BALTIMORE - It is the rare sporting event where the competition is better than the anticipation. Saturday's Preakness at Pimlico had the Kentucky Derby winner against the Kentucky Oaks winner, 12 males against one female and a rider who had to make a choice based on what he felt and what he knew.

With a few raindrops falling down upon her on the way around the track, Rachel Alexandra owned the Preakness, rushing through serious fractions under pressure from the speedy Big Drama before opening up a huge lead in the stretch, as the field seemed to fall away behind her.

Just as you were about to consider how much she might win by, the little gelding Mine That Bird emerged from the pack and took off after the filly. He was never going to get there, but he never stopped trying, Derby winner chasing Oaks winner, proving that his Derby victory was as real as it looked.

There will be no Triple Crown - again . . . Only Calvin Borel can win it.

Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness by 1 length. Mine That Bird was second, a half-length in front of the hard-trying Musket Man.

To the uninformed, this race was about the filly vs. the boys. In reality, it was a race with 13 horses. First one to the wire wins.

"She just wants to run," said the filly's co-owner, Jess Jackson. "Gender doesn't matter. A thoroughbred wants to run, and if a filly is as good as the colts, they ought to compete. That was my position and that's why we came."

And that's why everybody watched. They wanted to see if the filly was as good as she had looked in 2009. Wanted to see if Mine That Bird could really come from last and win again. Wanted to see the Oaks winner and Derby winner nearly on even terms in deep stretch. Rarely has a potential script played out with more flair.

Favored Rachel Alexandra ran the mile-and-3/16 in 1:55.08, translating to a Beyer speed figure of 108, exactly the same as her Oaks.

Borel could have ridden the Derby winner or Oaks winner. He went with the filly, making him the first jockey ever to take himself off the Derby winner to ride another horse in the Preakness. The horse he believed in became the first filly to win the Preakness since 1924.

"[Mine That Bird] would have to run the race of his life to beat my filly," Borel said on Friday. "I think all the other 12 are going to have to run the race of their lives or me fall off or something stupid happen."

Just after the wire, Mine That Bird got right next to the filly. She then took off again during the gallop out and was soon 10 lengths in front.

"She got so much determination," Borel said. "When you look in the filly's eyes, it's unbelievable. You win."

Mine That Bird gained respect in defeat.

"I'm thrilled to death with the race my little horse ran," trainer Chip Woolley said.

At the quarter pole, Mike Smith slightly steadied Mine That Bird behind a wall of horses. Then he swung the horse out wide for that final charge. Mine That Bird was 18 lengths back after a quarter-mile and 1 length back at the finish.

Mine That Bird will be back for the Belmont Stakes. The filly's connections were not ready to commit quite yet.

"I'd love to race in New York," Jackson said. "The Belmont is always a consideration for a champion. Would we love to run? Yes. Could she win? We think so."

The Preakness was worth $1.1 million. Jackson had to put up $100,000 to supplement Rachel Alexandra. The winners got $660,000. Down the road, this is going to be about more than money. Jackson would like to breed a superhorse.

So, next spring or some spring thereafter, he plans to breed the 2009 Preakness winner to the 2007 Preakness winner - Rachel Alexandra to two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.