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Rachel Alexandra (foaled January 29, 2006) is a retired United States Thoroughbred Horse racing and the 2009 Horse of the Year. When she won the 2009 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, she became the first filly to win the race in 85 years (the last filly to win was Nellie Morse, in 1924). She also won races in six states (Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey), on eight different tracks, against fillies and Grade 1 colts and older horses, achieving a long string of consecutive wins including numerous Grade 1 stakes. Rachel Alexandra neared or broke multiple stakes records, track records and winning margin records throughout her career. On September 28, 2010, owner Jess Jackson announced Rachel Alexandra's retirement. She was bred to 2007–2008 Horse of the Year Curlin and delivered a colt on January 22, 2012.
Rachel Alexandra is a dark bay mare with a distinctive upside-down exclamation-point-shaped white blaze. She stands an estimated 16 hands at the withers. Her preferred style of running is generally that of a front runner (running on the lead) or a stalker (running close to and just behind the lead), though she occasionally competed from off of the pace (Mother Goose Stakes).
Rachel Alexandra was bred and originally owned by Dolphus Morrison, who named her after his granddaughter. Before she became successful as a racehorse, Morrison sold part interest in her to Michael Lauffer. Her initial trainer was Hal Wiggins, Morrison's regular trainer, who trained her until the Kentucky Oaks 2009. After her Kentucky Oaks victory, Rachel Alexandra was sold for an undisclosed amount (rumored to be in excess of $10 million) to Stonestreet Stables and Harold T. McCormick, with billionaire Jess Jackson of Kendall Jackson Winery holding controlling interest. Her training was taken over by Steve Asmussen, and her regular jockey was Calvin Borel.
Rachel Alexandra had a different personality than her dam. "Lotta Kim had a terrible disposition," Wiggins recalled. "She wasn't really mean, but plumb ornery. She made it a project every time you wanted to do something with her. Completely the opposite from Rachel Alexandra. I don't know what you could do to get Rachel Alexandra excited, except go into the starting gate."
Through Lotta Kim, Rachel Alexandra is a fourth-generation descendant of Mr. Prospector. Northern Dancer is in both sides of her pedigree.
Rachel Alexandra was foaled on January 29, 2006, at Dr. Dede McGehee's Heaven Trees Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Lotta Kim rejected her after she was foaled, so she was raised by a nurse mare. According to Morrison, Rachel Alexandra looked "a little raw-boned and a little scruffy" as a foal. Morrison rarely sells the first couple of foals out of his mares, but he almost made an exception with Rachel Alexandra, entering her in the 2006 Keeneland Sales as a weanling. When X-rays revealed a "minor development problem", he scratched her, convinced she wouldn't bring the $125,000 he thought she was worth.
In August 2007, Morrison sent Rachel Alexandra to Diamond D Ranch in Lone Oak, Texas, where Jimmy (Scooter) Dodwell broke her in. In November of that year, Morrison asked if Rachel was ready to be entered in a Florida sale. "She had a ton of speed, with a long stride, and I she might be able to run forever," recalls Dodwell. "I stuck my neck out and told Mr. Morrison, 'You might want to hang onto this one.'"
In the $500,000 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, Rachel Alexandra was sent off as the 3–10 favorite, coming to Louisville off four straight wins, all in stakes company, including an 8 length romp in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park in her most recent start. Gabby's Golden Gal broke the quickest and was sent to the lead immediately by jockey Victor Espinoza as she set a pace of 23.75, 47.46, and 1:11.81 over the fast main track. Rachel Alexandra sat lengths off the pace in second, just to her outside. Turning for home, Calvin Borel nudged Rachel Alexandra and she eased past the pacesetter to take the lead at the 1/4 pole. Once in front of the tiring Gabby's Golden Gal, Rachel Alexandra sprinted away from the field to win by more than 20 lengths in a time of 1:48.87, just 0.33 seconds off Bird Town's stakes record. Rachel Alexandra finished her last 1/8th of a mile in 12.00 seconds. Shortly after her 20 length win, by far the largest in the race's history, it was announced that Rachel Alexandra was sold to Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables and Harold T. McCormick. ESPN reported that she would be transferred to trainer Steve Asmussen. Before this, she was not expected to run against colts, but with her change of ownership came a change of plans. Jess Jackson, owner of Curlin, paid the US$100,000 supplemental fee that allowed her to race in the Preakness Stakes. "Rachel Alexandra outruns boys in Preakness", ESPN Rachel Alexandra was the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes in 85 years, since 1924. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird made a late charge and placed 2nd. Rachel Alexandra also was the first horse to win from the 13th post position and was the first Kentucky Oaks winner to also win the Preakness.
