The Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) serves as a key early-season test for 3-year-old fillies with Kentucky Oaks (G1) aspirations, and Saturday’s $300,000 edition at the Fair Grounds offers a revealing matchup of proven class and developing form.
Contested at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the race is the first Oaks prep of the year to award significant qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5) to the first five finishers, raising both the stakes and the intensity.
In fact, the winner all but clinches a spot in the Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 1.
Headlining the field is Bella Ballerina, unbeaten in two starts and returning from a productive juvenile campaign capped by a front-running victory in the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Brendan Walsh, the Godolphin homebred showed professionalism pressing the pace and turning back late challengers, a profile that often translates well to the Fair Grounds’ two-turn configuration. Her pedigree adds further intrigue: she is a half-sister to Pretty Mischievous, Walsh’s 2023 Rachel Alexandra and Kentucky Oaks winner. Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount as Bella Ballerina makes her seasonal debut.
Looking to turn the tables is Just Singing (7-2), who finished strongly but came up short behind Bella Ballerina in the Golden Rod. The Whisper Hill Farm filly ships in from Florida for trainer Kent Sweezey and brings proven stamina to the equation, having broken her maiden at the Rachel Alexandra distance last fall at Churchill Downs. Drawn on the rail, Just Singing will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, and any step forward off her sophomore debut could put her squarely in the mix.
Local form also looms large in Luv Your Neighbor, a consistent presence in Fair Grounds’ Oaks prep series. Trained by Mike Stidham, the Lael Stables filly finished second in both prior local preps and enters with 15 qualifying points already secured. She gets a rider change to Luis Saez, and her familiarity with the surface and surroundings could prove an asset against rivals making their first start of the year.
Expected to draw support as well are St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds’ homebred Powered by Family, who kicked off her 2026 campaign with a eye-catching late rally from last to break her maiden going 1 1/16 miles in the mud at the Fair Grounds, and the Robert Medina-trained Classic Glide, no worse than third in four starts after making the switch from turf to dirt midway through her juvenile campaign.
Rounding out the field is the maiden Dancin in Old Town, fifth in the Silverbulletday in her 3-year-old debut, and Agrippina, stretching out from her maiden victory going 6 furlongs at Oaklawn Park in December.
With a compact field of eight and several fillies returning from layoffs, the Rachel Alexandra shapes up as a race where positioning and readiness will matter as much as raw talent. Whether Bella Ballerina confirms her status as a leading Oaks contender or a rival seizes the opportunity, Saturday’s race should provide a meaningful early-season litmus test for this promising sophomore group.
Historically, the Rachel Alexandra has proven to be a meaningful signpost on the road to the Kentucky Oaks. Rachel Alexandra herself launched her championship sophomore season with a decisive victory in the race, then known as the Silverbulletday Stakes, in 2009 before capturing the Oaks in record time. More recently, the prep produced Oaks winners Untapable (2014), Monomoy Girl (2018), and Pretty Mischievous (2023), underscoring the race’s role as a reliable early gauge of elite talent. While not every winner goes on to classic glory, those who dominate here often confirm they belong among the division’s top tier.
The picks: 1 Bella Ballerina, 2 Powered by Family, 3 Just Singing
1 Just Singing (John Velazquez, Kent Sweezey), 7-2
2 Classic Glide (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Robert Medina), 20-1
3 Bella Ballerina (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh), 2-1
4 Dancin in the Old Town (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux), 12-1
5 Powered by Family (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux), 9-1
6 Luv Your Neighbor (Luis Saez, Michael Stidham), 6-1
7 Majestical (Ben Curtis, Peter Eurton), 4-1
8 Agrippina (Paco Lopez, Lindsay Schultz), 12-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
