Rachel Alexandra's daughter wins career debut

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Rachel’s Valentina did her mother proud Sunday at Saratoga.

Rachel’s Valentina, the second foal out of champion mare Rachel Alexandra but the first to make it to the races, made an auspicious debut, winning by two lengths despite racing wide throughout. She ran six furlongs in a sharp 1:10.39 over a fast main track.

Rachel Alexandra - purchased privately after her 2009 Kentucky Oaks win by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stable - was the 2009 Horse of the Year based on wins in the Oaks, the Preakness, and a victory over older males in the Grade 1 Woodward, a victory that literally shook the Saratoga rafters that afternoon.

“It means a lot, it means a lot,” said Barbara Banke, who took over Stonestreet - which bred and owns Rachel’s Valentina - after her husband died in 2011. “I have to be at a dinner in California tonight so I stayed just to watch this race. Awesome. It’s great.”

Rachel’s Valentina, a daughter of 2006 champion 3-year-old Bernardini, had worked well in the mornings, but she had been a little slow away from the gates on two occasions. Sunday, she broke a little inward and bumped with Nickname. Jockey John Velazquez was able to get Rachel’s Valentina to the outside and in the clear and she stalked a solid pace of 22.25 seconds for the quarter and 45.75 for the half.

Rachel’s Valentina remained four to five wide in the stretch, but she appeared to get stronger in the stretch and she easily went by Awesome Dame en route to the two-length victory. She returned $4.10 as the favorite.

“I thought she ran fantastic,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I was a little concerned this would be too short for her, but she was just so professional, so talented. She broke okay, put herself in a decent spot, I felt like the further she went, the stronger she got. I loved the way she finished, loved the way she galloped out. Extremely professional before and after the race. Everything you could hope for in a debut.”

Pletcher said it’s possible Rachel’s Valentina could come back in the Grade 1 Spinaway here on Sept. 5.

Rachel Alexandra has had only two foals. Her first, Jess’s Dream, is by Curlin and is in training at Saratoga but it’s unclear when he will make it to the races. Rachel Alexandra had complications after foaling Rachel’s Valentina in 2013. She has not been bred since.

Banke sounded as if it was unlikely that Rachel Alexandra would be bred again.

“I think I’d have a heart attack somewhere in the process,” Banke said. “Never say never. The vets say it would be okay but I don’t know. I’m not sure I can take it. But she’s happy and we’re happy to have her happy.”