Race Details
- Venue Location: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, 1751 Gentilly Blvd, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119.
- Post Time is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT (6:00 p.m. ET).
- Race Conditions: $300,000 purse, Grade II, 1 1/16 miles on dirt, for 3-year-old fillies. Kentucky Oaks qualifying points: 50-25-15-10-5. Lasix allowed (noted as “L”). Weights: 122 lbs.
- Expected Weather Conditions: Partly cloudy with a high of 73°F and low of 57°F. Winds S at 6 mph, 20% chance of light rain (0.01-0.05 inches), humidity around 99%. Mild winter day with potential for brief showers.
- Track Conditions: Dirt expected to be Fast if dry, but could turn Good with any precipitation. Fair Grounds’ dirt favors early speed in routes (55% wire-to-wire winners in similar stakes), with closers benefiting in contested paces or wetter going.
The Grade II Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes is a pivotal Kentucky Oaks prep on Louisiana Derby Preview Day, awarding crucial points (50-25-15-10-5) to the top five finishers. Named after the Hall of Fame filly Rachel Alexandra, this $300,000 dirt route for 3-year-old fillies has produced five Kentucky Oaks winners since 2010, including Good Cheer (2025) and Pretty Mischievous (2023). With a moderate pace projected from front-runners like Just Singing and Dancin in Old Town, stalkers such as Bella Ballerina and closers like Powered by Family could excel in this field of eight.
Field Analysis
Below is a detailed breakdown of each horse, including starting position (post), jockey, trainer, recent finishes (last three starts with positions, dates, and Beyer speed figures where available), pedigree notes, and performance analysis. Morning line odds from official entries.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds | Recent Finishes (Position/Date/Beyer Fig) | Analysis |
| 1 | Just Singing (KY) | John R. Velazquez | J. Kent Sweezey | 7/2 | 3rd (11/29/2025, CD Golden Rod-G2/101), 1st (10/25/2025, KEE MSW/95), 2nd (9/20/2025, CD MSW/92) | Front-runner who rallied wide for third in Golden Rod despite trouble; switches to Hall of Famer Velazquez; pedigree suggests stamina. Pros: Inside post aids pressing; cons: Needs clean trip. Owners: Not listed. Breeder: Not listed. |
| 2 | Classic Glide (KY) | Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. | Robert Medina | 20/1 | 2nd (11/23/2025, CD STR/93), 4th (10/18/2025, KEE MSW/88), 5th (9/15/2025, CD MSW/85) | Longshot making 3YO debut off allowance placing; tough ask in stakes. Pros: Local jockey; cons: Lower figs. Owners: Not listed. Breeder: Not listed. |
| 3 | Bella Ballerina (KY) | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan P. Walsh | 2/1 | 1st (11/29/2025, CD Golden Rod-G2/103), 1st (10/25/2025, KEE MSW/98), Debut N/A | Unbeaten Godolphin homebred; chased loose leader to win Golden Rod; sharp Fair Grounds works. Pros: Stamina pedigree; cons: Faces deeper field. Owners: Godolphin, LLC. Breeder: Godolphin. |
| 4 | Dancin in Old Town (KY) | James Graham | J. Keith Desormeaux | 12/1 | 5th (1/17/2026, FG Silverbulletday-LS/92), 1st (12/20/2025, FG MSW/90), 3rd (11/22/2025, CD MSW/88) | Trailed in Silverbulletday but only 2 lengths back; dominated maiden on sloppy track. Pros: Loves FG; cons: Figs mid-90s. Owners: Not listed. Breeder: Not listed. |
| 5 | Powered by Family (KY) | Jose L. Ortiz | Cherie DeVaux | 9/2 | 1st (12/20/2025, FG AOC/102), 4th (11/15/2025, CD MSW/95), Debut N/A | Impressive muddy win off-turf; fast time but class test. Pros: Elite jockey; cons: Turf-to-dirt question. Owners: St. Elias Stable. Breeder: St. Elias Stables, LLC & West Point Thoroughbreds, Inc. |
| 6 | Luv Your Neighbor (ON) | Luis Saez | Michael Stidham | 6/1 | 2nd (1/17/2026, FG Silverbulletday-LS/94), 2nd (12/20/2025, FG AOC/92), 2nd (11/22/2025, CD MSW/90) | Game second in Silverbulletday; runner-up in last three. Pros: Consistent; cons: Bridesmaid syndrome. Owners: Not listed. Breeder: Not listed. |
| 7 | Majestical (KY) | Ben Curtis | Peter Eurton | 4/1 | 1st (12/27/2025, FG MSW/103), 2nd (11/15/2025, SA MSW/98), 3rd (10/18/2025, SA MSW/95) | Drew clear in FG maiden win by 4 1/2; continued improvement expected. Pros: High fig jump; cons: Stakes debut. Owners: Not listed. Breeder: Not listed. |
| 8 | Agrippina (KY) | Paco Lopez | Lindsay Schultz | 12/1 | 1st (12/15/2025, OP MSW/104), 3rd (11/22/2025, CD MSW/98), 4th (10/18/2025, KEE MSW/95) | Won OP maiden at 6f; sprint figs strong but distance test. Pros: Raw talent; cons: Shorter prior races. Owners: Not listed. Breeder: Not listed. |
Series History
- All-Time: The Rachel Alexandra Stakes, in its 44th running, has been a Grade II at Fair Grounds since 2010 (renamed for Hall of Fame filly Rachel Alexandra). It has produced five Kentucky Oaks winners since then: Good Cheer (2025), Pretty Mischievous (2023), Serengeti Empress (2019), Monomoy Girl (2018), and Untapable (2014).
- Recent Trends: Favorites win 50% (4 of last 8), with stalkers holding in 55% of dirt routes at this distance. Upsets common (e.g., 44-1 in 2025); closers board in 65% of contested paces; average exacta payout $60 in recent years.
