Rachel Alexandra became the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes since 1924, holding off a late charge by Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird to capture the middle jewel of the US Triple Crown by a length on Saturday. A rangy bay who is as big as most of the horses she beat, Rachel Alexandra shot to the front and took a sizable lead before Mine That Bird tested her in the straight. The favorite beat him by a length in her first race against the boys. Calvin Borel, who rode Mine That Bird in the Derby, validated his switch to Rachel Alexandra by guiding her to a sixth straight victory. Now Borel may get a shot at a personal Triple Crown, if Rachel Alexandra goes on to the Belmont Stakes in three weeks. The 1½-mile race is the most grueling of the three. “I'm not worried about nothing,” he said. “It's going to take a racehorse to beat her.” Musket Man finished third, as he did in the Derby, followed by Flying Private and Big Drama. The only filly in the 13-horse race, Rachel Alexandra covered the 1 3-16th miles (1,900 meters) in 1:55.08. The winner earned $660,000 from the purse of $1.1 million. Papa Clem was sixth, followed by Terrain, Luv Gov, General Quarters, Friesan Fire, Pioneerof the Nile, Tone It Down and Take the Points. The last filly to win the Preakness was Nellie Morse in 1924. Rachel Alexandra became the second filly to go off as the wagering favorite and win. Rachel Alexandra stumbled slightly leaving the gate, then stuck her head in front at the first turn and refused to give way. Her first challenge was to get rid of Big Drama, a persistent presence from inside down the backside and into the final turn. Once she shook him loose and opened up the four-length lead at the top of the straight, Mine That Bird made a run at her. “I'm thrilled to death with the race my little horse ran,” said Chip Woolley Jr., who trains Mine That Bird. “You have to give that filly credit. She's a great one.” She crossed the finish line to the cheers of 77,850 fans - the smallest crowd since 1983 - at Pimlico Racecourse. “Awesome,” said Bob Baffert, who trains Pioneerof the Nile. “Rachel Alexandra is amazing. She took the heat and kept on going.” The ending was far different from the last time a filly challenged the boys. Eight Belles finished a gallant second in last year's Kentucky Derby, then broke both front legs while galloping past the finish line and was destroyed on the track. This time, it was all cheers. No tears. Rachel Alexandra, marked by two white spots on her head, wasn't even supposed to be in the Preakness. Her original owners, who named the filly after a 13-year-old granddaughter, didn't nominate her to the Triple Crown races, believing fillies should run only against their own gender. After her stunning victory by 20¼ lengths in the Kentucky Oaks, the day before the Derby, Rachel Alexandra was sold to Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick. They ponied up $100,000 to buy her a spot in the race.
