Medaglia d’Oro’s star 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexander picked up where she left off in her seasonal debut at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 15th, cruising to her latest impressive victory in the $50,000 Martha Washington S. and reaffirming her status as one of the top fillies in the land.

The margin of victory in the Martha Washington was eight lengths, and it could have been more. Rachel Alexandra, under Calvin Borel, broke well and stalked pacesetter Affirmed Truth through six furlongs in 1:11.99. On the far turn, the 2-5 favorite turned the Martha Washington into a one-horse race, easily assuming command straightening for home and drawing well clear in the stretch.

Rachel Alexandra’s finishing burst the last eighth of a mile was impressive, easily drawing well clear of the field before being eased up by Borel the final fifty yards of the race, hitting the wire in a canter. The final time of the one-mile event was a rock-solid 1:36.40 over a fast track, capping an exciting start to her 2009 season.

Last year, Rachel Alexandra closed her juvenile season with a breakthrough win in the Golden Rod S. (G2) at Churchill Downs, instantly stamping herself as a top Kentucky Oaks contender. Her Martha Washington score reinforced Rachel Alexandra’s position atop the 3-year-old filly division, giving the brilliant filly four wins from seven starts with earnings of $231,440 for her trainer Hal Wiggins. Rachel Alexandra is a Dolphus Morrison homebred and hails from the stakes-winning Roar mare, Lotta Kim.