Get Serious set a turf course record in winning the $70,000 Elkwood Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, beating Carson Hall by 2 3/4 lengths.

Trained by John Forbes and Pat McBurney and ridden by Pablo Fragoso, the 5-year-old gelding led most of the way and covered the mile on the firm turf course in 1:32.78, besting the 1:33.36 mark set in 2006 by Miesques Approval.

Get Serious returned $19.20, $9.80 and $7.80, while Carson Hall paid $4 and $2.80. Silver Tree was another half-length back in third and returned $5.60.

In the co-feature, the $60,000 John J. Reilly Handicap, Joey P. drew off in the stretch to score an 8-length victory.

Trained by Ben Perkins Jr. and ridden by Joe Bravo, the 7-year-old gelding covered the six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:08 3/5 and paid $4.40, $2.80 and $2.40

Longshot Bamaha Breeze caught pacesetter Sea of Pleasure nearing the sixteenth pole and then held off Euroglide by a neck to win Thursdays $72,300 El Segundo Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Bamaha Breeze covered five furlongs on the turf in 55.13 seconds and paid $26, $11.20 and $6.20 at 12-1 odds.

Euroglide returned $5.40 and $3.80, while Sea of Pleasure paid $4.80 to show.

The victory, worth $47,460, increased Bamaha Breezes career earnings to $171,120, with six wins in nine starts. He was coming off a layoff of nearly six months.

Rafael Bejarano rode three winners Thursday, while Garcia had two winners, as did trainer Doug ONeill.

Zenyatta, perfect in nine career starts, will carry high weight of 126 pounds when she makes her 2009 debut in Saturdays $150,000 Milady Handicap at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.

The daughter of Street Cry capped a seven-win 2008 campaign with 1 -length victory over Cocoa Beach in the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic, clinching an Eclipse Award as the nations outstanding older female.

Zenyatta, a 5-year-old mare owned by Jerry and Ann Moss and trained by John Shirreffs, made her first two starts at Hollywood Park in the fall of 2007 before embarking on her sensational 4-year-old campaign.

Each of her 2008 victories came in stakes four in Grade I races and three in Grade II races. She enters the Milady, at 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track, with earnings of $2,144,580 and will break from the outside post with regular rider Mike Smith up.

Zenyatta will spot her rivals from four to 16 pounds in the Grade II Milady, a race she won easily after being squeezed at the start a year ago. The field of nine fillies and mares lines up as follows from the rail out:

Gamblers Justice, with Martin Garcia up, carries 113 pounds; Tastes Sis, Danny Sorenson, 112; Allicansayis Wow, Joe Talamo, 113; Dawn After Dawn, Joel Rosario, 116; Champagne Eyes, Michael Baze, 114; Bel Air Sizzle, Rafael Bejarano, 114; Life Is Sweet, Garrett Gomez, 122; Hot n Dusty, Alex Solis, 110, and Zenyatta, Smith, 126.

Closest in the weights is Zenyattas stablemate Life Is Sweet, a 4-year-old daughter of Storm Cat owned and bred by Martin and Pam Wygod. She has won three straight stakes races since coming to Shirreffs from the barn of Bill Mott.

Shirreffs had not planned for the fillies to meet head-on at least not this early in the year. He shipped Zenyatta to Kentucky for the Louisville Distaff on May 1, but he scratched her following rain at Churchill Downs.

Life Is Sweet, who made five of seven starts for Mott on turf, enters the Milady with five wins in ten starts for earnings of $540,810. Two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez has been aboard for each of her California victories and will fly in from New York to take the mount.

RACHEL, MINE THAT BIRD GALLOPING; JOCKEY CHOICE FOR BIRD PUSHED BACK

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and his Preakness conqueror, Rachel Alexandra, both turned in gallops over the Churchill Downs track on Thursday morning.

The connections of Rachel Alexandra will wait until after the filly puts in a formal workout at Churchill Downs on Monday morning, May 25 before they decide whether the Preakness winner participates in the final jewel of the Triple Crown. Meanwhile, Mine That Bird has been proclaimed a definite starter in the June 6 Belmont Stakes,

The horse is just doing super hes on his game, said Mine That Birds trainer Bennie Chip Woolley Jr. Were really surprised that hes as fresh as he is after two good, hard races.

