LOVERRO: Outside beer ban banishes birthright

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By Thom Loverro

BALTIMORE

We learned three things Saturday at Pimlico Race Course. The Preakness winner - the filly, Rachel Alexandra - is a great horse.

The runner-up, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, is a pretty good horse as well.

And Baltimore takes its beer very seriously.

On the track, Rachel Alexandra proved her new owners right by their decision to run her in the Preakness after she had won the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago by 201/4 lengths.

It wasn't as easy as the Oaks; Rachel Alexandra had to fight off Mine That Bird at the finish line to win the Preakness - the first time a filly has won the second race of the Triple Crown in 85 years.

"She was struggling at the end," winning jockey Calvin Borel said.

It was a dramatic home stretch, with Mine That Bird - the 50-1 long shot that Borel rode to win the Kentucky Derby - closing the gap, trying to catch Rachel Alexandra, the horse Borel had rode to win the Kentucky Oaks.

"Like I said before, she is the greatest horse I have ever been on," Borel said.