Queen For A Day

With gloomy skies overhead most of Kentucky Oaks day, everyone was hoping to see a little sunshine. What they got was something much better.

Rachel Alexandra left no doubt who was the best 3-year-old filly in the country with an absolutely dominating 20 1/4 length victory. The part that is even more impressive is that she won without being asked for additional run by jockey Calvin Borel.

It was one of the most impressive performances I have ever seen in a race of this caliber and will be remembered for quite a long time.

Now there are two big questions:

1) Should "Rachel" have run in the Kentucky Derby?

2) Will she run in the Preakness or Belmont Stakes?

My answers:

1) Racing is the land of hindsight and now that we saw the result, it's easy to say she should have been in the Derby.

Owner Dolphus Morrison said, "The Triple Crown races are to showcase the future stallions of our industry and fillies should run with fillies and stallions with stallions."

Running her in the Oaks was the right call. Why pass up a shot at a one of the most prestigious races in the country to run the risk of facing all the trouble that comes with running in a field of 20 horses. There are other opportunities to run against the boys and two other Triple Crown races. No other race is like the Kentucky Derby but winning the Oaks in the way she did was memorable and puts a huge feather in her cap.

2) Depending on what happens in the Kentucky Derby, that may help decide her next move. Trainer Hal Wiggins was quote as saying last week the Belmont Stakes was a remote possibility.

If the Derby falls apart and a long shot wins, you can be certain the people in Rachel's camp will give the Preakness serious consideration and they should.

The horses in the Preakness tend be vulnerable because they are running just two weeks after the Derby. The field will also be smaller and her running style of being close to the lead, fits perfectly.

Let's see what happens but it would certainly make for a great story to see her run in a Triple Crown race.

No matter what happens, she has secured a place in racing history with her performance on Friday. The question will now be how she builds her legacy.