Preakness Stakes winner Rachel Alexandra held off a field of seven older males today to become the first female in history to win the G1 Woodward Stakes at Saratogo. It was her fifth consecutive G1 win and ninth overall.

Carrying Calvin Borel, who won this year’s Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird, Rachel Alexandra dueled at the start with Belmont Stakes winner Da’Tara, before taking the lead in the backstretch. She held off a rally by Macho Again in the final stretch to win the 1 1/8-mile race by a head in 1:48.29.

Conditioned by North America’s leading trainer, Steve Asmussen, Rachel Alexandra has a virtual lock on the title of Horse of the Year with the Woodward win. Earlier this season, she won both the Kentucky Oaks and the Mother Goose Stakes with record margins against females, and she was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness. Her earnings in the Woodward should boost her career total to over $2.5 million.