Calvin Borel celebrates his Preakness win aboard Rachel Alexandra (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

"She just wants to run. Gender doesn't matter. A Thoroughbred wants to run, and if a filly is as good as the colts, they ought to compete. That was my position and that's why we came. Monitored her health very carefully to make sure she was fit and ready. I think she could have been even faster if she had a little more time and she had a turf that didn't break away from her as she was running. But, at the same time, she showed the heart and skill of a champion, so I'm delighted that our decision not vindicated but was correct."

—Stonestreet Stable owner Jess Jackson, who purchased RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) early last week following the Kentucky Oaks (G1)

"What an amazing 10 days this has been. I can't tell you what a fan of the filly I've been. They (the filly's former connections) did a great job with her. Mr. Jackson has been rewarded in his faith with her. I am very blessed."

—trainer Steve Asmussen, who took over training duties on Preakness S. (G1) winner Rachel Alexandra last week

V for Victory! (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com)

"I'd love to race in New York. The Belmont is always a consideration for a champion. It will depend on her. The horse always tells you whether they're ready. Steve (Asmussen) can give you more details about that. I've got to talk to Calvin and Steve, of course. That's a decision my partner, Harold McCormick, should make with me as well. We'll wait for three, four days, see how she comes out of the race. Then we'll give her the same scrutiny we did with the vets, and of course working her out and get the opinion of everybody that's involved. Would we love to run? Yes. Could she win? We think so. We've already shown she can run with colts. It's a question now of her best interests. It's always the horse first. "

—Jackson on the possibility of Rachel Alexandra coming back in three weeks in the Belmont S. (G1) on June 6

"Like I told everybody up-front, she's the best horse in the country right now bar none. I can't go back on my word. I won't go back on my word. You know, my filly, she kind of struggled the last -- I want to say the last quarter of a mile. When she went to reaching like I know she can, the ground was breaking out under her a little bit. When she left the gate, she kind of took a little bad step. Because, you know, usually I just let the reins back on in and she just cruises. I had to reach and pick up about the quarter-pole just to support her a little bit, but I think we could have went another round with her. She got so much determination. When you look in the filly's eyes, it's unbelievable. You win."

—jockey Calvin Borel on Rachel Alexandra

Rachel Alexandra silenced all naysayers (Bill Roberts/Horsephotos.com)

"Calvin was the natural rider for this horse. We just had to go through the process of conferring and making sure."

—Jackson on the decision to keep Borel aboard the filly

"Calvin can add a length or so. I think she would have had to struggle more and maybe still win by a nose, but he's a better jock than he's admitting. A difference between a length and nose to nose."

—Jackson crediting the ride Borel gave Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness

"Getting out of the way, you know. Scotty has been with her the whole time, Scott Blasi. Dominick Terry got on her, did a great job with her in the morning. I have the ultimate confidence in them. They're the best there is, and the filly is as talented as advertised, and we've got the saddle to stay on her and got out of the way."

—Asmussen when asked what he's done with Rachel Alexandra during the short time he's had her

"We weren't criticized for running Curlin two years ago in the Preakness because he was obviously a great horse and he had already proven he could run with those three-year-olds. The generation was outstanding, as you know. This in a way is even far more -- I get more satisfaction from it and I'm grateful for the way it turned out more than the Curlin race, believe it or not. Because at this point, there was a lot of social criticism and doubt about whether she was capable of it, and I think I would have taken a little heat if she hadn't performed well. So that's a great relief. You have that off your shoulders."

—Jackson on how this Preakness win feels compared to Curlin's victory in 2007

Rachel Alexandra's silks now adorn the weather vane at Pimlico (Patrick Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

"I definitely do. I think the Thoroughbred racing industry needs better marketing. We've broadened the market by attracting I don't know how many thousands of young people, especially young girls to watch their heroine run, and that's good for racing. Just the issue. It gave all you guys something to write about. It was something that was valuable to the horse industry. To have controversy is good. Competition is good. And so from a marketing standpoint, it was the right thing to do."

—Jackson on whether the controversy surrounding Rachel Alexandra running in the Preakness has helped the racing industry

"No complaints at all. I had a good trip, except at one point at the five-sixteenths-pole. I had to stop riding for three jumps. I think that cost me second place."

—jockey Eibar Coa, who guided MUSKET MAN (Yonaguska) to a third-place finish in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness

"Flying Private ran a hell of a race. He really ran well. We went from 19th in the Derby to fourth in the Preakness. I'm happy. He liked the track a little bit better and he came running. I think we'll see if he's fine and go on to the Belmont, which has been our goal since Day One."

—trainer D. Wayne Lukas on Preakness fourth FLYING PRIVATE (Fusaichi Pegasus)

Rachel Alexandra stared down the competition in the Preakness (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com)

"I'm pretty disappointed. I didn't see any excuses for him. He was in perfect position and just came up a little empty in the lane, but Rafael (Bejarano) rode him perfect."

—trainer Gary Stute reacting to PAPA CLEM's (Smart Strike) sixth-place run in the Preakness

"She's pretty super right now, I'll tell you that. Mine that Bird ran a big race, too. You've got to give him a lot of credit."

—Stute giving credit to both Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird

"I thought with the quick early pace we might be able to make a good run at it. But there was no catching Rachel Alexandra. She ran great. I'm not sure where our race is going to be."

—Al Stall Jr., trainer of Preakness seventh TERRAIN (Sky Mesa)

"He's a runner. It's one of those races I'd like to get back again. The trip was beautiful to the quarter pole. I tried to split horses. (The hole) closed and came back. I had at least the second best horse here. It might have been a real horse race if I got through."

—jockey Jeremy Rose on his ride aboard Terrain