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Rachel Alexandra wires Golden Rod L and M Partners' RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) took the lead soon after the start of Saturday's $162,900 Golden Rod S. (G2) at Churchill Downs and proceeded to set splits of :23 3/5, :47 4/5, 1:12 2/5 and 1:36 4/5 en route to capturing the 1 1/16-mile event in a stakes-record 1:43. With Calvin Borel sitting chilly in the saddle, the Hal Wiggins charge was 4 3/4 lengths clear of her closest rival on the line to return $8.20, $4 and $2.80 as the 3-1 third choice. "I told Calvin in the paddock that you might find yourself on the lead," Wiggins said. "I told him, 'If you're on the lead, don't worry about it. Just sit there and let her relax.' He rode a really, really nice race." "She had kind of a bad trip last time," Borel said of Rachel Alexandra's run in the Pocahontas S. (G3). "She was stuck on the inside of horses and stuff. She couldn't really overcome it. I think the farther she goes the better she'll get." Sara Louise (Malibu Moon) was content to settle in third on the backstretch and put in a game rally that was no match for the winner but easily overtook War Echo (Tapit), who had tracked Rachel Alexandra on the outside throughout the race. Sent off the 8-5 second pick, Sara Louise finished 7 1/4 lengths in front of War Echo and gave back $3 and $2.30 while ending the $20.20 exacta. Show was worth $3.40 at 6-1 and the trifecta paid $77.20. Dream Empress (Bernstein), the 7-5 favorite in the six-filly field, ran in last during the early part of the race and could do no better than fourth when staging a mild rally in the stretch. She ended the 4-1-7-3 superfecta that totaled $124.40. Super Poni (Volponi) came next with Pearl of Valor (Medaglia d'Oro) rounding out the field. Dance With Daddy (Even the Score) was scratched. Rachel Alexandra broke her maiden in her second try at Churchill Downs, then finished just a half-length back in second in the Debutante S. (G3) when making her stakes debut next out. The juvenile miss added an allowance score to her line at Keeneland and returned to Churchill to run second in the Pocahontas prior to finally breaking through with a first black-type victory here. Her fondness of Churchill's dirt continues to serve her well and could come in handy next spring. "That's what we're pointing for," Wiggins said when asked about the Kentucky Oaks (G1). "We're going to (Oaklawn Park in) Hot Springs with her. They've got a three-year-old series and the Fair Grounds has a three-year-old filly series. We'll pick one or two of those races. We don't want to dance every dance because we want to be ready for the Oaks and maybe the Ashland ([G1] at Keeneland) before that. That's what we're planning." Bred in Kentucky by co-owner Dolphus C. Morrison, Rachel Alexandra is the first registered foal out of stakes winner Lotta Kim (Roar), who finished second in the 2003 edition of the Golden Rod and has a yearling colt named Empire Ruler (Empire Maker). The Golden Rod connection continues in Rachel Alexandra's female family as 2001 Pocahontas S. winner Lotta Rhythm (Rhythm), a half-sister to Lotta Kim, ran third in that same year's running. Another notable runner in the line include this season's Tejano Run S. victor, High Blues (High Yield). With the Golden Rod winner's share, Rachel Alexandra has accumulated $201,440 in lifetime earnings to go along with a 6-3-2-0 mark.
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