Even though Mine That Birds status for the Belmont is not in doubt, the identity of his rider that day most certainly is in question. Woolley said he and co-owners Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach have decided to wait until early next week before they make that choice. Calvin Borel was aboard for his 6 -length romp in the Kentucky Derby, but Borel chose to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. Mike Smith rode Mine That Bird to his second-place finish in the Preakness, but he has a previous commitment in a Hollywood Park stakes race on June 6 that will knock him out of the Belmont.

NO CRITICIZING CRITICISM IN SATURDAYS SHEEPSHEAD BAY AT BELMONT

Perhaps it is Criticisms consistency that makes it so hard to say a bad word about her while analyzing Saturdays Grade II, $150,000 Sheepshead Bay for fillies and mares at a mile and three eighths over the grass Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Since coming to America from France, the 5-year-old Machiavellian mare has won three of five starts in America for trainer Tom Albertrani and figures to be a tough foe in the Sheepshead Bay.

I think she is suited to races at a mile and a quarter, a mile and three-eighths and a mile and half, Albertrani said. She doesnt have to be on the lead. She has very good tactical speed and I dont think she prefers soft or firm turf. Shes very game and very classy and she will run on anything.

Criticism debuted for Albertrani at Belmont last October, rallying from off the pace to run second in the Grade III Athenia at a mile and a sixteenth. Albertrani then stretched her out and she became a graded stakes winner at Aqueduct, taking the Grade III, 1 -mile Long Island Handicap.

Criticism spent the winter in Florida, where she won two graded stakes races: the Grade III The Very One at Gulfstream Park in February and the Grade II LaPrevoyante at Calder on April 25. In between was a third-place finish in the Grade III Orchid at Gulfstream.

She got a little tired in that race, but she still hung tough, Albertrani said. She inherited the lead at Calder and she again showed how game she is in winning that race.

A German-bred, Caprice, may be Criticisms toughest foe. After wintering in California, she has come back with a new running style. At Golden Gate Fields on April 4, she raced closer to the pace and ran third in the 11-furlong Yerba Buena. That prompted trainer H. Graham Motion to try the same tactic at Keeneland on April 23, where she ran fourth in the Grade III Bewitch at a mile and a half, but beaten less than three lengths.

The race at Golden Gate, well, thats just how the race unfolded, Motion said. The Bewitch was by design. It seems like in these longer races, there is a slow early pace. I would like to see her go a little faster. She can gallop all day, and I am hoping that she takes a liking to Belmont Park.

TURF WRITERS ASSOCIATION ELECTS THREE TO BOARD

The National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) reelected one individual to the organizations board of directors, and elected two others to the board during its recent, semi-annual meeting at Churchill Downs.

Freelance writer Vic Zast, a member of the NTWA board since 2007, was reelected to a two-year term. Mike Brunker, turf writer and projects team editor for MSNBC and Washington-based correspondent of Thoroughbred Times; and Greg Hall, turf writer and Thoroughbred industry business writer for the Louisville Courier-Journal, were also elected to the board.

Brunker and Hall replace the Los Angeles Daily News Kevin Modesti and freelance writer Jill Williams, whose terms on the board expired at the NTWAs semi-annual meeting.

The NTWA is glad to welcome Vic back to its board and we thank Kevin and Jill for their great contributions to the organization over the last few years. They will be sorely missed on the board, NTWA President Tom Law said.

The other individuals, along with Law, on the six-member board are Hank Wesch of the San Diego Union Tribune, Richard Rosenblatt of The Associated Press, and Marty McGee of Daily Racing Form.

RACING TO HISTORY

May 21, 1978: John Henry made his first start for Dotsam Stable, winning a $25,000 claiming race at Aqueduct.

May 21, 1992: Jockey Gary Stevens registered his 3,000th winner in the fifth race at Hollywood Park, aboard Sharp Event.

May 21, 2005: A record crowd of 115,318 witnessed Afleet Alex stumble badly at the quarter-pole, regain his balance under jockey Jeremy Rose and win the Preakness Stakes over Scrappy T by 4 lengths.

