Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick’s Rachel Alexandra arrived in Louisiana Nov. 27 but probably won’t race until March or April.
Rachel Alexandra shipped by van from Churchill Downs to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots without incident, Fair Grounds officials said. The filly hasn’t raced since early September but had begun jogging at Churchill for trainer Steve Asmussen.
“Everything will be about her physical condition from one day to the next and will culminate with racing, but it’s going to be about what she’s up to today,” Asmussen said. “You don’t want her to be stale or disinterested, and you don’t want her doing too much.”
Asmussen told Fair Grounds officials Rachel Alexandra, by Medaglia d'Oro , probably won’t make her 4-year-old debut until March or April. “At this time of year, you’re talking about weather and holidays and all that,” the trainer said.
Asmussen said if Rachel Alexandra “drops her head and walks around the barn good, we’ll start again taking her and jogging her.”
Rachel Alexandra, in a battle with Jerry and Ann Moss’ Zenyatta for Horse of the Year honors, won the Kentucky Oaks, BlackBerry Preakness Stakes, Haskell Invitational, and Woodward Stakes (all grade I) this year, also won a stakes at Fair Grounds: the grade II Fair Grounds Oaks.