Rachel Alexandra Makes History in New York

Three-year-old Rachel Alexandra won her eighth race in as many outings this year when she became the first filly to win the Sept. 5 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga in New York.

Rachel Alexandra drew much acclaim earlier this year when she won the Kentucky Oaks for fillies rather than racing in the Kentucky Derby against males, then beat the boys her age in the Preakness Stakes in her next outing.

Prior to the Woodward--where she faced older males for the first time--she beat 3-year-old males in the Haskell Invitational and ran away from other fillies her age in a record-breaking performance in the Mother Goose, where she won by more than 19 lengths.

In the Woodward she set an extremely fast pace, then Macho Again charged from last to challenge Rachel Alexandra, but was unable to catch her. Rachel Alexandra held off Macho Again by a head to win. Only one other filly had raced in the Woodward since 1972, and that filly finished third.