Rachel Alexandra turned in yet another dominating performance in a campaign for the ages when she captured the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park before a crowd of 37,009 Aug. 2.
With regular rider Calvin Borel at the controls, Rachel Alexandra raced three-wide just off the pacesetter Munnings, took charge leaving the final turn and drew off under some left-handed urging to win by six lengths. It was her second win over males–she won the Preakness May 16–and improved her record to seven-for-seven in 2009. She has won eight races in a row.

The impressive winning time for the 1 1/8-mile test was 1:47 21, just two ticks off the track mark set by Spend a Buck in 1985 (1:46.80). Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird finished second, with two-time grade II winner Munnings third. Winning trainer Steve Asmussen, who also captured the $750,000 West Virginia Derby with Soul Warrior, and the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes with Kensei a day earlier, completed a sweep of major 3-year-old events during a dream weekend. Owner Jess Jackson has indicated that he would like to run the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro once more against males this season in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. But Jackson also owns Kensei, who after his overpowering win in the Jim Dandy, is also poised for Saratoga’s mid-summer classic.

Rachel Alexandra

Rachel Alexandra.
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