Rachel Alexandra snaps two-race losing streak, dominates in return to Churchill Downs

Rachel Alexandra is a winner as 4-year-old

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The fans were chanting “Rachel’s back!”, however jockey Calvin Borel wanted to see for himself.

From his perch aboard Rachel Alexandra during the stretch run of the Fleur de Lis Handicap on Saturday at Churchill Downs, Borel took one look behind him and saw the gap between Rachel and the rest of the field growing with every step.

That’s when he knew the fans were right. Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra was, indeed, back.

“You’ve got to give her a chance,” Borel said. “She’s just a filly. She did the impossible as a 3-year-old, and I think you’re going to see a big future.”

The 1-10 favorite dominated a field of five fillies and mares in the scorching heat, roaring to a 10½-length victory in the Grade 2 race. Distinctive Dixie and Jessica Is Back faded to finish second and third.

Rachel’s run — and Borel’s glance at daylight during the stretch — was reminiscent of last year’s Kentucky Oaks on the same track when Rachel won by a record 20¼ lengths.

This was exactly what owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen wanted, and both said they see no reason why she can’t stay on pace to run in the Breeders’ Cup this fall at Churchill.

“This is Rachel,” Asmussen said. “She’s a very special horse, has proven to be so. Hopefully she has a lot of chapters left to write in her life.”

Rachel had finished second in her other two starts in 2010, including her last one April 30 at Churchill in the undercard to the Oaks. Two straight runner-up finishes would be cause for celebration — not alarm — for most horses. But it was a far cry from the Rachel of a year earlier when she had streaked to nine straight wins, including in the Preakness Stakes.

“I guess there’s some relief because naysayers were saying she’s done, no horse has come back and all of that,” Jackson said.

Borel, whose win aboard Rachel was his fourth in the first six starts at Churchill on Saturday, steered her outside the early leader Jessica Is Back. For most of the race, he kept her less than a length off the lead before sweeping past going into the final turn and pulling away from fast-charging Distinctive Dixie.

Temperatures in the mid-90s seemed to faze her a little as the rest of the field did, and Borel said she was nearly perfect considering the conditions.

“She showed up today,” he said. “She felt the same.”

Rachel paid $2.20 and $2.10. Distinctive returned $5.60 to place. Jessica Is Back was third, but the field was too small for show betting.

With Rachel now pointed toward the Breeders’ Cup, fans might get their dream matchup — Rachel against Zenyatta, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic champion. Zenyatta runs Sunday in the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park.

“She showed the stamina and endurance is coming back,” Jackson said, referring to Rachel. “She’s not 100 percent yet compared to last year, but we planned that her progression go slow so that she can last a whole season. We want the campaign to end up at the Breeders’ Cup.”

On a day Rachel was the headliner at Churchill Downs, the Grade 1 feature Stephen Foster Handicap — once considered a possible race for her — took somewhat of a back seat.

Blame, with Garrett Gomez aboard, came charging down the stretch to edge Battle Plan by less than a length. It was the seventh win in 10 lifetime starts — and fourth in a row — for Blame, trained by Albert Stall.

Blame paid $9.80, $4.20 and $3. Favorite Battle Plan returned $3.40 and $3.20. General Quarters was $4 to show.