May 1 - Top-rated filly Rachel Alexander will go into today's $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (Gr 1) at Churchill Downs as the race favorite given her immaculate form of late and, assuming she can continue to run the way she has been, should have no problem fending off the other seven fillies in the 1 1/8-mile race.

The Kentucky Oaks will no doubt attract plenty of race goers to Churchill Downs as it is the ideal pre-curser for tomorrow's epic Kentucky Derby. And with the excitement building, trainer Hal Wiggins is confident that Rachel Alexander, with top-class jockey Calvin Borel aboard, will make her mark in the Oaks.

However, like most good trainers, Wiggins is cautious in his optimism ahead of today's outing. 'There are a few fillies in there against us that are really nice so I'm not about to take anything for granted. I'm a little concerned she's gone too fast in her works, but Calvin has reassured me that she's doing it real easy,' he said.

Rachel Alexander will go into the Oaks the heaviest favorite since 1999, when Silverbulletday went into the race at 1-10 and proved victorious that year. In the filly's last race as a two-year-old in November last year, she notched up a memorable win in the $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (Gr 2) at Churchill Downs.

And, as a three-year-old, she has already won three graded stakes races. Her workouts too have been going extremely well, having impressed with her sharp turn of foot on April 16 and 27. As such, bar any unfortunate mishaps, she will definitely be the horse to beat today and her rivals will have some work to do.

One of her biggest rivals will undoubtedly be Justwhistledixie, who has come of five consecutive wins, including the $150,000 Davona Dale Stakes (Gr 2) and the $200,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes (Gr 2) at Gulfstream Park in Florida. Rachel Alexander will also go up against Be Fair and Gabby's Golden Gal.

The remaining runners are Tweeter, Be Fair, Stone Legacy and Nan, none of whom seemed to bother Borel ahead of his ride aboard Rachel Alexander. 'She'll do anything I ask her, and I haven't even asked her for her best yet.' In 2007 the top jockey famously won the Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense.

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2011/12/09 12:48:56 AM