Finite rolls to fifth straight win in Rachel Alexandra; British Idiom second in return

Feb 16, 2020 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Finite advanced to the lead upper stretch and drew off spectacularly to a 4 3/4-length triumph in Saturday’s $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds, extending her win streak to five in the Kentucky Oaks qualifier.

Trained by two-time Kentucky Oaks winner and Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Finite handed champion 2-year-old filly British Idiom her first setback, with the 9-10 favorite checking in a clear second in her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. was up on the winner. Owned by Thomas Reinman, William Dickson, Deborah Easter, and breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds, Finite completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.97. She left the starting gate as the 5-2 second choice among seven 3-year-old fillies.

The first event in the Championship Series of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, Finite picked up 50 additional points, and she tops the Oaks Leaderboard with 70. British Idiom added 20, and the two-time stakes vixen now sits second with a 50-point total.

It was about two lengths back to Swiss Skydiver, who gets 10 points after finishing third at 8-1. Late-running Tempers Rising received 5 points after rallying belatedly for fourth, and Impeccable Style, pacesetter His Glory and Ursula complete the order of finish.

A daughter of Munnings, Finite delivered Asmussen his 1,000^th stakes win when opening 2020 with a neck score in the Jan. 18 Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds. She kicked off her racing career with a pair of seconds at Saratoga before breaking her maiden on the turf at Kentucky Downs in mid-September, and Finite concluded her juvenile season with victories in the Rags to Riches and Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs, determinedly capturing the latter over a sloppy track.

The chestnut filly has now earned $636,349. Finite is out of multiple stakes winner Remit, a Tapit full sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Tapiture, Grade 3 scorer Rotation, and stakes winner Retap. Remit has also reared Grade 2-placed stakes winner Reride.