On June 27, 2009, Rachel Alexandra ran in the $300,000 Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park, with Calvin Borel as jockey. She was sent off the 1–20 favorite and won by 19 lengths, breaking the stakes record with a time of 1:46:33 as well as the record margin of victory of 13 lengths set by Ruffian in 1975. Despite being eased in the stretch, she ran less than a second slower than Secretariat's 1973 track record of 1:45 in the inaugural Marlboro Cup Sept. 15, 1973. A minus win pool of $18,698 resulted, with no place or show wagering offered. News Daily Racing Form
On August 2, 2009, Rachel Alexandra ran in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park at miles before 37,090 people. Toting 117 lbs, she won by 6 lengths in a time of 1:47.21 on a listed sloppy track. This time was 0.21 seconds off the stakes record and 0.41 seconds off the track record. She was assigned a Beyer Speed Figure rating of 116. This was the highest Beyer Speed Figure of any horse in North America in 2009. In the 42 runnings of the Haskell, fillies have won just twice: Serena's Song in 1995 and Rachel Alexandra.
On September 5, 2009, Rachel Alexandra ran in the $750,000 Grade 1 Woodward Stakes against older male horses at Saratoga Race Course. Following a blistering 22.85 opening quarter, she held off the late-closing Macho Again and won in a time of 1:48.29. Only six other fillies have ever started in this race, and only three finished in the money: Summer Guest finished third in 1972, and Lady's Secret finished 2nd in 1986. Horse racing story Miami Herald Rachel Alexandra was the first filly or mare ever to win the Woodward Stakes. She also was the first 3-year-old filly to win a grade I route dirt race against older males in New York since Lady Primrose won the Manhattan in 1887. Havre de Grace would be the second filly to ever win the Woodward in 2011 Havre de Grace Makes Her Own Woodward History BloodHorse This increased Rachel Alexandra's 2009 winning streak to 9 consecutive victories.
Making her second start of the season on April 30, 2010, Rachel Alexandra finished second by a head to the Rampart Stakes and 2010 Breeder's Cup Ladies Classic winner Unrivaled Belle in the Grade II La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs. Rachel carried the top weight of 124 pounds and gave 4 pounds or more to the rest of the field. The top two finishers both earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103, which was a career high for Unrivaled Belle.
On June 12, 2010, as the 1–10 favorite in a five-horse field, Rachel Alexandra won the mile $214,000 Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap in its 36th running at Churchill Downs. Carrying the top weight of 124 pounds, giving 7–11 pounds to the rest of the field, she put away her rivals at the head of the stretch to win by lengths. News | Daily Racing Form Her finishing time of 1:48.78 was a fraction faster than her Kentucky Oaks victory. She was assigned a Beyer Speed Figure of 109, the highest for any filly or mare thus far that year. Top Ten Race Horses – Horse Racing Winnings | Daily Racing Form
Rachel Alexandra's fourth start in 2010 was Monmouth Park's July 24 Lady's Secret Stakes at a mile and an eighth. The officials at Monmouth Park bumped the purse of the ungraded race from $150,000 to $400,000, contingent upon her starting in the race. The Monmouth race is not to be confused with the Oak Tree/Santa Anita race of the same name. Rachel Alexandra won the Lady's Secret by three lengths.
On 29 August 2010, Rachel Alexandra under Calvin Borel finished second by a length to Persistently at the in the $300,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, a potential prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic. In that race, Rachel Alexandra and champion mare Life at Ten hooked up in a moderate pace. Rachel outlasted Life at Ten but could not hold off Persistently, who passed her 1/16th of a mile before the finish. Calvin Borel, rider aboard Rachel Alexandra, offered no excuses after the GI Personal Ensign, saying, "I had everything my way, and she just got outrun. After we put away Life At Ten at the quarter pole, I didn't feel any acceleration and I got worried. She wasn't really there. I knew if anyone was running behind us, we were in trouble."
"The privilege of owning these horses is like lightning striking twice," said Barbara Banke, wife of Jess Jackson, in a statement. "Rachel Alexandra and Curlin are true champions; both horses embody that intangible equine ideal that separate mere horse from legend. Both Jess and I are so pleased that these powerful bloodlines will pass to future generations." Superstar Mating: Rachel Bred to Curlin | BloodHorse.com During the airing of the 2011 Kentucky Derby on May 7, it was announced that she was carrying a colt by Curlin and was due in February. On January 22, 2012, Rachel Alexandra gave birth to a bay colt with a star. The name of the colt was announced prior to the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga on July 27, 2012. The colt was named Jess's Dream for Jess Jackson, who had owned both. That name was selected by Banke from a contest that drew 6,521 names that fans suggested. The winning name was suggested by Samuel Bucholtz of Chino, California and Craig Duncan of Columbia, Tennessee. Jess's Dream is the first-ever offspring of two Preakness Stakes winners, Curlin having won the race in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009.
