¾ length victory. Back at Oaklawn for the Fantasy Stakes, Rachel Alexandra could not have won more easily with Borel spending more time in the stretch looking backward (for non-existent threats) than forward as she won by 8¼ lengths. All her final times were competitive to the best her sophomore male counterparts accomplished, so there was speculation that the best three-year-old heading to Kentucky was a filly.

In fact during Derby Week, the most impressive horse seen in the mornings was Rachel Alexandra gliding around the Churchill Downs track effortlessly as observers bemoaned the fact that she was going to run in the Kentucky Oaks instead of the Derby. Nevertheless, her owners and trainer were steadfast that they did not support the idea of females running against males.

In the 9 furlong Oaks, Rachel was the 3-10 favorite, and the way she ran made that price seem generous. Settled by Calvin Borel right behind early leader Gabby’s Golden Girl, Rachel, all on her own, cruised to the front around the far turn. Having a clear lead by the time she straightened out for the stretch, Borel never seemed to ask her to run as she, with consummate ease, put space between herself and the rest of the field. At the finish, Rachel Alexandra was a staggering 20¼ lengths (an Oaks record) ahead of Stone Legacy. Her final time was nearly a stakes record, and everything about her performance was spectacular. In the winner’s circle, owners Michael Lauffer and Dolphus Morrison and trainer Hal Wiggins celebrated their horse of a lifetime and again expressed no reservations about not running Rachel in the Derby. Their restraint was anachronistic and refreshing in this time, but upcoming events would soon overtake this conservative philosophy.

The major news during the two week interval between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes did not involve the 50-1 longshot Derby winner, Mine That Bird but was focused on the Kentucky Oaks victress, Rachel Alexandra. She was sold to Stonestreet Stables (Jess Jackson, owner) and Harold T. McCormick, leaving the barn of Hal Wiggins and turned over to Steve Asmussen. In taking control of the filly’s racing career, principal owner Jackson boldly announced, she would run in the Preakness for an unprecedented meeting between Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks winners. To further underline Rachel’s eminence, Calvin Borel chose her as his Preakness mount over Derby victor Mine That Bird.

A field of thirteen went postward at Pimlico Racecourse on Preakness Day with Rachel Alexandra the clear betting choice over Mine That Bird (with Mike Smith aboard) and other Derby participants’ Pioneer of the Nile, Musket Man, Papa Clem, Friesan Fire, General Quarters, and Flying Private. From her no. 13 post, Borel broke Rachel sharp, and she went head-and-head for the lead with Big Drama with Friesan Fire close back in third position. Meanwhile, Mine That Bird, as in the Derby, was lopping along in last place. Nearing the far turn, Rachel Alexandra, with her ears pricked, dispatched her pursuers and gained a daylight lead by the time she straightened out for the stretch run. At the same time, Mike Smith had Mine That Bird in full flight passing horses readily, but he was floated very wide on the tight Pimlico final turn. In mid-stretch, Rachel had opened up a 4 length lead, and her victory seemed secure. Mine That Bird, though, provided some drama by closing dramatically so that at the finish the margin had diminished to 1 length. Musket Man, replicating his Derby placing, was third only a ½ length further back.

Rachel Alexandra winning the 2009 Preakness Stakes
(Michele MacDonald)

The final time was average, but the achievement by Rachel Alexandra was at the highest level. For the record, her Preakness victory was the fifth time it was won by a filly with Flocarline (in 1903), Whimsical (1906), Rhine Maiden (1915), and Nellie Morse (1924) being the previous distaff victors. Jess Jackson, who with trainer Steve Asmussen had won the Preakness in 2007 with Curlin, demonstrated that an aggressive approach to campaigning horses can produce startling achievements. Calvin Borel, emotional in the winner’s circle, claimed that Rachel Alexandra was the best horse he had ever ridden. However, it must be stated that Mine That Bird ran a strong race, and, if he would have not lost so much ground around the stretch turn, the Derby winner might have caught the filly.

Rachel Alexandra’s team decided to bypass the Belmont Stakes. The reason given was she had done a lot lately and needed more time between races. I think her connections feared that the 1½ mile distance of the Belmont was beyond her capabilities. The rest of Rachel’s three-year-old campaign was a march to glory as she won the Mother Goose Stakes (against her own age and sex) by 19¼ lengths and then defeated males in both the Haskell Invitational Stakes and the Woodward Stakes. In the Woodward, raced at Saratoga Racetrack, she became the first three-year-old filly in the race’s illustrious history to defeat older horses. Restrained from racing the rest of 2009, Rachel Alexandra was accorded Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, and in a close vote, outpolled the older mare, Zenyatta for Horse of the Year honors.  

There was great expectation the following year of a meeting between the now four-year-old Rachel Alexandra and the still undefeated Zenyatta. However, this match never happened because Rachel was not able to consistently display her previous year’s top form. After only two victories (and three seconds) in five 2010 starts, she was retired in September. As a broodmare, Rachel Alexandra has only produced two foals – Jess’s Dream and Rachel’s Valentina. The first named was a winner in his lone start, and the latter won the Spinaway Stakes and placed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. As a result of Rachel’s Valentina difficult foaling in 2013, Rachel Alexandra has been not bred since.

