(NTRA release)

Superfilly Rachel Alexandra, whose last three stars have consisted of a 20-length win against fillies in the Kentucky Oaks, a win over males in the Preakness, and a 19-length win back against fillies in the Mother Goose Stakes will try her male contemporaries once more in Sunday’s Grade 1, $1,250,000 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. Thursday morning, Rachel Alexandra drew post six in a field of seven and was made the race’s 4-5 morning line favorite. A victory for Rachel Alexandra could cap a big weekend for her co-owner Jess Jackson, who also has the talented male three-year-old Kensei running in Saturday’s Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. Rachel Alexandra’s regular rider, Calvin Borel, will again be in the saddle.

“She’s very consistent, she’s got a great attitude, she’s a special filly,” said Steve Asmussen, trainer of Rachel Alexandra, about his female star.

One of Rachel Alexandra’s Haskell rivals is this year’s Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird, who will be making just his sixth career start on Sunday.

“I’m not making any predictions, but I think we’ll give Rachel Alexandra a run for her money,” said Summer Bird’s trainer Tim Ice, who will give a leg up to Kent Desormeaux, who first rode Summer Bird in his victorious Belmont Stakes performance. Summer Bird was made the 7-2 third choice in the morning line.

Second choice in the early calculations at 3-1 is Munnings, a Todd Pletcher trainee who will be stretching out to the mile-and-one-eighth distance of the Haskell following three straight sprint races at seven furlongs. Munnings defeated fellow three-year-olds two races back in the Woody Stephens Stakes on Belmont Stakes day.  Then he beat his elders in the Tom Fool at Belmont in his most recent start.

“He’s doing so well now, he deserves to run in a race like this,” said Pletcher, who is no stranger to the Haskell winner’s circle, having won the race in 2006 with Bluegrass Cat and in 2007 with Any Given Saturday.  John Velazquez will ride Munnings and break from post four.

A record Haskell crowd of more than 50,000 is expected at Monmouth Park on Sunday. TVG will televise the complete 14-race Sunday card live, with the post time for the Haskell, race 13, set for 6:14 p.m. (EDT).

The complete Haskell Invitational field, in post position order, is: Duke of Mischief (jockey: Eibar Coa, morning line odds: 15-1); Summer Bird (Kent Desormeaux, 7-2); Papa Clem (Elvis Trujillo, 12-1); Munnings (John Velazquez, 3-1); Atomic Rain (Joe Bravo, 10-1); Rachel Alexandra (Calvin Borel, 4-5); and Bunker Hill (Kendrick Carmouche, 30-1).