Rachel Alexandra works six furlongs at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On a picture-postcard morning at the Spa, Rachel Alexandra worked a strong six furlongs over the Oklahoma training track on Monday, as she nears a scheduled start in the $400,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park a week from Saturday.

With the sun barely at treetop level and a thick fog shrouding most of the course, the reigning Horse of the Year came onto the track shortly before 6 a.m. and promptly went about her business under Shaun Bridgmohan, rambling through six furlongs in 1:12.45 seconds.

The move was termed “handily” by Saratoga clockers, who caught Rachel Alexandra in fractions of 13.20 for the first eighth of a mile, 36.40 for three furlongs, and 48.00 for the first half-mile. The half-mile pole was totally blanketed by fog.

Rachel Alexandra galloped out seven-eighths in 1:25.80 and a mile in 1:38.40 before vanishing into the early-morning mist, much to the dismay of a dozen or so photographers who lined the rail.

As the 2010 American Racing Manual cover girl came off the track, trainer Steve Asmussen summed up her morning exercise succinctly: “She’s Rachel, she’s incredible,” and added the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro remains on course to make her 18th career start in the 1 1/16-mile Lady’s Secret on July 24.

This was Rachel Alexandra’s fourth and longest work since a dominating victory in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs on June 12 – her 12th lifetime win and first as a 4-year-old following runner-up finishes in the New Orleans Ladies and the La Troienne.

Jessica Is Back, who set the pace and finished third, more than a dozen lengths behind Rachel Alexandra in the Fleur de Lis, came back to win the Grade 1 Princess Rooney at Calder last Saturday.

Following a five-furlong workout last Monday, this was the second work for Rachel Alexandra since she arrived back at Saratoga, where she put forth a rafter-shaking performance to win the Woodward Stakes last September.