Rachel Alexandra Stakes

This article is about the annual event inaugurated in 1982 and held through 2000 as the Davona Dale Stakes and from 2001 through 2010 as the Silverbulletday Stakes. For the event for three-year-old fillies held at Gulfstream Park since 1988, see Davona Dale Stakes. For the event for three-year-old fillies and inaugurated 1992 and held through 2010 at the Fair Grounds Race Course as the Tiffany Lass Stakes, see Silverbulletday Stakes.

Rachel Alexandra Stakes

Grade II race
Location	Fair Grounds Race Course New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Inaugurated	1982 (as Davona Dale Stakes)
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Sponsor	Fasig-Tipton (since 2020)
Website	Fair Grounds
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄16 miles
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old fillies
Weight	122 lbs.
Purse	$300,000 (since 2021)
Bonuses	Qualification points – Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

The Rachel Alexandra Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies at a distance of one and one sixteenth miles on the dirt run annually in February at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event currently offers a purse of $300,000.[1]

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 6 March 1982 as the Davona Dale Stakes over a distance of one mile and forty yards and was won by Windfields Farm's Laura North who was trained by US Hall of Fame trainer Grover G. Delp and ridden by jockey Ronald Franklin in a time of 1:424⁄5.[2]

The event was named in honor of Calumet Farm's champion homebred filly Davona Dale, foaled in 1976 was U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Filly after winning the Grade I Kentucky Oaks and sweeping the New York Triple Tiara series: the Acorn Stakes, the Mother Goose Stakes, and the Coaching Club American Oaks. Davona Dale was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1985. Today Davona Dale continues to have an event named for her as the GII Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

The event became a preparatory event for the Fair Grounds Oaks and was scheduled after the Thelma Stakes (today known as the Letellier Memorial Stakes for two-year-olds held in December) which was run over the six-furlong distance.

In 1985 the distance of the event was increased to one and one sixteenth miles and the winner Marshua's Echelon also was victorious in winning both the Thelma Stakes and the Fair Grounds Oaks.[3]

The following year Tiffany Lass repeated Marshua's Echelon achievements and then continued with her undefeated streak winning the GI Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park and the GI Kentucky Oaks.[4] Although Tiffany Lass would not race in the second half of 1986 her performances were substantial enough to land her U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Filly honors for the year.

In 1999 the American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded the classification of the event to Grade III.[1] For the first running as a graded event, the US Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Silverbulletday from 1998 entered and began her three-year-old campaign in the event. Starting at short odds of 1/10 Silverbulletday faced seven other fillies and won the event by 2+1⁄4 lengths.[5] Silverbulletday would go on to win another seven more events of which four were Grade I and be crowned US Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 1999.[6]

In 2001, a year after Silverbulletday retired Fair Grounds track administration renamed the event to the Silverbulletday Stakes.[1]

In 2002 running of the event Take Charge Lady equaled the track record in winning by 8+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 1:42.09.[7]

In 2003 the event was upgraded to Grade II status but this only was until 2005 when it was downgraded back to Grade III.[8]

Due to the catastrophic damage caused by of Hurricane Katrina to the Fair Ground Race Course in 2005 the event was held at Louisiana Downs in 2006.[9]

In 2010 Fair Grounds track administration renamed the event again to the Rachel Alexandra Stakes in honor of the 2009 American Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra. Rachel Alexandra had won the Fair Grounds Oaks in 2009 during her exceptional campaign that won her the Eclipse Award.

