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Preakness tide turns for Rachel; filly's spot in race
now likely
By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY
Making room for a star filly?
May 10, 2009 - On Sunday afternoon it appeared there would be enough colts and geldings with modest credentials to keep Rachel Alexandra from strutting her stuff against the boys in Saturday's Preakness Stakes. But by late Sunday night, the co-owner of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird said that he decided not to enter a second horse in the race. And Marylou Whitney, owner of Luv Gov, said that she would not stand in the way of the filly, whose strong workout Sunday prompted her new owner to say she would run if space permitted. The record-setting winner of the Kentucky Oaks zipped 4 furlongs in 48 2/5 seconds Sunday at Churchill Downs in her first work since Jess Jackson became majority owner last week and assigned her to trainer Steve Asmussen. The workout — 13th fastest of 81 drills at that distance — was enough to persuade Jackson to release a statement in which he said he wants her to compete in the Preakness. But he noted, "Triple Crown rules may prevent us from supplementing her." Since Rachel Alexandra was not nominated to Triple Crown races by her previous connections, Jackson would need to pay $100,000 to supplement her. He could only do so if there is room in a field limited to 14 horses. With many owners and trainers believing 50-1 Kentucky Derby champ Mine That Bird is vulnerable and with top contenders recognizing their chances for success are better if the 1 3/16-mile contest represents an all-boys club, the starting gate at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course was filling rapidly. Spokesman Mike Gathagan reported 16 possible entrants as of Sunday evening. Rachel Alexandra, without any urging from jockey Calvin Borel, roared to a record 20¼-length rout May 1 in the Kentucky Oaks, a fillies-only companion race to the Derby. "I want the fans to know we are prepared to enter her and I'm hopeful her entry will be accepted," Jackson said in a statement. "I know we all want the thrill of seeing her race next weekend." Not Bennie Woolley, the trainer who vanned Mine That Bird from New Mexico to Louisville to achieve the second-biggest upset in Derby history at 50-1. If she runs, he will lose his jockey, Borel, who is committed to riding Rachel Alexandra. "Any man would be a fool to welcome that filly. She's tough," Woolley said. However, Mark Allen, Mine That Bird's co-owner, said late Sunday night he would not enter a second horse, Indy Express. "When it comes to Rachel Alexandra, I personally don't think any filly should be in a race against colts at this stage of their careers," Allen said. "But Rachel Alexandra is a superior filly and could be the exception. Mr. Jackson has a great trainer in Steve Asmussen and I'm sure they will make the right decision and Lord help us all if she does get in." Allen also talked about losing Borel. "Calvin Borel is great and did a great job for us," he said. "I also respect him and I completely understand his love for Rachel Alexandra. If the filly gets in we have a commitment from Mike Smith. We have a lot of confidence in Mike." Gary Stute, who conditions fourth-place Derby finisher Papa Clem, agreed on the filly's ability. "She is in a different world from the rest," he said. "She is something spectacular." Trainer D. Wayne Lukas was so unconvinced by Mine That Bird's Derby win on a sloppy track that he is taking another shot with last-place finisher Flying Private. "The universal thinking is he may not be that good," Lukas said. "We've got to see more, or maybe he'll convince us one more time." Lukas, a Hall of Fame trainer who has five Preakness wins, said he wouldn't be surprised if the hopefuls work to try to keep out Rachel Alexandra by entering additional horses. "If they think they can win it without her, I don't think it's completely out of the question that somebody would enter two or three," he said. *** Preakness field taking shape Possible entries into Saturday's $1 million Preakness Stakes.
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