RACHEL ALEXANDRA ARRIVES AT SPA

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

 

Contact: NYRA Press Office

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RACHEL ALEXANDRA ARRIVES AT SPA

 

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra arrived at Saratoga Race Course Wednesday morning and was bedded down in her old stall at trainer Steve Asmussen's barn near the Oklahoma Training Track.

 

Arriving with Rachel Alexandra were graded stakes winners Friesan Fire and Thiskyhasnolimit, as well as several 2-year-olds.

 

"We left Churchill Downs at 7:15 and we got here at 11:15; four hours from track to track is pretty impressive," said Scott Blasi, Asmussen's assistant. "She's at Saratoga and everything is good. The air is good; the water tastes good. It's all positive. She looks fabulous right now. I am looking forward to getting her back to the track tomorrow."

 

Blasi indicated that Rachel Alexandra, who closed out last year's 8-for-8 championship campaign with a historic victory over older males in the Woodward Stakes, is expected to breeze at the Spa Monday morning.

 

After finishing second in her first two starts this year, the 4-year-old scored her first win of 2010 with a 10½-length runaway in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs nearly three weeks ago.

 

Owner Jess Jackson has yet to announce her next start, but one attractive target for Rachel could be the Grade 1, 1 1/8^th mile Ruffian Handicap at Saratoga on Sunday, August 1; another might be the Grade 1, 1¼-mile Personal Ensign on August 29, both for fillies and mares.

 

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