Meeting Rachel Alexandra: A moment of my lifetime

When I entered the tree-lined drive of Stonestreet Stable the afternoon of June  2, I was politely ushered through iron gates that closed tightly behind me. There was a guard at the entrance, just what I would expect for the domain of one of the most thrilling mares in modern history. I was there to interview the farm manager about the opening of Stonestreet Farm to the public during specific hours for guided tours. I had never met my favorite horse, Rachel Alexandra, so I jumped at the assignment.

In 2009, the elegant bay 3-year-old filly took the racing world on one of, if not the most exciting campaigns ever. She even went mainstream, posing in the pages of Vogue Magazine. She announced herself to the world in the Kentucky Oaks by romping past a small but quality field, winning by 20 1/4 lengths. The clouds were hanging overhead when the race began but when it was time for Rachel and her connections, including her trainer, Hal Wiggins, to head toward the winner's circle, the sun was shining on jockey Calvin Borel's white silks. The only muscles Borel moved during the race were in his neck, to be certain another horse was not coming up on her. He needn't have worried. She did it all by herself, without the crop or any urging from Borel, who said," I just let her gallop, baby! She was doing it on her own....she's the best horse I've ever been on in my life!" The sheer dominance of this race attracted gentleman sportsman Jess Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, of Stonestreet Stable, who raced the mighty Curlin. In a short time, a deal was struck, and Rachel Alexandra moved to future Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen's barn. Her next race was against the boys in the Preakness Stakes. While 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird had been ridden by Borel, Rachel's new connections asked him to stay on the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro. Borel immediately said yes. Mike Smith got the ride on the Derby winner. I was not surprised that she won in the Run for the Lilies, but I was not expecting such a blowout. I had been following Rachel since the Golden Rod Stakes in the fall of her 2-year-old year, when she won by 4 3/4 lengths. The Kentucky Oaks marked her fifth victory in a row. She had never faced colts before, but she was quickly made the favorite. As the gates sprang open, Rachel surged from gate 13 to the front with future Breeders' Cup Sprint winner, Big Drama, flanked by her side. Mine That Bird was in his usual spot, the back. With three furlongs to go, Mine That Bird was surging past the competition. Rachel was in front by three lengths until Mine That Bird got within 3/4 of a length at the wire. After the race, Borel said, "She struggled with the ground...she's used to that track at Churchill where she just skips along." This did not diminish his adoration for his filly. Borel went on: "She's the greatest horse I've been on in my life...she didn't handle the track well and she won!" This was the second time the connections won the Preakness. The first time was with Curlin in 2007. Rachel was only the fifth filly to win the race and the first in 85 years. On June 27, 2009, Rachel competed against only two other fillies at Belmont Park in the Mother Goose Stakes. Rachel did her running from just off the flank of another filly who was setting very quick early fractions. Rachel won by almost 20 lengths again. A little over a month later, Rachel ran against the 3-year-old colts again, this time in the Grade 1 Haskell.  As she pranced onto the track with regular jockey Borel on top wearing Stonestreet's gold and maroon silks, the song 'Born To Run' by New Jersey son, Bruce Springsteen began to play. Rachel did not turn a hair. She was in her zone. The Belmont winner, Summer Bird, was also an entry. She rated behind Munnings and ran beside Summer Bird until she came out of the turn when she passed Munnings, Summer Bird came in second. She was one tick off the track record, winning by almost seven lengths. Because the 2009 Breeders' Cup was going to be run on an artificial surface in California, the connections decided to keep Rachel out. But they had carefully planned a campaign that would ascend the filly to Horse of the Year. Rarely do such plans come true. Her final race of the Year put Rachel against older horses in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga. Following a lightning fast opening quarter, Rachel held off a fast closing Macho Again, becoming the first filly or mare to ever win the historic race. Rachel Alexandra won Eclipse awards for  3-year-old filly of 2009 and 2009 Horse of the Year. Altogether, she won races in six states and eight different tracks. Rachel neared or broke numerous stakes, track, and winning margin records. Along with her pulling in more racing fans every time Rachel Alexandra ran, part of her earnings were donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation by the Jacksons.

She ran five times as a 4-year-old, winning twice and placing three times. After her second-place finish in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, the connections announced her retirement from racing. She was bred to Curlin and had a colt. Stonestreet had fan contests to pick the name, which would be Jess's Dream. Both his dam and sire had won Horse of the Year and the Preakness Stakes. Jess's Dream only ran once, but what a race it was! The bay colt practically walked out of the gate. He was not in camera range for most of the race then he steamed by his competition like a locomotive and reached the wire first. He now stands at stud at Ocala Stud Thoroughbred Stallion Farm.

During her second season as a broodmare, Rachel was bred to Bernardini, the 2006 Preakness winner, among other stakes. So again, Rachel's foal would have a Preakness winner as dam and sire. On Feb. 12, 2013, Rachel foaled a bay filly with a white heart on her forehead. She was named Rachel's Valentina. Weighing 140 pounds, she was the heaviest foal born at Stonestreet that season. The next day, Rachel was vanned off to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Her colon had been injured during the delivery, which had been difficult. She was reported to be in serious condition. Her foal was placed with a nurse mare who was a Quarter Horse. Meanwhile Rachel recovered and moved back to Stonestreet, where she's their greatest ambassador to our sport.

Rachel's Valentina broke her maiden at first asking. A month later she won the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes before finishing second to Songbird in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. On March 9, 2016, she came in a close second in the Ashland Stakes. After finishing a disappointing sixth in the Kentucky Oaks and a dismal fifth in the Mother Goose, she was retired to Stonestreet and bred to Curlin.

We hopped into a truck and drove up to one of the barns. As we parked, I saw the unmistakable upside down exclamation mark on the lovely head of my equine heroine as she was lead out of the barn. The distinctive marking on her beautiful face made it impossible to believe one was looking at anyone other than Rachel Alexandra. The 8x5 photo I had purchased of Rachel at Saratoga, in a sterling silver frame, could not compete with this illustrious equine heroine. The years had been kind to her. She still was muscular and had obviously been in excellent care. She posed quite naturally with her ears pricked and eyes alert. I buried my face in her mane and wanted to linger in this moment, so I could always recall it and I always will. Just like I remember the announcer’s calls during her 2009 campaign: “Super Filly, you bet! She might have won by 20!!!” ... ”Her march to greatness continues. It was almost 20 lengths again!” ... ”She is indeed Rachel Alexandra The Great.” ... “Rachel Alexandra raises the rafters here at the Spa!’ ... ”And the filly did it!”