Jess Jackson

(November 23, 2008) – Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Curlin, North America’s reigning Horse of the Year and the continent’s richest racehorse of all time with earnings of $10,501,800, will be paraded one final time at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 29 – closing day of the 26-day Fall Meet.

Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick’s reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will try to regain her winning ways on Saturday when she faces four rivals as an overwhelming favorite in the 36th running of $200,000-added Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs.

Jockey Calvin Borel has reached an agreement with the new owners of Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) winner Rachel Alexandra to ride the 3-year-old filly through the “current racing season.”

CHAMPION RACHEL ALEXANDRA TAKES IT EASY ON MUGGY MORNING AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra returned to serious training after her 10 ½-length romp in the $200,000-added Fleur de Lis (Grade II) on June 12 with an easy half-mile work on a muggy Monday at Churchill Downs.

The stars of the 2009 Triple Crown season ignored rainy weather at Churchill Downs on Monday as Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner and Preakness (GI) runner-up Mine That Bird and the Preakness-winning filly Rachel Alexandra turned in workouts over a “sloppy” track.

Stonestreet Stable’s Kantharos overcame a stumble at the break to cruise to a 9 ½-length victory over Lou Brissie to win the 109th running of the $108,200 Bashford Manor Presented by Fasig-Tipton (Grade III) on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Preakness Stakes (Grade I) and Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Rachel Alexandra turned in solid six-furlong workout Monday at Churchill Downs as the team behind the 3-year-daughter of Medaglia d’Oro considers her next start.

 

Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra is targeting Friday’s Grade II, $400,000-added La Troienne Stakes on the Kentucky Oaks (GI) undercard at Churchill Downs for her next start, majority owner Jess Jackson said by phone Saturday.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA MOVES TO NEW BARN – Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick’s new purchase Rachel Alexandra began her new life in the care of trainer Steve Asmussen on Thursday morning by galloping once around a sloppy Churchill Downs main track under exercise rider Dominic Terry.

Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra shrugged off a challenge from Distinctive Dixie at the head of the stretch and cruised to a 10 ½-length victory in the 36th running of the $214,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

After two days off and a 9 ½-hour van ride from Baltimore, Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird returned to the track at Churchill Downs for a light jog on Tuesday.

MINE THAT BIRD ZIPS IN WORKOUT, COULD RACE THIS WEEKEND – Mine That Bird, upset winner of the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), turned in a sharp five-furlong work on Monday at Churchill Downs in preparation for a possible return to racing at the historic track this weekend.

With firm knowledge that the Preakness (Grade I)-winning filly Rachel Alexandra would pass on a possible run in the third jewel of the Triple Crown, trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr. and jockey Calvin Borel are both enthusiastically looking forward to the Belmont Stakes and a bid to take two-thirds of the crown with Kentucky Derby (GI) winner and Preakness runner-up Mine That Bird.

Reigning "Horse of the Year" Curlin is back in familiar surroundings at Churchill Downs following a Monday flight from southern California and the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), Preakness (GI) and Woodward (GI) winner Rachel Alexandra – the 3-year-old filly who is a front-runner for honors as America’s “Horse of the Year,” returned to her home base at Churchill Downs early Wednesday.