Rachel Alexandra and the Preakness?

Here is some clarification on the situation:

"John Hendrickson, husband and racing and breeding manager for Marylou Whitney said neither he nor Marylou have ever spoken to Ahmed Zayat, and although they plan on running Luv Gov in the Preakness (gr. I) at the request of trainer D. Wayne Lukas, they would withdraw him if it meant excluding Rachel Alexandra.

"Also, Mark Allen, co-owner of Mine That Bird, told Sports Illustrated that he, like Ahmed Zayat, has changed his mind and will not enter a horse to keep Rachel Alexandra out.

"Whitney owned and bred Mine That Bird’s sire Birdstone, who stands at Gainesway Farm, outside Lexington, Ky.

"“I don’t know where this came from about promoting Birdstone, but we have never spoken to (Zayat) or anyone who works for him and have never met him, and Marylou would never do anything to hurt the sport; we don’t play those games,” Hendrickson said."

And a lot more: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/50...

FWIW, to put things in the simplest terms, Marylou Whitney is as near to royalty as anyone in American racing can get, and is a SPORTSWOMAN of the old school. With her first husband, C. V. Whitney, she won darn near every significant race in America; she has been a direct part of more racing history than most people now alive are aware of; and I do not believe that she is capable of the kind of malice necessary to deliberately block the entry of Rachel Alexandra in order to promote Birdstone as a stallion.

Anyway, there you have it: those involved will not try to block Rachel Alexandra's entry.

May the conditions for the Preakness next weekend be perfect, and may the best horse-- colt, filly or gelding--- win.

Apparently. the connections of Mine that Bird contacted Zayat Stables, owners of Pioneer of the Nile, trying to block Rachel Alexandra from the Preakness and also discussed entering some of Zayat's other "nominated" horses forcing Jess Jackson to supplement Rachel, there is much coverage on this in todays New York Daily News most of the sports writers are calling the move by Mine that Birds connects as a "black eye to the sport" and cited that Zayat changed his mind after receiving a call from the president of the jockey club.

Mine That Birds owner Allen admitted he was entering another horse for the sole purpose of blocking Rachel Alexendra from being able to enter. He also called Zayat and suggested that he enter another horse for the same purpose. Zayat said that he thought about it but decided against it. Allen had still planned to enter his other horse but as of late last night he had changed his mind. probably after recieving a ton of negativity. Indy Express is not going to run. Rachel will definitely get in the field. some of the other owners of the long shots have even went as far as saying that for the good of the sport, if RA was not one of the 14 horses running that they would not enter their horse so she could get in.

to the other question. Rachel A. has to be and will be the favorite but she in no lock. she's facing the best three year old colts in the country. its a big step up from the competition shes faced up till now.