Personal Ensign Stakes for Rachel Alexandra

Previously won by horses such as War Hero, Birdstone, Street Sense and Summer Bird, the Travers Stakes is one of the most memorable events on the horse racing calendar. Named in honor of William R. Travers, the race was inaugurated in 1864, and has developed into a spectacular Grade I flat horse racing event for three-year-old fillies, colts and geldings. It is the highlight event for the Saratoga Racecourse horse racing season, and it was recently announced that Rachel Alexandra will be in the paddocks on the same weekend as this wonderful event.

The Travers Stakes will be held on Saturday, 28 August 2010, and many suspect the fact that Rachel Alexandra will be attending will overshadow the event itself. Chosen as the 2009 Horse of the Year, this magnificent filly, along with Zenyatta, has captured the hearts and imaginations of the horse racing industry, and is considered as the one of the most remarkable fillies of our time. She has managed to capture events such as the Haskell Invitational, the Woodward Stakes, Lady’s Secret Stakes and the Fleur de Lis Handicap, to name but a few. Now she will be looking at adding the Personal Ensign Stakes to her distinguished list of victories. She is trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Stonestreet Stable, of which Jess Jackson is co-owner. The Personal Ensign Stakes is the fifth race of the day on Sunday and is also a Grade I event. Held for fillies and mares three years and older, it is run over a distance of ten furlongs. This will be the first time that Rachel Alexandra attempts this distance.

Steve Asmussen is very confident in her abilities and pleased with her training, commenting: “She’s a year older now and carries a little more weight than she did when she ran here last summer. She’s more relaxed, happy, and loose. She knows what her job is now. Her last race was very good and hopefully this race will be a building block, a bridge, towards the rest of the year.” Many hope to see Rachel Alexandra competing in the Breeders’ Cup, but as yet nothing has been made public in regard to her next appearance.