In 2016 the event was upgraded from Grade III to Grade II status. In 2020, the purse was increased to $300,000.[1]

The Rachel Alexandra Stakes is part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks and has produced multiple winners of that race, including Monomoy Girl (2018) and Serengeti Empress (2019).[10]

Records

Speed record:

• 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:42.09 – Take Charge Lady (2002)

Margins:

• 11 lengths – Out of the Bid (1987)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 - Kenneth Bourque (1984, 1987, 1991)
• 3 - Ronald Ardoin (1993, 1994, 1998)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 6 - Steven Asmussen (2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2020, 2021)

Most wins by an owner:

• 4 - Winchell Thoroughbreds (2005, 2009, 2014, 2020)

Rachel Alexandra Stakes – Fair Grounds Oaks double:

• Marshua's Echelon †(1985), Tiffany Lass †(1986), Prospectors Delite †(1992), Blushing K. D. †(1997), Silverbulletday †(1999), Shawnee Country ‡(2000), Take Charge Lady ‡(2002), Summerly ‡(2005), Untapable (2014), I'm a Chatterbox (2015), Farrell (2017)

Notes:
† Rachel Alexandra Stakes was known as the Davona Dale Stakes
‡ Rachel Alexandra Stakes was known as the Silverbulletday Stakes

