Unrivaled Belle stuck a nose in front of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra just before the wire to complete a stirring stretch duel to score the $400,000 La Troienne Stakes in front of a disappointed crowd at Churchill Downs April 30.

Sent off at 1-5 in a field of 6, Rachel Alexandra suffered consecutive defeats for the first time in her career and remained winless during her 4-year-old campaign. The Medaglia d'Oro filly, who failed in her season debut last month at Fair Grounds, was racing at Churchill for the first time since her record-setting Kentucky Oaks win a year ago.

The two rivals hooked up at the top of the lane after Rachel Alexandra put away Be Fair, who ran step-for-step with the odds-on favorite through opening splits of :24.79 and :48.81. Unrivaled Belle came to take on Rachel Alexandra after advancing four-wide on the second turn, but narrowly trailed for much of the final furlong under Kent Desormeaux. With Calvin Borel aboard and racing along the rail, Rachel Alexandra was game throughout the stretch but could not hold off her rival, who got up in the final few jumps.

The final time for 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track was 1:42.97. Morena was five lengths back in third