Rachel Alexandra and Rail Trip back on the beam with wins

Rachel Alexandra and Rail Trip, two powerhouse runners both won their races on Saturday and are now setting their sights on upcoming races.

Rebounding from a pair of second-place finishes that began her 4-year-old campaign, Rachel Alexandra asserted her clear superiority over an outclassed field of four opponents in the Fleur de Lis, winning by 10 1/2 lengths over longshot Distinctive Dixie. She raced 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.78, a second and a half off the track record.

Rail Trip did not need his best effort to win Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park. At the eighth pole, when Rail Trip was 2 1/2 lengths in front of seven rivals, jockey Rafael Bejarano knew the job was finished. In the final sixteenth, Bejarano allowed Rail Trip to cruise to the finish, winning by 2 3/4 lengths. "I had so much horse," Bejarano said. "I let him gallop and get him ready for the next one."
The next one is the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 10, which can only further enhance Rail Trip's status as the leading older male in California.

Perhaps overshadowed a bit this past week was She'll Heir's race in the $60,000 Cinderella at Hollywood Park. Posting her second career win from as many starts, the daughter of Wildcat Heir was making her local debut after breaking her maiden in Kentucky. She looked quite good, too, as the Vladimir Cerin filly overpowered her rivals under Rafael Bejarano and returned $3.40 for the win.

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Good luck to the ladies this weekend!

Good luck to both Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta who will be making starts this weekend. First will come Rachel, who will attempt her first win in 2010 when she takes on her rivals in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap. Zenyatta comes next when she makes her start Sunday in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap, in search of her 17th consecutive win.

All eyes will also be on Rail Trip Saturday in the Grade II $250,000 Californian as he tries to make amends for last years loss to Informed.

Sorry to hear about the death of Kip Deville, winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile and $3 million earner, who lost his long battle with laminitis Friday. The 7-year-old horse was euthanized at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., according to a Blood-Horse report. Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stables told the Blood-Horse that the syndicate "just wanted him to live a happy life. He deserved that."

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