Posts Tagged ‘Calvin Borel’

Rachel Alexandra

If you watched the Triple Crown races this year, you may remember the story about a nice older gentleman who bred a filly and named her after his granddaughter, Rachel Alexandra. He later sold the horse to billionaire Jess Jackson, of Kendall-Jackson Wines fame, who is a controversial figure in the horse racing industry because he believes that the way horses have been bred over the past decade have led to more injuries.

Calvin Borel, who became America’s jockey after riding Street Sense to victory in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, is her jockey.

(Rachel & Calvin at Saratoga Race Course)

That’s the backstory for today’s Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, NY. Rachel Alexandra is the “it” horse this year. And during on this final Saturday of the “Saratoga Season”, there’s a sense of excitement about this 3 year old filly and tens of thousands of both casual and hard-core horseracing fans are expected to fill the stands on what promises to be a gorgeous end-of-summer afternoon.

My dad, Earl N. Brindle, loved horses and Saratoga. I’ll be thinking of him as I watch Rachel Alexandra in today’s race from the historic grandstand at Saratoga Race Course.

Postscript-Watch the race here:

http://tinyurl.com/nx8oks

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