Horses of the Year meet in the breeding barn

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - Two recent Horses of the Year were brought together Monday morning for the purpose of producing an offspring. Rachel Alexandra, 2009 Horse of the Year, and two-time Horse of the Year Curlin were bred at Lane's End Farm.

Both champion thoroughbreds are owned by Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.

"The privilege of owning these horses is like lightning striking twice," said Ms. Banke. "Rachel Alexandra and Curlin are true champions; both horses embody that intangible equine ideal that separate mere horse from legend. Both Jess and I are so pleased that these powerful bloodlines will pass to future generations."

Curlin was voted 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year as well as being named 2007 champion three-year-old colt and 2008 champion older male thoroughbred. He retired after the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic with a record $10,501,800 in career earnings.

Rachel Alexandra won the 2009 Preakness Stakes and Haskell Invitational, and was voted 2009 champion three-year-old filly to go along with her Horse of the Year honor.

"We have been anticipating this introduction for some time now," Jackson noted. "Imagine what possibilities those two super horses might produce."