Grade II race | |
Location |
Fair Grounds Race Course New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1982 |
Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
Website | www |
Race information | |
Distance | 1 1⁄16 (8.5 furlongs) |
Surface | Dirt |
Track | left-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
Weight | Assigned |
Purse | $200,000 |
The Rachel Alexandra Stakes, is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana in February. An important prep for developing three-year-old fillies, in 2016 the race was upgraded from a Grade III event to a Grade II with a current purse of $200,000 and continues to be a prep race to the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, including the Kentucky Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and Mother Goose Stakes. It is set at a distance of one and one sixteenth miles on the dirt on the main track.
Inaugurated in 1982, the race was first named for the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Davona Dale who also has the Davona Dale Stakes at Florida's Gulfstream Park named for her.
In 2001, it was renamed in honor of Silverbulletday, the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1998, and the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 1999. However, on September 28, 2010, the Fair Grounds Race Course renamed the race again to honor the filly and 2009 American Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra. In order to continue to honor Silverbulletday Fair Grounds renamed the Tiffany Lass Stakes the Silverbulletday Stakes in 2012. That race is run at the end of January each year at a distance 1 mile and 70 yards.