May 21, 2006: Dr. Dean Richardson and a team of doctors operated on Barbaro the day after he suffered a life threatening injury in the Preakness. Richardson fused Barbaros right-hind leg with 27 screws and a metal plate, then fitted his shattered leg into a cast.

May 22, 1974: Locust Hill Farms Ruffian won her first start, a maiden race for two-year-old fillies, by 15 lengths at Belmont Park. Sent off at odds of 4-1, Ruffian completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.

May 23, 1936: Rushaway, ridden by John Longden, won his second derby in as many days, taking the 1 1/4-mile Latonia Derby at Latonia in Covington, Ky. Rushaway had won the 1 1/8-mile Illinois Derby, run at Aurora, outside Chicago, the previous day.

May 23, 1992: Jockey Jacinto Vasquez had his 5,000th career winner, aboard Susan Pixum, at Calder Racecourse.

May 24, 1905: Harry Payne Whitneys Tanya became the second (and last) filly to win the Belmont Stakes. Ruthless was the first filly to win the Belmont, in 1867. Whitney also won the Kentucky Derby with a filly, Regret, in 1915.

May 24, 1977: At odds of 13-1, Louis and Patrice Wolfsons two-year-old colt Affirmed won his maiden race by 4 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park, ridden by jockey Bernie Gonzalez.

May 25, 1991: Jockey Steve Cauthen won his fourth European derby, the Derby Italiano, with Hailsham, trained by Clive Brittain. Cauthen has also won the Epsom Derby twice, the Irish Derby and the French Derby, in addition to his Kentucky Derby win with Affirmed.

May 27, 1823: A $20,000 match race between American Eclipse (representing The North) and Henry (representing The South) was held at Union Course, Long Island. Eclipse won in two-of-three heats, after his original jockey, William Crafts, was replaced by Samuel Purdy before the second heat. The race, witnessed by 60,000 spectators, was the first to have been timed by split-second chronometers, which were imported for the event.

May 27, 1873: A bay colt, Survivor, won the first Preakness Stakes by 10 lengths, the largest margin in the races history.

May 27, 1878: The entire field of Preakness Stakes horsesthreewas owned by a single family, the brothers George and Pierre Lorillard. Georges horses finished first and third.

May 27, 1882: Trainer Robert Walden won his fifth consecutive Preakness Stakes, with Vanguard. Walden won a total of seven Preaknesses, a record for a trainer.

May 27, 1981: Bill Shoemaker became the first jockey in racing history to win 8,000 races when he rode War Allied to victory in the first race at Hollywood Park.

May 27, 1985: Under jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., odds-on favorite Spend a Buck defeated Creme Fraiche by a neck to win the Jersey Derby and earn $2.6 million, the largest single purse in American racing history. Two million dollars of the purse came from a bonus to Spend a Buck for winning the Cherry Hill Mile, the Garden State Stakes, the Kentucky Derby and the Jersey Derby. Angel Cordero Jr., the regular rider of Spend a Buck, was committed to ride Track Barron in the Metropolitan Handicap in New York on the same day and was persuaded to give up his mount in the Jersey Derby. Track Barron finished third in the Metropolitan, earning $40,620.

May 28, 1997: Visa USA and Triple Crown Productions announced that they had increased the bonus for winning the Triple Crown to a total of $5 million.

May 28, 2000: Jockey Edgar Prado registered his 4,000th career victory aboard Thunder Breeze in the second race at Belmont Park.

May 29, 1897: Scottish Chieftain, owned by Marcus Daly, became the only Montana bred to win the Belmont Stakes.

May 29, 1907: Colin began his undefeated career, breaking his maiden by two lengths at Belmont Park.

May 29, 1946: Two-year-old fillies Chakoora and Uleta became the first Thoroughbreds to complete a transcontinental flight. They were flown from New York to Inglewood, Calif., by the American Air Express Corporation, for a 2,446-mile trip that lasted 20 hours due to adverse weather conditions.

May 30, 1903: Flocarline became the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes.

May 30, 1908: Jockey Joe Notter misjudged the finish of the Belmont Stakes and eased up on his mount, Colin, whose career record to that point was 13-for-13. Notter barely recovered from his mistake to hold off the drive of Fair Play, who came within a head of defeating Colin. When he retired, Colins record stood at 15 wins in as many starts.

