NEW YORK – Jess Jackson wasn't sure how much Rachel Alexandra's stirring victory against the boys in the Preakness took out of her, so he wound up keeping the superstar filly out of the Belmont Stakes.

Three weeks later, Jackson will finally see whether she has recovered from the pounding surface of Pimlico.

Rachel Alexandra will face a short field in today's $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes, a 1 1/8 -mile race for 3-year-old fillies around one sweeping turn at Belmont Park.

"She gave a brilliant race the last time, but the turf was giving away at the Preakness, and we thought she needed a good rest," Jackson said earlier this week. "The Mother Goose was always a prospect, and it's a nice place to have her return to New York."

The last time she ran against her own gender, Rachel Alexandra romped to a 20 ¼ -length win in the Kentucky Oaks. Her dominance has scared off most of her rivals, leaving only Florida Oaks winner Don't Forget Gil, Hopeful Image, Flashing and Malibu Prayer to test her.

While Rachel Alexandra was made the early 1-5 favorite, the field isn't without credentials. Flashing, the winner of the Grade 3 Nassau County, belongs to the highly talented Godolphin Stable and has a three-race win streak.

Malibu Prayer, trained by Dallas native Todd Pletcher, has won two straight by a combined 20 ¼ lengths.

"The main focus is to get a good race in her," jockey Calvin Borel said, calling Rachel Alexandra "the best horse I've ever been on in my life."

Rachel Alexandra worked four furlongs in 49.80 seconds over a fast main track Monday at Churchill Downs, then galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.40.

The Associated Press

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