The Belmont Stakes had not been won by a filly in over a century when Rags to Riches wore the blanket of white carnations in the Belmont Park winner’s circle in 2007. Previous distaff victors were Ruthless (in 1867) and Tanya (1905). If ever a horse had a destiny to win the Belmont, it was Rags to Riches. Her sire A. P. Indy won the race in 1992, and his sire Seattle Slew and maternal grand sire Secretariat completed their Triple Crown glory with Belmont Stakes victories in 1977 and 1973, respectively. To add further to her Belmont heritage, Rags to Riches’ dam Better Than Honour produced Jazil, the 2006 Belmont hero.

This genetic masterpiece did not come cheap for Rags to Riches was purchased at a yearling sale for $1.9 million by Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith of the Coolmore Ireland based partnership. Turned over to Todd Pletcher to train, she made a single start as a two-year-old in June 2006 finishing fourth in a maiden race at Churchill Downs.

Based in California in early 2007, she was trained for her first two starts by Michael McCarthy while Pletcher was serving a suspension. In January, Rags to Riches won a maiden race at Santa Anita Park by 6 lengths and then rallied wide from off the pace for a ¾ length victory in the Las Virgenes Stakes. Strongly favored for the 8½ furlong Santa Anita Oaks, the blazed faced chestnut dominated the race winning by 5½ lengths under jockey Garrett Gomez.

With her connections resisting the temptation to run in the Kentucky Derby, Rags to Riches was installed the favorite in the Kentucky Oaks despite the presence of last year’s Two-Year-Old Filly Champion Dreaming of Anna. Run on a muddy racetrack, the fourteen horse Oaks field was sent on their way, with Rags to Riches tucked in fifth place as Dreaming of Anna set the early pace. Swung to the outside by Gomez at the top of the stretch, Rags to Riches showcased her quality and stamina as she powered clear for a 4¼ length victory. Not dwelling on what might have been if they had sent their filly in the Derby, Rags to Riches’ team contemplated where next their budding champion would next display her brilliance.

The 2007 Belmont Stakes appeared to be a rather sedate affair. The Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense’s connections, after a narrow loss to Curlin in the Preakness Stakes, declined to run their colt in the Belmont. Curlin (owned by the same connections as Rachel Alexandra) faced Derby second and Preakness third place finisher Hard Spun and Derby participants Tiago and Imawildandcrzyguy in the seven horse field. Rags to Riches was a late entry and that prompted a jockey change. Garrett Gomez, her regular rider, had committed to Hard Spun when the filly’s participation was in doubt. But when Rags to Riches’ connections opted to run in the Belmont, trainer Todd Pletcher put his main rider, John Velazquez, aboard her. Curlin was installed the strong favorite, but Rags to Riches was the second choice due to her pedigree and performance.

For a race that received little publicity and the lowest attendance in over a decade, it was one of the most memorable Belmont Stakes in history. The early pace in the Belmont was a veritable crawl as Hard Spun, Curlin, and Rags to Riches were all grouped together not far from the leader C P West in third, fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Around the long Belmont Park far turn, the tempo quickened with the three mentioned previously challenging C P West. Suddenly, the race became a two horse battle between Curlin on the inside and Rags to Riches to his outside. The filly gained a narrow advantage at the top of stretch and held it grimly to the wire to win by a head. Curlin, in a determined effort, was second, 5½ lengths in front of Tiago who had rallied mildly. Hard Spun tired to be fourth. The final ½ mile was run very fast, underlining the stamina of the first two finishers.

Rags to Riches winning the 2007 Belmont Stakes
(bloodhorse.com)

In winning, Rags to Riches not only became the third filly to win the Belmont Stakes, she was the first sibling of a previous Belmont winner (see, Jazil above). Owners Tabor and Smith have won many important races as part of the Coolmore global empire, but this victory by their superbly bred filly was definitely one of the highlights. Todd Pletcher, now the dominant trainer in the U. S., had his first classic winner (after 28 previous losses), and John Velazquez’s ride was also his first such success. But most of the honors went to Rags to Riches. When a female horse defeats colts in a major race, it can usually be attributed to having faced an inferior group of males. This Belmont Stakes was an exception in that Curlin, the horse Rags to Riches out-gamed down the stretch, would be remembered as one of the decade’s best. 

In lieu of her spectacular performances in the Kentucky Oaks and Belmont Stakes, the three-year-old filly championship was already conceded to Rags to Riches. Unfortunately, she only raced once more. After missing an intended start in the Coaching Club American Oaks due to a fever, the daughter of A. P. Indy was reserved till September to run in the Gazelle Stakes. Giving 7 lb. to Lear’s Princess, Rags to Riches was unable to withstand the latter’s closing charge, losing by a ½ length. The cause of her surprising defeat became apparent the next day when Todd Pletcher revealed his filly had suffered a hairline fracture of her right front leg. Unraced for the remainder of the year, Rags to Riches returned to training in 2008 until a re-injury to her front leg necessitated her retirement.

Initially at Ashford Stud (Coolmore’s U. S. breeding farm) in Versailles, KY, she was sent to Ireland in 2009 before returning to the U. S. in 2016. As a broodmare, Rags to Riches has produced several foals, the most prominent being Rhett Butler who was a champion in Serbia.

So in conclusion of this two part series, it is clear that each of these four females (Genuine Risk, Winning Colors, Rachel Alexandra, and Rags to Riches), demonstrated their class and brilliance in America’s most keenly contested races. It must be noted they all received a 5 lb. sex allowance that may have aided their efforts. However, this should not diminish their respective achievements and the rarity of their accomplishments.