May 30, 1936: Omaha, the Triple Crown winner of 1935, won the Queens Plate at Kempton Park, England, for owner William Woodward.

May 30, 1941: Hollywood Park introduced the vibrationless camera, developed by Hollywood cameraman Lorenzo del Ricio. Eight patrol judges with the cameras, which were attached to their binoculars, were stationed at intervals around the track. Jockey Nunzio Pariso was the cameras first victimhe was shown on film crowding a rival on the far turn.

May 30, 1969: Jockey Patricia Barton won her first career race, at Pikes Peak.

May 31, 1969: Racing returned to Pennsylvania when Liberty Bell racetrack opened, near Philadelphia. The state had not had legal racing since 1802 and became the 30th state to adopt parimutuel wagering.

May 31, 2001: Jockey Pat Day became just the third jockey in history to win 8,000 races, hitting the milestone by winning the sixth race at Churchill Downs aboard Camden Park. Day joined Laffit Pincay Jr. and Bill Shoemaker in the 8,000 club.

June 1, 1881: Pierre Lorillards Iroquois became the first American-owned and -bred horse to win a European classic race when he won the Epsom Derby under one of Englands greatest riders, Fred Archer. Iroquois won seven of nine starts as a three-year-old, including Englands St. Leger Stakes.

June 1, 1946: Assault became the seventh horse to win the Triple Crown, with a victory in the Belmont Stakes.

June 1, 1973: In his final tuneup for the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown, Secretariat went six furlongs in 1:11 3/5, doing the first three furlongs in :35 2/5 and five furlongs in :59.

June 1, 1978: In his first start ever on the turf, eventual four-time champion grass horse John Henry won a $35,000, 1 1/16-mile claiming race by 14 lengths at Belmont Park. John Henry was voted champion turf horse for the years 1980-81 and 1983-84.

June 1, 1999: Mr. Prospector, the most influential sire of his generation, died in his stall at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky. He was 29.

June 2, 1943: Trainer Hirsch Jacobs claimed two-year-old Stymie for $1,500. By the end of 1947, Stymie had become the worlds leading money-winning Thoroughbred, with earnings of $816,060 and 22 stakes victories.

June 2, 1947: After a six-year layoff, 13-year-old Honey Cloud won the second race at Aqueduct. His jockey, Clarence Minner, had not ridden in 10 years.

June 2, 2005: Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze recorded his 9,000th career victory aboard Queen of the Hunt in the eighth race at Golden Gate Fields. Only Laffit Pincay Jr., who registered 9,530 wins during his racing career, had more victories at that time than Baze.

June 2, 2007: A portrait of Barbaro brought a winning bid of $14,400 on ebay in support of the NTRA Charities-Barbaro Memorial Fund.

June 3, 1943: To further the war effort, the Navy took over Tanforan racetrack and used it as a training base.

June 3, 2004: Smarty Jones became the first horseracing figure to make the cover of ESPN The Magazine.

WEEKEND STAKES RACES (unrestricted stakes in N.A. worth $75,000 and up) SATURDAY, MAY 23

My Juliet Stakes, 3up (fm), $250,000, 6F, Philadelphia Park

American 1000 Guineas Classic, 3yo fillies, $200,000, 1M (T), Arlington Park

Milady Handicap, 3up (fm), $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-16M, Hollywood Park

Sheepshead Bay Handicap, 3up (fm), $150,000, Grade II, 1 3-8M (T), Belmont Park

Arlington Matron Stakes, 3up (fm), $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M, Arlington Park

Arlington Classic, 3yo, $150,000, 1 1-16M (T), Arlington Classic

Hanshin Cup Stakes, 3up, $100,000, Grade III, 1M, Arlington Park

Louisville Handicap, 3up (fm), $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-2M (T), Churchill Downs

Alcatraz Stakes, 3yo, $75,000, 1 1-16M (T), Golden Gate Fields

SUNDAY, MAY 24

Vagrancy Handicap, 3up (fm), $150,000, Grade II, 6 1-2F, Belmont Park

Connaught Cup Stakes, 4up, $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M (T), Woodbine

