Rachel Alexandra Towers Over Mother Goose Field
POSTED: 3:19 pm EDT June 24,
2009
Elmont, NY -- (Sports Network) - Leading three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra, heads a field of five females for Saturday's $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park. The three-year-old fillies will fight it out over 1 1/8 miles on Belmont's main track.Owned by Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick, the Preakness Stakes winner will start from post three with Calvin Borel returning for the ride. Three weeks ago Borel was aboard Mine That Bird in the Belmont Stakes when the gelding finished third. Rachel Alexandra destroyed the competition in the Kentucky Oaks this year by better than 20-lengths. Currently on a six race winning streak, the three- year-old has career earnings of $1,618,354 with eight wins in 11 starts. In 2009 alone the filly has won more than $1.4 million. "She gave a brilliant race last time," Jackson noted. "She's tested, healthy and ready to run." During a teleconference on Wednesday, Jackson hinted at some of the possible races his filly could compete in after Saturday. "Coaching Club Oaks, Delaware Handicap and Haskell are all races we're considering," Jackson said. "I want to keep her as fit as possible to give her a fourth year." Calvin Borel has been in the saddle throughout her win streak and has the greatest respect for her ability. "I have a lot of confidence in her," Borel said. "She looks so good in training. We have nothing to prove. She's an unbelievable filly." Trainer Steve Asmussen shipped the filly to New York on Tuesday from their Churchill Downs base. In honor of Rachel Alexandra racing at Belmont Park, the track will give away pink bracelets embossed with the filly's name and admission for ladies will be free on Saturday. Here is the complete field for the Mother Goose Stakes in post position order: Hopeful Image, Edgar Prado; Don't Forget Gil, Alan Garcia' Rachel Alexandra, Calvin Borel; Malibu Prayer, John Velazquez and Flashing, Javier Castellano. Castellano won last year's running with Music Note while Velazquez took the 2007 Mother Goose aboard Octave. Prado won consecutive editions in 2005 and 2006 with Smuggler and Bushfire, repsectively. The Mother Goose has a scheduled post-time of 5:17 P.M. (et) with all five fillies carrying 121 pounds.
Copyright 2009 Courtesy of The Sports Network.







