Rachel Alexandra, Kendall-Jackson Donate $20,000 to V Foundation for Cancer Research

Kendall-Jackson Winery today sent a check for $20,000 to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, concluding its five-month-long, online auction of items donated by winery owner and co-founder Jess Jackson, from champion racehorse Rachel Alexandra's historic 2009 racing season. New items were introduced from June through October.

The highest-earning single item was the final lot: a visit with Rachel Alexandra at her New Orleans Fairgrounds training course this January. The prize, which includes airfare and hotel accommodations for two, was purchased for $6,500 by Everything's Cricket Racing of New York.

"We are very grateful to the people at Kendall-Jackson and to that amazing horse Rachel Alexandra, whose popularity helped fuel this fundraiser," said Sherrie Mazur of The V Foundation. "Since our organization was founded in the name of Coach Valvano, it is especially fitting that this donation comes from the world of athletics."

Other items purchased at www.kj.com during the auction included the halter worn by Rachel Alexandra prior to her Preakness Stakes victory workouts, the blue-and-white, # 3 saddle towel, worn during her 19-length, runaway victory in the Mother Goose Stakes, jockey goggles worn by Calvin Borel, during Rachel Alexandra's Haskell Stakes victory, an autographed racing crop used by Calvin Borel in Rachel Alexandra's to victory in the Woodward Stakes--her third of three wins over the colts in her historic 2009 campaign.

"This is a rare opportunity for us to use the notoriety of this amazing athlete, her appeal to both men and women, to raise money to fight a disease that steals from us all," said Jackson. "If we can turn Rachel Alexandra's accomplishments on the track into a weapon against cancer and into an inspiration for others, then that will be her greatest achievement."

Rachel Alexandra became the first filly to win the Preakness since 1924, beating a field of world-class colts, including Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. In her undefeated 2009 campaign, she won eight races in six different states--three of those races against Grade 1 colts--and set track and margin of victory records in the process.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded by ESPN and Jim Valvano in 1993. Since that time V Foundation has raised more than $80 million and has awarded cancer research grants in 38 states and the District of Columbia. Researchers have developed their laboratories and taken their science from the labs to the clinics with the help of funds raised by The V Foundation.