Lazaro S. Barrera Memorial Stakes, 3yo, $100,000, Grade III, 7F, Hollywood Park

MONDAY, MAY 25

Shadwell Metropolitan Handicap, 3up, $600,000, Grade I, 1M, Belmont Park

Lone Star Park Handicap, 3up, $400,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M, Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie

Shoemaker Mile Stakes, 3up, $250,000, Grade I, 1M (T), Hollywood Park

Dallas Turf Cup Handicap, 3up, $200,000, Grade III, 1 1-8M (T), Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie

Ouija Board Distaff Handicap, 3up (fm), $200,000, Grade III, 1M (T), Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie

Berkeley Handicap, 4up, $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M, Golden Gate Fields

Memorial Day Handicap, 3up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M, Calder

Winning Colors Stakes, 3up (fm), $100,000, Grade III, 6F, Churchill Downs

Cinemine Stakes, 3yo fillies, $100,000, 7F, Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie

USA Stakes, 3yo, $100,000, 1 1-16M (T), Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie

Valid Expectations Stakes, 3up (fm), $100,000, 6F, Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie

Decoration Day Handicap, 3up (fm), $75,000, 1M (T), Mountaineer Park

Memorial Day Handicap, 3up, $75,000, 1M (T), Mountaineer Park

TUESDAY, MAY 26

Ohio Valley Handicap, 3up (fm), $75,000, 6F, Mountaineer Park

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird needs a jockey for the Belmont Stakes.

Rachel Alexandra needs to show shes fit after winning the Preakness.

Derby and Preakness-winning rider Calvin Borel needs to figure out which horse hell climb aboard in his personal quest for a Triple Crown.

While big decision day appears to be Mondaythe day Rachel Alexandra works out at Churchill Downs and Borel was told to declare whether hell ride Mine That Birdthe rest of the Belmont field is coming into shape.

Derby also-rans Chocolate Candy (fifth), Dunkirk (11th), Mr. Hot Stuff (15th) and Flying Private (19th) missed the Preakness, but will be back to take on Mine That Bird in the 1 1/2 -mile Belmont on June 6.

Other probable starters include Brave Victory, Charitable Man, Luv Gov, Miners Escape and Summer Bird, bringing the count to 11 3-year-olds if Rachel Alexandra is entered.

The wait continues for trainer Chip Woolley, the New Mexico cowboy who swooped onto the national scene when Mine That Bird won the Derby at odds of 50-1, then finished a length behind Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness.

I wouldnt change a thing, Woolley said Thursday from Churchill Downs as he watched Mine That Bird gallop twice around the track. When we came here, we had planned on going on to the Belmont after the Derby.

Peter Pan Stakes winner Charitable Man was confirmed for the Belmont earlier this week by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

I have nothing but respect for Rachel Alexandra, if she comes, and Mine That Bird, but Charitable Man is doing great, McLaughlin said. Hes bred to go a mile-and-a-half, hes 2-for-2 on the track, and hes a fresh horse.

Charitable Man, a son of 1999 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, finished seventh in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 11 in his first start after a long layoff.

Trainer Nick Zito and owner Robert LaPenta, who won last years Belmont with Da Tara, will try to pull another upset with either Brave Victory or Miners Escape.

Each worked four furlongs Thursday over Belmonts main track; Brave Victory was timed in 48.55, Miners Escape in 48.56.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas also has two colts for the Belmont in Flying Private (fourth in the Preakness) and Luv Gov (eighth in the Preakness).

A racehorse was euthanized Wednesday after crashing into a bronze statue of Secretariat in the Belmont Park paddock.

In the post parade before the fifth race, City On Line, a 4-year-old chestnut colt trained by H. Allen Jerkens and owned by Rhapsody Farm and Harry L. Landry, broke away from his lead pony, unseated jockey Jose Lezcano and ran down the tunnel to the paddock.

The New York Horse Racing Association said City On Line was euthanized after Dr. Anthony Verderosa, the organizations chief examining veterinarian, determined he irreparably fractured the femur in his left hind leg.

The impact broke the base of the statue, but didnt damage the bronze figure of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Lezcano wasnt injured.

