"People don't think she can do it against the boys...but its not about gender, its about the best athlete...Gender doesn't matter. A thoroughbred wants to run! If a filly is as good as the colts, then she ought to compete..."-Jess Jackson, new owner of Rachel Alexandra
Her name is Rachel Alexandra, she is three years old, she never ran against boys, but yesterday she showed what Girl Power can do. The boys never really had a chance with her in the race!
In a field of thirteen horses entered into yesterday's 134th running of The Preakness Stakes she was the last to load into the starting gate,at post 13, and the first to cross the finish line. After a stumble coming through the gate she went from seventh to first in a blink of an eye and won by a length shaking off only one serious challenge down the stretch from Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird. She was a 9-5 favorite but no one thought she could seriously challenge the boys despite her convincing win at Kentucky Oaks. Her former owners refused to enter her into the Kentucky Derby assuming the conventional wisdom that a nice girl should not run with the rough boys.
It has been 85 years since a filly, Nellie Morse in 1924, won the Preakness. This race wasn't supposed to be for girls, her former owners were not going to enter her and rival owners tried to block her entry-maybe they saw what was coming? After a strong win in Kentucky Oaks she was sold and the new owners made the decision to enter her despite the advice that she should only run against other girls. Obviously she has something special as Calvin Borel,the winning jockey from the Kentucky Derby, opted to ride Rachel Alexandra and not Mine that Bird-"She's the best horse in the country right now,bar none," Borel said. You Go Girl! The Lady is a Champ!
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