Horse Racing

Rachel Alexandra Basking In Glory Of Win

BALTIMORE - Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird, the first two finishers in a thrilling, historic Preakness Stakes on Saturday here at Pimlico, are headed back to Churchill Downs in the same order, but the order of their next starts may be reversed.

Rachel Alexandra, who added the Preakness to her Kentucky Oaks win 15 days earlier, left Pimlico early Sunday morning for a flight to Kentucky. After seeing her off from the stakes barn, her trainer, Steve Asmussen, said he would consult with majority owner Jess Jackson before deciding where to run the filly next.

Asmussen said no decision had been made on whether to run Rachel Alexandra on June 6 in the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown. But Asmussen did allow on Sunday morning that he didn't "feel the urgency" to run her in the Belmont like he did the Preakness.

"That thought crosses my mind," Asmussen said. "I like the sound of 'front-runner for Horse of the Year.' "

Asmussen said Rachel Alexandra had come out of the Preakness well. He expected her to return to the track at Churchill Downs on Wednesday, and have her next workout on May 25.

"I'm very pleased with her," Asmussen said. "She's very special."

By contrast, Mine That Bird is a definite for the Belmont. After winning the Kentucky Derby, Mine That Bird turned in another strong effort in the Preakness. He was scheduled to travel by van with his trainer, Chip Woolley, back to Churchill Downs on Monday. Woolley said he was eager to run in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.

"I don't know if it's as much the distance as it is the track," Woolley said. "It has wider, sweeping turns. This track, with his running style, it doesn't set up as well for him. Once he got into the stretch and got clear he came running. But on the turn, horses stack up."

Woolley said Mine That Bird's legs were "clean as a whistle" despite him having to check sharply to avoid traffic at the quarter pole.

"If he'd have had a little cleaner run, he might have had a chance of beating her," Woolley said. "But with a horse who comes from last, there's always a concern you're going to hit traffic. And we can't change his running style, because then he won't finish. He didn't get the trip. My horse ran a great race. He just got beat."

Woolley said he likely would leave Churchill Downs for Belmont Park the Monday or Tuesday of Belmont week. He said he was leaning toward vanning to New York, but said there was a chance he could fly "because it's a little longer trip."

Of the remaining Preakness runners, only fourth-place finisher Flying Private is certain to come back in the Belmont.

Big Drama, who was fifth, is going to Monmouth Park, where his main summer goal will be the Haskell Invitational, trainer David Fawkes said.

The Haskell also has been the next major objective stated by trainer Derek Ryan for Musket Man, who finished third in the Preakness. Ryan said after the Derby that Musket Man would run in the Preakness or the Belmont, but not both.

Papa Clem, who was sixth, is heading back to California and will be freshened until the summer, trainer Gary Stute said.

General Quarters, who was ninth, will return to Churchill Downs and not contest the Belmont, Tom McCarthy, his owner and trainer, said Sunday morning.

Friesan Fire, who finished 10th, also will get a brief vacation.

"We're not pushing Belmont way," trainer Larry Jones said Sunday.

The Belmont field is expected to include Chocolate Candy, Dunkirk, Mr. Hot Stuff, and Summer Bird - all of whom ran in the Derby and skipped the Preakness - as well as Triple Crown newcomers Charitable Man, Gitano Hernando, and Miner's Escape.