Rachel Alexandra returned to the track for the first time since becoming the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness.

She galloped a mile Wednesday over a fast Churchill Downs track. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird galloped 1 1/2 miles for the first time since finishing second to Rachel Alexandra in last Saturdays Preakness at Pimlico.

Rachel Alexandra will gallop again Thursday and is scheduled to complete a timed workout Monday. Mine That Bird also will gallop Thursday, but he wont work out before early next week.

The horse is just doing super, hes on his game, trainer Chip Woolley said. Were really surprised that hes as fresh as he is after two good hard races.

Woolley said he and Mine That Birds co-owners Mark Allen and Leonard Blach have decided to wait until early next week before choosing a rider for the Belmont Stakes on June 6.

Calvin Borel was aboard Mine That Bird for his 6 3/4 -length victory in the Derby, but he chose to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. Mike Smith replaced Borel on Mine That Bird, but he has a previous riding commitment in Southern California on June 6, the same day as the Belmont in New York.

Rachel Alexandras victory in the Preakness Stakes drew the most viewers to the second-leg of racings Triple Crown in five years and the second-most in 20 years.

According Nielsen Media Research numbers released Tuesday by NBC, 10.9 million people watched the race portion of NBCs Preakness coverage on Saturday. Thats when Rachel Alexandra became the first filly in 85 years to win the race.

The hour-long race portion of the Preakness drew three million more viewers than last years race, up 38 percent.

The national rating for Saturdays race portion was a 6.8 with a 16 share, the highest since 2004 (7.7 and 19) and the second highest since 1990 (7.9 and 23).

Unbeaten Hungarian horse Overdose has been ruled out of running at Royal Ascot next month.

The 4-year-old colt, winner of 12 races and given superstar status back home, was set to run at the June 16-20 meet. But owner Zoltan Mikoczy said the foot injury that ruled the thoroughbred out of Saturdays race at Haydock Park has not healed fast enough.

The inflammation spread from his left fore leg to the right, possibly because of the fact that he was standing on the right leg, Mikoczy told the Racing Post on Tuesday.

Todays X-ray showed no change in the structure of the bone in Dozis hoof. The inflammation is going away and Dozi is now standing on both his feet and is turning around in his box on both feet.

Mikoczy said he hoped Overdose would soon be back exercising.

If all goes well, he can come out of his box on Thursday for his first walk, Mikoczy said. This will be decided after the result of tomorrows X-ray.

The sad thing is that he has no chance of running at Royal Ascot because there is no time left to prepare him for it. But there will be a Royal Ascot again next year.

The sprinter, which carries the colors of Hungarys flag and is now ridden by French-based jockey Christophe Soumillon, has also won races in Germany and Italy.

Overdose also won the Prix de LAbbaye at Longchamps in a near-record time, only for the race to be invalidated because one starting gate didnt open.

Even though there wont be a Triple Crown winner this year, the Belmont Stakes could be compellingif the handlers of a very popular filly ultimately decide to bring their horse to New York.

Rachel Alexandra fulfilled all expectations Saturday by becoming the first filly in 85 years to capture the Preakness. With Calvin Borel aboard, Rachel Alexandra broke to the lead early and held off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird to win by a length.

Mine That Bird trainer Chip Woolley Jr. said Sunday he will definitely enter his horse in the third jewel of the Triple Crown on June 6. A reprise of their memorable duel down the stretch would make it a Belmont to remember, but theres no indication yet whether Rachel Alexandra will be up for a rematch.

Rachel Alexandra left Pimlico on Sunday morning for trainer Steve Asmussens barn at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. The filly is set to return to the track on Wednesday, and is scheduled to breeze on Memorial Day.

Were not going to tell her how shes feeling. Shell tell us how shes feeling, Asmussen said.

Co-owner Jess Jackson bought the horse after the Kentucky Derby and promptly decided to run her in the Preakness, just to see if she could beat the boys as easily as she dominated her own gender.

The answer was an emphatic yes.

I personally think shes proven what (Jackson) set out to prove with her immediately, which doesnt eliminate anything, Asmussen said. But I think it does take a tad of the urgency off it.

At this juncture, its a wait-and-see proposition for Jackson, co-owner Harold McCormick and the rest of the racing world.

