Rachel works half-mile right on schedule

Rachel Alexandra worked a half-mile in 50.40 seconds Monday morning at Fair Grounds, her first workout since her 2010 debut, a second-place finish to Zardana in the New Orleans Ladies on March 13.

The day after Rachel Alexandra was defeated in the Ladies, her majority owner, Jess Jackson, announced that Rachel Alexandra would not contest the April 9 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park. Rachel Alexandra's connections had hoped that their horse could be readied properly for the Apple Blossom and a race against Zenyatta, a matchup that would have triggered a $5 million purse for the race.

No specific race plans for Rachel Alexandra have been announced, but she appears to be on a normal schedule for a Steve Asmussen-trained horse in steady preparation for a race. Rachel Alexandra began galloping again late last week, and her work Monday was typical for the Asmussen barn, an easy half-mile nine days after a race.

Asmussen said early Monday afternoon that Rachel Alexandra would have one more timed workout at Fair Grounds, on Monday, before shipping north to Churchill Downs with many other Asmussen horses on Tuesday, March 30.