Female runners who typified the depth of the division in their eras (wins over males in bold).

1944-46

Twilight Tear
1944 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly, Hall of Fame
Major wins:
1944 – Pimlico Special, Washington Park Classic, CCA Oaks, Acorn Stakes, Pimlico Oaks

JESS STONESTREET JACKSON

Stable name: Stonestreet Stables

Business: Owned Kendall-Jackson Winery in California. Previously practiced law, specializing in real estate law.

Birthdate: Feb. 18, 1930

Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly, was bred to two-time Horse of the Year Curlin on Monday morning, Stonestreet Thoroughbreds announced.

It was the first mating for Rachel Alexandra, a 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro mare. It took place at 9 a.m. at the Farish family’s Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky., where Curlin stands for a $40,000 fee this year. The Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings of Jess Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, own both Rachel Alexandra and Curlin.

Jan. 16
Owner Jerry Moss brings Zenyatta out of retirement and says she will begin her 2010 campaign in the Santa Margarita on March 13.

Jan. 18
Rachel Alexandra beats out Zenyatta for the 2009 Horse of the Year title, earning 130 first-place votes to 99 for Zenyatta.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – God-like creatures that they were, at least to New York baseball fans, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays faced off in only one World Series during their careers in the city, in 1951, when both were rookies. As showdowns go, it was hardly the stuff of drama. The Yankees won in six. Mays had four hits for the Giants, and Mantle blew his knee chasing a fly ball hit by Mays part way through Game 2.

Rachel Alexandra, who was unable to return to her 2009 Horse of the Year form, has been retired from racing, her connections announced Tuesday afternoon.

Though all signs point to reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra running in this weekend's Grade 1, $350,000 Beldame at Belmont, her connections have still not officially confirmed that she is running in the 1 1/8-mile race.

At Saratoga on Monday, Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in 48.45 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. It was the fastest of 50 works at the distance. Saratoga clockers caught her first quarter in 24.95 seconds and her second quarter in 23.50 while galloping out in 1:01.09.

ELMONT, N.Y. – If the connections of Rachel Alexandra were looking for a sign on what to do next, perhaps the reigning Horse of the Year supplied them one with a solid five-furlong workout Monday morning over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track.

Rachel Alexandra returned to the track Thursday morning for the first time since her one-length defeat to Persistently in Sunday’s Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Rachel Alexandra galloped one mile over the Oklahoma training track.

“I’m very pleased with how she went back,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen reiterated that he will likely wait until Sept. 13 to work Rachel Alexandra again. Typically, she breezes nine days after a race, which would have had her returning to the work tab next Tuesday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Still stung by her loss in Sunday’s Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes, the connections of Rachel Alexandra were not prepared on Monday to look ahead to the racing future of the reigning Horse of the Year.

“We all have to take a step back and see how things go,” said Barbara Banke, the wife of Jess Jackson, the primary owner of Rachel Alexandra. “You bet we’ll be thinking about what we should do. We want to do what’s best for her, so we’ll figure it out.”