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
At Fair Grounds – Rachel Alexandra Stakes
2024	Tarifa	Flavien Prat	Brad H. Cox	Godolphin Racing	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.28	$291,000	II	[11]
2023	Pretty Mischievous	Tyler Gaffalione	Brendan Walsh	Godolphin Racing	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.15	$291,000	II	[12]
2022	Turnerloose	Florent Geroux	Brad H. Cox	Ike & Dawn Thrash	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.22	$300,000	II	[13]
2021	Clairiere	Joseph Talamo	Steven M. Asmussen	Stonestreet Stables	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.34	$300,000	II	[14]
2020	Finite	Ricardo Santana Jr.	Steven M. Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds, Thomas J. Reiman, William Dickson & Deborah A. Easter	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.97	$294,000	II	[15]
2019	Serengeti Empress	James Graham	Thomas M. Amoss	Joel Politi	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.74	$198,000	II	[16]
2018	Monomoy Girl	Florent Geroux	Brad H. Cox	Micheal Dubb, Monomoy Stables, Elkstone Group & Bethlehem Stables	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.26	$196,000	II	[17]
2017	Farrell	Channing Hill	Wayne M. Catalano	Coffeepot Stables	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.09	$196,000	II	[18]
2016	Venus Valentine	Corey J. Lanerie	Thomas M. Amoss	Rosemont Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.24	$200,000	II	[19]
2015	I'm a Chatterbox	Florent Geroux	J. Larry Jones	Carolyn & Fletcher Gray	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.10	$175,000	III	[20]
2014	Untapable	Rosie Napravnik	Steven M. Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.64	$196,000	III	[21]
2013	Unlimited Budget	Rosie Napravnik	Todd A. Pletcher	Repole Stable	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.38	$200,000	III	[22]
2012	Summer Applause	Robby Albarado	W. Bret Calhoun	Gillian S. Campbell, R Group & Greenwood Lodge Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.30	$194,000	III	[23]
2011	Kathmanblu	Julien R. Leparoux	Kenneth G. McPeek	Five D Thoroughbreds & Wind River Stables	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.13	$147,000	III	[24]
Silverbulletday Stakes
2010	Jody Slew	Miguel Mena	W. Bret Calhoun	Martin Racing Stable & Dan Morgan	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.80	$145,500	III	[25]
2009	War Echo	Shaun Bridgmohan	Steven M. Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.20	$150,000	III	[26]
2008	Indian Blessing	Garrett K. Gomez	Bob Baffert	Patti & Hal J. Earnhardt III	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.75	$196,000	III	[27]
2007	Appealing Zophie	John R. Velazquez	Steven M. Asmussen	Heiligbrodt Racing Stable	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.13	$200,000	III	[28]
At Louisiana Downs
2006	Baghdaria	M. Clifton Berry	W. Bret Calhoun	Wayne Sanders & Larry Hirsch	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.07	$269,200	III	[29]
At Fair Grounds
2005	Summerly	Donnie Meche	Steven M. Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.79	$150,000	III	[30]
2004	Shadow Cast	Robby Albarado	Neil J. Howard	William S. Farish III	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.82	$150,000	II	[31]
2003	Belle of Perintown	Calvin H. Borel	Eddie Kenneally	Kenneth Mahler & Jamie Schloss	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.48	$150,000	II	[32]
2002	Take Charge Lady	Jon Court	Kenneth G. McPeek	Select Stable	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.09	$150,000	III	[33]
2001	Lakenheath	Corey J. Lanerie	Gene A. Cilio	James B. Tafel	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.09	$125,000	III	[34]
Davona Dale Stakes
2000	Shawnee Country	Donnie Meche	D. Wayne Lukas	Overbrook Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.11	$125,000	III	[35]
1999	Silverbulletday	Gary L. Stevens	Bob Baffert	Michael E. Pegram	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.36	$125,000	III	[5]
1998	Cool Dixie	Ronald D. Ardoin	Louie J. Roussel III	Louie J. Roussel III	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.38	$125,000	Listed	[36]
1997	Blushing K. D.	Lonnie Meche	Sam B. David Jr.	James P. & Sue V. Burns	1+1⁄16 miles	1:42.48	$100,000	Listed	[37]
1996	Up Dip	Curt C. Bourque	Albert Stall Jr.	Mike G. Rutherford	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.61	$62,725	Listed	[38]
1995	§ Legendary Priness	Christopher A. Emigh	Louie J. Roussel III	Louie J. Roussel III	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.42	$43,125		[39]
1994	Playcaller	Ronald D. Ardoin	Thomas M. Amoss	Mike G. Rutherford	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.31	$51,823	Listed	[40]
1993	Bright Penny	Ronald D. Ardoin	William Badgett Jr.	Arthur I. Appleton	1+1⁄16 miles	1:44.80	$31,825		[41]
1992	Prospectors Delite	Bobby J. Walker Jr.	Neil J. Howard	William S. Farish III, James Elkins & Temple Webber, Jr.	1+1⁄16 miles	1:43.80	$31,700		[42]
1991	Nalees Pin	Kenneth Bourque	Larry Robideaux Jr.	George Waggoner	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.50	$31,775		[43]
1990	Windansea	Randy Romero	Lee J. Rossi	Carl Maggio	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.40	$27,600		[44]
1989	Exquisite Mistress	Calvin H. Borel	Joseph E. Broussard	Joe Ladnier & Carson Kimbrough	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.80	$26,675		[45]
1988	False Glitter	Shane P. Romero	Louie J. Roussel III	Louie J. Roussel III	1+1⁄16 miles	1:47.40	$28,450		[46]
1987	Out of the Bid	Kenneth Bourque	Bud Delp	Hawksworth Farm	1+1⁄16 miles	1:47.20	$37,900		[47]
1986	Tiffany Lass	Ricky Frazier	Lazaro S. Barrera	Aaron U. Jones	1+1⁄16 miles	1:46.00	$39,900		[48]
1985	Marshua's Echelon	Ronald J. Franklin	Noxie Romano Jr.	Joe & Jean Pizzitola	1+1⁄16 miles	1:45.20	$47,250		[49]
1984	Texas Cowgirl Nite	Kenneth Bourque	Ken W. Delahoussaye	Charley S. Staples	1 mile & 40 yards	1:42.00	$29,050		[50]
1983	Duped	Julio C. Espinoza	Donald R. Winfree	James J. Devaney	1 mile & 40 yards	1:43.00	$23,500		[51]
1982	Linda North	Ronald J. Franklin	Bud Delp	Windfields Farm	1 mile & 40 yards	1:42.80	$22,950		[2]

