Rachel 'Doing Great,' Ships to Ky. Tuesday

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Photo: NYRA

Rachel Alexandra is enjoying a well-deserved vacation at Saratoga.

Rachel Alexandra is enjoying her well-deserved vacation at Saratoga following an arduous and ambitious campaign that culminated with a memorable victory over older males in the Sept. 5 Woodward Stakes (gr. I). The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro   will ship back to Churchill Downs on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

“We backed off of her training and she’s doing great,” said Steve Asmussen's assistant trainer Scott Blasi. “We’ve had some cool nights and beautiful days up here at Saratoga and we’ve been able to turn her out in the round pen for a couple of hours a day. Her attitude has been wonderful, and physically, she’s in great shape. It’s been nice to have her up here in this atmosphere. She’s been relaxing, and because the weather has been so good, she’s been able to hang out in 60- and 70-degree weather and stay in light training.

“As of now, we’re planning on leaving Tuesday by van. We’ll wrap her in bubble wrap and she’ll be at Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

“She still gets quite a few visitors up here, and it’s nice that everybody cares so much about her. She’s been able to let down for a little bit and be more of a horse for a little while, instead of being in constant training. She shipped to seven different racetracks this year, and right after a race she gets on a van, so it was nice after the Woodward, with the meet ending two days later, to have her in this environment where she hasn’t had to travel and hasn’t had any pressure put on her. And they can feel that. With just light training, she knows we’re not getting her cranked up for a race, and her attitude has been great. For her to have the pressure she’s had and still be such a sweetheart is amazing.”

Blasi said that Spinaway (gr. I) winner Hot Dixie Chick will be given some time off and probably will start back at the end of November at Fair Grounds. Kensei, winner of the grade II Dwyer and Jim Dandy, worked six furlongs in 1:12  and change over the Oklahoma training track and is scheduled to run in the Jerome Handicap (gr. I) Oct. 11.

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