Gutsy Jackson gives horse racing new star it needs

Jess Jackson is not afraid to lose to a girl. He's been there before, when his horse Curlin was defeated by the filly Rags to Riches in the 2007 Belmont Stakes.

Now the horseshoe is on the other foot, and not everyone has proven to be as sporting as the founder of the Kendall-Jackson wine empire. The owners of the top two finishers in the Kentucky Derby considered loading the entry box for the Preakness Stakes to try and keep Jackson's filly, Rachel Alexandra, out of the race. That plan wilted under the glare of public scrutiny, and Rachel Alexandra defeated both horses in Saturday's Preakness.

The public relations crisis ignited by high-profile deaths on the track led to much needed reform in the sport. But if racing is to regain stature and popularity -- particularly in an oversaturated American sports market -- it also must find ways to increase its entertainment quotient. By purchasing Rachel Alexandra and testing her against the best horses of her age, Jackson has given his sport exactly what it needs to capture new fans.

Horse racing now has a fresh superstar in the elegant, charismatic Rachel Alexandra. The Preakness set up a compelling rivalry between her and Derby winner Mine That Bird, who nearly collared her late in the race. And Jackson enhanced his reputation as a true sportsman, willing to take a risk for the good of the game.

"A thoroughbred wants to run, and if a filly is as good as the colts, they ought to compete," Jackson said. "That's my position, and that's why we came.

"It's good for racing to have champions run against champions. You raise the bar, take chances. I'm an entrepreneur. I take risks, but the rewards are worth it, I can tell you."

Many traditionalists disagreed with Jackson's decision to run Rachel Alexandra against the boys, but he never has been afraid to buck the industry. He has been an outspoken advocate for breeding sounder horses, banning steroids and ensuring ethical sales practices.

Jackson believes racing needs to cultivate stars the public will embrace. He raced Curlin as a 4-year-old and never ducked the competition as the colt became a two-time horse of the year. Jackson has similar plans for Rachel Alexandra, whom he bought days after she won the Kentucky Oaks by more than 20 lengths.

"I think the thoroughbred industry needs better marketing," said Jackson, whose business sense as a winemaker helped him amass a reported net worth of $2.4 billion. "We've broadened the market by attracting I don't know how many thousands of young people, especially young girls, to watch their heroine run. That's good for racing. To have controversy is good. Competition is good. From the marketing standpoint, it was the right thing to do."

Had Rachel Alexandra not been sold, she never would have run against males. Her original owner, Dolphus Morrison, said he firmly believed fillies should race only against other fillies.

That stance would have prevented the nation's top 3-year-olds from facing off, further alienating fans. The plot to crowd the filly out of the Preakness field would have been even worse. Mine That Bird's owner, Mark Allen, and Pioneerof The Nile's owner, Ahmed Zayat, discussed entering other unproven horses they owned to fill the starting gate and deny Rachel Alexandra a spot as a late entry. Such an unsportsmanlike move to manipulate the field would have harmed racing's credibility at a time when it can least afford it.

Better instincts prevailed, and Rachel Alexandra's victory drove the Preakness to its highest overnight TV ratings in five years. Jackson promised after the race that he will run her against males again and will do so in the Belmont Stakes if she recovers strongly from her Preakness effort.

He also looks forward to a matchup against the undefeated mare Zenyatta, who won the 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic last year to go nine-for-nine.

Eventually, Jackson will breed Rachel Alexandra to Curlin, but not without giving her the opportunity to elevate her sport.

"I can't say enough about Jess stepping up," said Steve Asmussen, Rachel Alexandra's trainer. "Everybody talked about what they thought she was capable of. To step up and put her in this position, it definitely took some guts."

Rachel Blount • rblount@startribune.com