Notes:
§ Ran as an entry

See also

• List of American and Canadian Graded races
• Road to the Kentucky Oaks

References

1. "Stakes profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
2. "Fairgrounds Results – (race 9: held 6 March 1982)". The Courier-Journal. The Associated Press. 7 March 1982. p. 49. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
3. "Marshua's Echelon (TX)". equibase.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
   Fair Grounds 3/30/1985 R10 Fair Grounds Oaks (Gr. 3) 1st
   Fair Grounds 3/9/1985 R10 Davona Dale Stakes 1st
   Fair Grounds 2/16/1985 R10 Thelma Stakes 1st
4. "Tiffany Lass (KY)". equibase.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
   Churchill Downs 5/2/1986 R9 Kentucky Oaks (Gr. 1) 1st
   Oaklawn Park 4/12/1986 R9 Fantasy Stakes (Gr. 1) 1st
   Fair Grounds 3/22/1986 R10 Fair Grounds Oaks (Gr. 3) 1st
   Fair Grounds 3/2/1986 R10 Davona Dale Stakes 1st
   Fair Grounds 2/15/1986 R10 Thelma Stakes 1st
5. "1999 Davona Dale Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 20 February 1999. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
6. "Silverbulletday Career". Thoroughbred Database. 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
7. "Take Charge Lady In Charge at Fair Grounds". BloodHorse.com. 16 February 2002. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
8. "RACHEL ALEXANDRA STAKES - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Database. 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
9. Deckard, Leslie (29 September 2005). "Delta Downs' Race Meeting in Question". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
10. "Finite headed for Fair Grounds Oaks". www.drf.com. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
11. "2024 Rachel Alexandra Stakes presented by Fasig-Tipton Grade 2 - (race 13)". Equibase. 17 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
12. "2023 Rachel Alexandra Stakes presented by Fasig-Tipton Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
13. "2022 Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
14. "2021 Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton Grade 2 - (race 12)". Equibase. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
15. "2020 Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 15 February 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
16. "2019 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 2 - (race 11)". Equibase. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
17. "2018 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 2 - (race 7)". Equibase. 17 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
18. "2017 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 25 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
19. "2016 Twinspires.com Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
20. "2015 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10)". Equibase. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
21. "2014 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
22. "2013 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
23. "2012 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
24. "2011 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 19 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
25. "2010 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
26. "2009 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
27. "2008 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
28. "2007 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 8)". Equibase. 10 February 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
29. "2006 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 14 January 2006. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
30. "2005 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 12 February 2005. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
31. "2004 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 14 February 2004. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
32. "2003 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 2 - (race 9)". Equibase. 15 February 2003. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
33. "2002 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 16 February 2002. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
34. "2001 Silverbulletday Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 17 February 2001. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
35. "2000 Davona Dale Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9)". Equibase. 19 February 2000. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
36. "1998 Davona Dale Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 21 February 1998. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
37. "1997 Davona Dale Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 22 February 1997. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
38. "1996 Davona Dale Stakes Listed - (race 9)". Equibase. 24 February 1996. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
39. "1995 Davona Dale Stakes Black Type - (race 9)". Equibase. 26 February 1995. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
40. "1994 Davona Dale Stakes Listed - (race 10)". Equibase. 6 March 1994. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
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42. "1992 Davona Dale Stakes Black Type - (race 10)". Equibase. 14 March 1992. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
43. "1991 Davona Dale Stakes Black Type - (race 11)". Equibase. 3 March 1991. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
44. "11th Race at Fair Grounds – (race 11: held 11 March 1990)". New York Newsday. The Associated Press. 12 March 1990. p. 67. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
45. "Exquisite Mistress triumphs – (race 9: held 4 March 1989)". Lexington Herald Leader. The Associated Press. 5 March 1989. p. 35. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
46. "Fair Grounds – (race 9: held 5 March 1988)". Shreveport Times. The Associated Press. 6 March 1988. p. 44. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
47. "Fair Grounds Results – (race 10: held 7 March 1987)". The Courier-Journal. The Associated Press. 6 March 1987. p. 53. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
48. "Fair Grounds Results – (race 10: held 2 March 1986)". The Courier-Journal. The Associated Press. 3 March 1986. p. 32. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
49. "Marshua's Echelon Wins Feature Race – (race 10: held 9 March 1985)". Shreveport Times. The Associated Press. 10 March 1985. p. 12. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
50. "Fairgrounds – (race 10: held 3 March 1984)". The Courier-Journal. The Associated Press. 4 March 1984. p. 51. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
51. "Fairgrounds Results – (race 9: held 5 March 1983)". The Courier-Journal. The Associated Press. 6 March 1983. p. 51. Retrieved 15 February 2022.