February 3 - 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra made a welcome return to her training regime on Sunday, when she worked a 1/2 mile in 52 seconds at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans, the first time she's been timed since she won the Woodward Stakes (Gr 1) in September last year.

In an early morning work for the exceptional filly, Rachel was led out onto the track at about 6:30 with her regular exercise rider Dominic Terry aboard. She was accompanied by assistant trainer Scott Blasi on a pony. After the horses were walked up past the finish line and turned around, the work began.

Leaving Blasi behind, Terry kept to the middle of the track for a slow gallop for most of the backstretch. Having not been pushed for some time, even the casual observer could see that Rachel Alexandra was raring to go. As such Terry let the filly go between the 1/2 mile and 3/8 poles and she ran hard.

'Perfect as always,' said Terry after the work. 'She was relaxed and steady. Covered the ground great and galloped out very nicely.' While Rachel has not been timed until Sunday, she has been jogged for the past couple months at Fair Grounds. But now it seems her training will start in earnest.

Said Blasi after the session, 'Dominic does a great job, a perfect work. You have to trick Rachel into going that slow. I asked for a touch slower, but it's physically impossible for her.' The work is expected to be the first of many weekly breezes for the filly as she is brought back up to form for the season ahead.

'We'll progress from here, and she'll breeze weekly from here on,' said Blasi, who works for top-rated trainer Steve Asmussen. 'I am happy with how manageable she is, and how happy she is to be out there. You can tell by her body language.' However, when Rachel makes her 2010 debut is anyone's guess.

Up until now Rachel's connections have yet to announce her schedule. But whichever Gr 1 race they choose to enter her in, you can bet your bottom dollar that horseracing fans from across the United States and beyond will tune in to see if she can continue her unbroken winning streak into the new year.