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2009 Preakness Stakes Results

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Filly Rachel Alexandra Makes History by Winning 2009 Preakness Stakes

For the first time since 1924 a filly has won the Preakness Stakes. But don't kid yourself, it wasn't as easy as it looked... Going into the 134th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, Rachel Alexandra was the favorite and boy oh boy did she deliver big on those odds. Right out of the gates it looked as though Big Drama was going to be a big challenge for the Jess Jackson owned filly, but jockey Calvin Borel rode Rachel Alexandra confidently and with great speed, leading the field the entire distance. Mine That Bird pulled a Kentucky Derby-like sprint to the finish, moving from last all the way to second place. Musket Man took third place.

Not since Nelly Morse in 1924 has a filly won the Preakness Stakes, but Rachel Alexandra has added her name to the history books by taking the 2009 Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown - thanks in large part to jockey Calvin Borel.

"She struggled a lot. The more I asked of her, the more she struggled," Borel said immediately after the race. "But I'm telling you - she is the greatest horse I've ever been on in my life."

The Steve Asmussen trained filly also won the 2009 Kentucky Oaks, which she easily won by 20 lengths with jockey Calvin Borel.

"She's something special," Borel said. "They don't come along that like that too often."

Rachel Alexandra won in 1:55:08 and paid $5.60, $4.60 and $3.60 as the favorite. (The Preakness record of 1:53.40 was set in 1985 by Tank's Prospect and then again by Louis Quatorze in 1996.) Mine That Bird, who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby with jockey Calvin Borel, came from behind to take second place, while Musket Man finished third.

Now that it's over, few will remember what happened prior to the start of the race...

Just as the horses were lining up at the gate, Big Drama lived up to his name and swiftly bucked jockey John Velazquez off his back in dramatic fashion. Fortunately, neither horse nor jockey was injured - and Big Drama still had enough jump coming out of the gate to get the race off to a good pace.

But it was Rachel Alexandra coming from the outside post who lead the race from start to finish.

Also known as "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans", the Preakness Stakes is the shortest of the Triple Crown races, which concludes on June 6th with the 2009 Belmont Stakes.