Well wait for three or four days, see how she comes out of the race, Jackson said. Then well give her the same scrutiny we did with the vets, and of course working her out, and get the opinion of everybody thats involved.

Regardless of the competition, Woolley is convinced his horse can win the Belmont. Mine That Bird was in last place at the half-mile pole in the Preakness before jockey Mike Smith produced a stirring finish that came up a little short.

Woolley believes a smaller field and a longer race bodes well for his fast-closing colt.

My horse will be much more suited to the Belmont: big wide track, big wide sweeping turns. It should play a little better to my horse, he said. Itll probably be a shorter field, which eliminates some of the traffic. Were excited about going.

Woolley said Smith would remain aboard Mine That Bird, even if Rachel Alexandra doesnt run. Borel rode Mine That Bird in the Derby, then switched to the filly in the Preakness.

If Borel gets to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Belmont, a win there would make him the first jockey to win a Triple Crown on different horses.

Regardless of whether Rachel Alexandra tries to become the second filly in three years to win the Belmont Stakes after Rags to Riches won in 2007, several trainers have decided against testing their horses over the 1 1/2 miles.

No Belmont, definitely, said Musket Man trainer Derek Ryan, whose horse finished third in the Derby and Preakness.

David Fawkes, trainer of Big Drama, also ruled out the Belmont. General Quarters and Terrain will skip the race, but Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Flying Private, the fourth-place Preakness finisher, emerged as sharp as a tack and may return for the Belmont.

Trainer Larry Jones, whos now 0-for-3 against Rachel Alexandra, shipped Friesan Fire back to Delaware Park and will make a decision on the Belmont in the next few days.

Well sit down and regroup and see whats next, Jones said. Im sure were not headed for the Belmont, but well see what happens. Well find him a spot hell fit in.

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is in need of yet another jockey.

Mike Smith, who rode the gelding to a second-place finish in Saturdays Preakness Stakes, wont ride him in the Belmont Stakes on June 6 because of a previous commitment.

Smith is already set to ride Madeo in the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park that day.

The Hall of Fame rider is sticking with Madeo out of his loyalty to owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs. Together, they won the 2005 Kentucky Derby on Giacomo, who like Mine That Bird, was a 50-1 long shot.

It was something that was already done beforehand and its not going to change, Smith told The Associated Press by phone on Monday. Theyre my No. 1 and no one else. It wouldve been nice if the timing was different, but I have no regrets whatsoever.

That means Calvin Borel, who rode Mine That Bird to a stunning victory in the Derby, could get back on him for the Belmont if Rachel Alexandra doesnt run.

Borel opted to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, and she became the first filly in 85 years to win the second leg of the Triple Crown. Co-owner Jess Jackson has not yet decided if she will run in the 1 1/2 -mile Belmont.

Theres never been a situation like this in history. This is wild, Smith said, referring to the multiple jockey changes. This has nothing to do with respect for the horse. I think everyone knows hes for real. Its just the way it is.

Brad Pegram, Smiths agent, told Chip Woolley Jr., who trains Mine That Bird, of the jockeys decision on Monday. Woolley had been planning to use Smith in the Belmont, regardless of whether Rachel Alexandra runs.

Its kind of funny, Woolley said Monday. Youd think if you get a horse this good, youd keep one, but apparently not.

The trainer said hes heard from the agents of several riders who are interested in taking over the mount, but he hasnt made up his mind. Woolley indicated that he wont wait to see whether Rachel Alexandra goes on to the Belmont.

Were going to make a decision pretty quickly, he said. Patience is probably the No. 1 concern. Is somebody patient and will they wait and see how things develop? Well just have to see how it goes.

Smith said hell be rooting long-distance for Mine That Bird on Belmont day.

I admire that little horse so much, he said. Calvin and I would probably argue who is his biggest fan. Were both big fans.

Woolley and Mine That Bird arrived back at Churchill Downs on Monday evening after a 9 1/2 -hour drive from Baltimore.

The trip was great, Woolley said. He looks good. He come off the trailer pretty relaxed and looks all right, so were pretty happy with where hes at right now.

Mine That Bird will head back to the track on Tuesday to resume training for the Belmont.