Preakness:The black-eyed Susan blanket

Mine the bird settled in his box at Pimlico

Great call BI - there's always another race, BC to be precise - lol!

Well done, much respect, Jim.

USA: Rachel Alexandra has finally been guaranteed a place in the field for Saturday's Preakness Stakes - but the 20-length Kentucky Oaks winner will start from the outside post after drawing gate 13 in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

A competitive field will contest the Pimlico Classic, with Rachel Alexandra opposed by shock Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird plus the next three home at Churchill Downs, plus beaten favourite Friesan Fire.

The filly, a short-priced favourite in Britain to overcome the males, has been made 8-5 market leader on the Pimlico morning line.

With no ante-post betting outside Vegas casinos in the States, where only pari-mutuel betting is legal, this is the track's indicative betting forecast before Saturday's race.

Rachel Alexandra's new connections were determined to make the best of the draw, despite no previous Preakness winner having come from stall 13.

"I'd rather have 13 than 1," said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, who has taken over the filly after Curlin's owner Jess Jackson bought her following her Churchill Downs romp.

"I was just talking to Jess and Steve and we're very happy with it, being on the outside," added Blasi.

"You've got along run to the first turn here. I think the race will sort itself out before the first turn. We know the filly does have good tactical speed and she should be able to get a good position going into the first turn."

Calvin Borel will ride Rachel Alexandra in preference to Mine That Bird, who gave him his second Kentucky Derby victory in three years.
Bennie Woolley - Jockey - Calvin Borel

Chip Woolley (right): trainer
PICTURE: Getty Images

Mine That Bird drew post two and was made the 6-1 third choice behind Derby runner-up Pioneerof The Nile, who was rated at 5-1 and got post nine.

Derby-winning trainer Chip Woolley said: "We've got speed on both sides of us. That should clear the way for us and leave us a nice spot to coast down the front side and into the backstretch. It's a nice spot."

Bob Baffert, trainer ofPioneerof The Nile, said: "It's a good spot. I was hoping for nine, ten or 11. Nine is a good spot."

Rated at 6-1 along with the Derby winner is Friesan Fire, 18th of 19 after injuring his near-fore hoof early on in the Derby.

The Larry Jones-trained horse got post five for the Preakness.
Among the newcomers, Big Drama was judged best at 10-1. He drew the rail and is sure to show some of his considerable speed from there in the early going.

Preakness final field with morning-line prices
1. Big Drama (John Velazquez) 10-1
2. Mine That Bird (Mike Smith) 6-1
3. Musket Man (Eibar Coa) 8-1
4. Luv Gov (Jamie Theriot) 50-1
5. Friesan Fire (Gabriel Saez) 6-1
6. Terrain (Jeremy Rose) 30-1
7. Papa Clem (Rafael Bejarano) 12-1
8. General Quarters (Julien Leparoux) 20-1
9. Flying Private (Alan Garcia) 50-1
10. Pioneerof The Nile (Garrett Gomez) 5-1
11. Take The Points (Edgar Prado) 30-1
12. Tone It Down (Kent Desormeaux) 50-1
13. Rachel Alexandra (Calvin Borel) 8-5f

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird exercises with
rider Charlie Figueroa at Pimlico Race Course on Thursday




Rachel Alexandra is ridden by exercise rider
Rudy Gallegos Jr. during a workout

Preakness entrant Rachel Alexandra is schooled
in the paddock by groom Javier Espinoza, left,
and assistant trainer Scott Blasi

Is there any site to watch the Kentucky Oaks?

video is on the forum,will try and find it

Are we going to see the race? Mind you, it's way past my bedtime!

see how rudy Gallegos Jr. is holding on for dear life!

Rachel Alexandra led her male counterparts a merry dance with a hugely impressive victory in the Blackberry Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

The three-year-old, having her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen, was sent off the market-leader having won the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs two weeks ago.

The filly bounced out of her wide draw under Calvin Borel and was soon at the head of affairs.



Jockey Calvin Borel celebrates
aboard Rachel Alexandra


She took a couple of lengths out of her rivals turning for home and although shock Kentucky Derby winner Mind That Bird came with another late surge, Rachel Alexandra kept up the gallop to take top honours.

Rachel Alexandra was becoming the first filly to win the Preakness since Nellie Morse in 1924, and only the fifth filly all told.

She is the first Oaks winner to contest the Preakness.

Borel said: "She struggled with the ground and I think she has become used to the track at Churchill where she just skips along.

"The first quarter was good, then we picked it up heading down the back side and then we slowed it down but the more I asked her, the more she struggled and she'd never been hit before.

"I spotted Mine That Bird but I felt like I had it won. She is the greatest horse I've ever been on in my life. She has not handled the track and still won."

Asmussen was quick to praise the filly's former trainer Hal Wiggins.

The filly would not have lined up in this event had new owners Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick not stepped in to buy the filly after her most recent victory and supplemented her for this race at a cost of

100,000.

"What an amazing 10 days it has been and I can't tell you what a fan of the filly I am. Hal Wiggins and his staff did a great job with her and they deserve a lot of credit," said Asmussen.

"She took it to them and earned this victory. It's great for Mr Jackson to acquire this filly and give her this chance. All the people in the grandstand were cheering and it was absolutely incredible."

Race replay

Back to back she has run the two best races by a 3yo filly in the U. S. A. in memory.

I happen to own a lifetime breeding right in the sire, Medaglia d'Oro, as I sold him to his current owner.

Rachel is from his first crop.

The day before, another first crop filly won the distaff equivalent of the Preakness named the Black-Eyed Susan.