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"Rachel Alexandra, Offsets Oaks by Twenty+"
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Rachel Alexandra Wows Crowd In Kentucky
On Friday, May 1, 2009 before 104,867 spectators (fourth largest in Oaks history) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY., Rachel Alexandra commanded the crowd to their feet! As all were there to cheer on the overwhelming favorite in the eleventh race on the days card, the 135th running of the Kentucky Oaks. The female version of the Kentucky Derby, I guess you could say. The overwhelming majority had expected victory from the Hal Wiggins trainee, but this was not just another win for the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro. Nor was it just her fifth consecutive win, which is quite a feat racing in Graded Stakes company. Rachel Alexandra in spectacular fashion flew by an amazed crowd, leaving everyone stunned, awed, amazed and thrilled with excitement! Owned by the L and M Partners LLC of Mike Lauffer and Dolph Morrison. Not even her owners and handlers could've predicted what Rachel Alexandra had shown them in this years Oaks! Who could've foreseen the filly would romp so fluidly passing her six overmatched rivals by such a wide margin? Nobody expected to be thoroughly overtaken by such a talent. Just the sight of Rachel Alexandra, was nearly overwhelming, as this beautiful, classy three year old filly appeared to float by the other six fillies in the race, as if they'd been tied to a post. Rachel Alexandra carried Calvin Borel by her rivals in an easy gaited lope, smooth, confident, and effortless. Trained by Hal Wiggens, who admitted post race, "I'd never known what I'd had in this filly, she's just amazing!" Ridden by a very confident, competent Calvin Borel, who said, "Rachel Alexandra is the best horse I've ever been on in my entire life!" Rachel Alexandra set on cruise control won the Oaks by a record 20¼- lengths! Calvin said post race, "I don't even know how good she is, I've never even asked her to run yet!" It was Calvin's fifth consecutive win aboard Rachel Alexandra. Yes, Rachel Alexandra was heavily favored to win this years Oaks, but nobody had predicted just "how she'd do it." | | Everyone expected victory, sure,.... the win would be forthcoming for Rachel Alexandra, but she'd never been asked for any effort by jockey Calvin Borel, who'd just apparently been along for the ride. She won in her way, her style and flew by the Churchill crowd as if wings had been her method of travel in the 135th Kentucky Oaks. Rachel Alexandra under Calvin Borel finished the 1 1/8 miles distance in 1:48.87 over a fast track at Churchill Downs. The time was just a fifth of a second off the Oaks record set six years ago by Bird Town.
Rachel Alexandra had won her previous two starts in gate to wire fashion, but was content to sit just off the pacesetter Gabbys Golden Gal with Victor Espinoza in the irons. Calvin had Rachel positioned just 3/4 of a length off and to the outside of Gabbys Golden Gal. Calvin relaxed with a long cross allowing Rachel to dictate her own race. The first quarter mile in :23.75, and the half in :47.46, and after six furlongs in 1:11.91, Calvin moved Rachel a little further outside and easily sailed by Gabbys Golden Gal. Borel opened up a clear advantage over the field by the time they'd moved into the homestretch, and then Rachel Alexandra in effortless fashion just kept on putting more and more lengths between her and the other six fillies who were racing in a whole other area code by the time Rachel Alexandra, and Calvin Borel slipped under the wire! Stone Legacy finished a very distant second, 4 1/4 lengths in front of Flying Spur who was third. Be Fair was fourth, followed by Nan, Gabbys Golden Gal and Tweeter. Rachel Alexandra won the Grade 1, $554,500 Kentucky Oaks in record fashion. She went her final 1/8 mile in :12 seconds flat. Can you imagine what she might've gone in, had Calvin asked her for a little bit of speed?
Tom Chapman has captured the essence of this grand three year old phenomenon in her moment of glory over the Churchill Downs race course. No doubt Tom spent many long hours capturing the details of this champion filly, and many more spent on capturing the moment, the awestruck crowd, and their elation over the style in which Rachel Alexandra captured the hearts of horse racing fans the world wide on May 1, 2009. There is a lot of fun to be seen in this crowd too, as Tom took some artistic liberties in enjoying his job exploiting some well thought of memories of people, and times in his own life. Get your magnifying glass to see what I'm talking about!!
"Tom has also made this image available to you in three sizes of the wonderful Giclée prints so you can enjoy Rachel Alexandra, as she is seen here winning the Kentucky Oaks in 2009, and have her to keep among your collection of Great Champions at home.
We've enjoyed sharing with you, the many great champions of horse racing past and present, which include some of the finest moments we've ever known in the sport of horse racing. Take care for now, and be sure that you bookmark our web site or save this site to your favorites so you can visit often!
Glad you stopped by Tom Chapman's News, and Please be sure to tell all your friends about the http://www.chapman-arts.com/ web site!Thanks For Visiting Chapman's News,
Laura Jean Hearn, webmaster
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