LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -Trainer Steve Asmussen thinks the best way for Rachel Alexandra to get her groove back is by returning to where she found it.

A year ago at Churchill Downs the filly dazzled the Kentucky Oaks field with a record 20 1/4-length victory, the fifth of nine consecutive wins that helped her secure Horse of the Year honors.

But last month in her season debut, Rachel was beaten by Zardana in the New Orleans Ladies. Their rematch comes Friday in the La Troienne Stakes on the Oaks day undercard.

Asmussen said choosing the race had nothing to do with avenging the filly's lone blemish since 2008. Rather, it was about bringing her back to a familiar track.

``We're trying to get back to where we were,'' he said. ``This is where it started for her last year, so it's a great opportunity with a lot ahead of us.''

Calvin Borel is back in the saddle. He rode Rachel through a stretch of races that included the Preakness, where she defeated his Kentucky Derby-winning mount, Mine That Bird.

The Brazil-bred Zardana has won eight of 19 lifetime starts, but all have come in front of crowds far smaller than the 100,000-plus expected on Oaks day.

Trainer John Shirreffs acknowledges that if there is a home-field advantage, his horse doesn't have it.

``She's been looking at the tents every morning she's been out here,'' he said.

Of course, racing fans have been clamoring for months to see a matchup between Rachel and another Shirreffs-trained female horse whose name begins with ``Z.'' If not for Rachel's stumble in New Orleans last month, she was expected to face Zenyatta - the champion older female - in the Apple Blossom earlier this month in Hot Springs, Ark.

Without Rachel, Zenyatta coasted to an easy victory.

Shirreffs doesn't pretend that Zardana provides a substitute for that matchup, although he says it is a nice budding rivalry.

``She's been a quality filly all along, but the other two are just heads and shoulders above everything else,'' he said.

Arnold Zetcher, Zardana's owner, said he wasn't looking for two races against Rachel, but that's how the schedule fell.

``We kind of decide where to run, not because of where Rachel is or where Rachel is not but because this seemed like the right place at the right time,'' he said.

Asmussen agreed, explaining that this race was about watching how his filly responds coming off a loss, not about proving she can beat Zardana.

``What I have is an appreciation of her ability,'' Asmussen said. ``She's in very good shape. I'm aware of the fact she hasn't won a race equal to several of her races last year and am expecting a step in that direction.''

Filling out the field in the La Troienne are Be Fair, Morena, Unrivaled Belle and Distinctive Dixie.

``It'll be a well-watched 1:26 in the afternoon race, won't it?'' Asmussen said.