Jess's Dream broke his maiden on August 24, 2015, at Saratoga Race Course. Stepping slow out of the gate and rallying from last, he came from the far outside to run past All Rise and Securitiz. He was also ridden by John Velazquez. Jess's Dream didn't race again because of injury and was retired to stud in Ocala, Florida. He was pensioned from stud duty after the 2023 breeding season and euthanized due to laminitis on February 11, 2024.
Chess's Dream (a colt out of Achalaya, by Bellamy Road), became the first stakes winner for Jess's Dream when he won the Group races Kitten's Joy Stakes on turf by three lengths on January 30, 2021.
Rachel's Valentina won her 2-year-old debut on August 8, 2015, by two lengths. She started awkwardly, but recovered quickly to run down Awesome Dame. She was trained by Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez. Six years to the day after Rachel Alexandra became the first filly or mare to win the Woodward Stakes, Rachel's Valentina won the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes, Saratoga's premiere race for two-year-old fillies. Instead of starting in last position, she was third early on and swung to the outside around the turn, ultimately defeating a Tapit filly Tap To It. Due to her win in the Spinaway, Rachel's Valentina earned a spot in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She went off as the second choice and finished second to an undefeated filly named Songbird, who would go on to become a champion. Coincidentally, Songbird is by Medaglia d'Oro, sire of Rachel Alexandra.
As a 3-year-old, Rachel's Valentina finished a close second in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes. She was then made the favorite for the 2016 Kentucky Oaks after Songbird was scratched. Rachel Alexandra had won the Kentucky Oaks by over 20 lengths but Rachel's Valentina ran close to the pace before fading to sixth. She followed this up with a fifth-place finish in the Mother Goose Stakes. On July 24, 2016, Stonestreet Stable announced that Rachel's Valentina "will now retire from racing, sound and injury-free." Rachel's Valentina was bred to Curlin in 2017.
Two times per year, usually in June and September/October, Stonestreet Farm hosts "See Rachel Day" where contest winners can visit with the mare.
Following a widely publicized vote, all three voting blocs ultimately went for Rachel Alexandra for Horse of the Year. The National Turf Writers Association by 71 votes to 51, the Daily Racing Form by a 31 to 23, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association 28 to 25. Rachel Alexandra wins Horse of the Year – ESPN
Rachel Alexandra was the only 3-year-old filly to receive the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award since the Eclipse Awards began in 1971. All 232 ballots were cast for her. Prior to the advent of the Eclipse Awards, there was just the Horse of the Year Award without the rest of the Eclipse Awards. Four other 3-year-old fillies won this, Busher, Twilight Tear, Regret, and Beldame, and one 2-year-old filly (Moccasin).
On September 29, 2010, just days after Rachel Alexandra's retirement was announced, Fair Grounds Race Course renamed the Silverbulletday Stakes to the Rachel Alexandra Stakes to honor her. On April 25, 2016, Rachel Alexandra's induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was announced. The mare was joined by her trainer Steve Asmussen and Zenyatta in the class of 2016.
| 5/22/2008 | Churchill Downs | Maiden | Furlongs | 6 |
| 6/13/2008 | Churchill Downs | Maiden | 5 Furlongs | 1 |
| 2/28/2008 | Churchill Downs | Debutante Stakes | 6 Furlongs | 2 |
| 10/17/2008 | Keeneland | Allowance | 6 Furlongs | 1 |
| 11/1/2008 | Churchill Downs | Pocahontas Stakes | 1 Mile | 2 |
| 11/29/2008 | Churchill Downs | Golden Rod Stakes | Miles | 1 |
| 2/15/2009 | Oaklawn Park | Martha Washington Stakes | 1 Mile | 1 |
| 3/14/2009 | Fair Grounds Race Course | Fair Grounds Oaks | Miles | 1 |
| 4/5/2009 | Oaklawn Park | Fantasy Stakes | Miles | 1 |
| 5/1/2009 | Churchill Downs | Kentucky Oaks | Miles | 1 |
| 5/16/2009 | Pimlico | Preakness Stakes | Miles | 1 |
| 6/27/2009 | Belmont Park | Mother Goose Stakes | Miles | 1 |
| 8/2/2009 | Monmouth Park | Haskell Invitational | Miles | 1 |
| 9/5/2009 | Saratoga Race Course | Woodward Stakes | Miles | 1 |
| 3/13/2010 | Fair Grounds Race Course | New Orleans Ladies Stakes | Miles | 2 |
| 4/30/2010 | Churchill Downs | La Troienne Stakes | Miles | 2 |
| 6/12/2010 | Churchill Downs | Fleur de Lis Handicap | Miles | 1 |
| 7/24/2010 | Monmouth Park | Lady's Secret Stakes | Miles | 1 |
| 8/29/2010 | Saratoga Race Course | Personal Ensign Stakes | Miles | 2 |
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