If all goes well, in just 27 days, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta will occupy the same starting gate for the first time in the Apple Blossom Invitational.

First, though, fans will have to be content with watching them start within a half-hour of each other, as both make their respective season debuts today.

Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will start in the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at the Fair Grounds, which is slated to go off at 6:15 p.m. EST. Just 21 minutes later, two-time champion older female Zenyatta goes postward in the Grade I, $250,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita.

The New Orleans Ladies, a mile and a sixteenth stake, was created for the purpose of attracting Rachel Alexandra, who has been stabled at the Fair Grounds since late November. The 4-year-old is making her first start since defeating older males in the Woodward last Sept. 5 at Saratoga, capping a Horse of the Year campaign that included wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Preakness, Mother Goose and Haskell.

Rachel Alexandra, who breaks from the two in a short field of five for the New Orleans Ladies, will have regular rider Calvin Borel aboard. The filly also gets an equipment change, as trainer Steve Asmussen replaced her regular bridle with a figure eight noseband, a bridle many of Asmussen’s horses wear that can sometimes help a horse relax and soften its carriage. Rachel Alexandra, on an accelerated work schedule in order to make the New Orleans Ladies and Apple Blossom, has been exceptionally keen in her morning works, and some worry fitness is an issue coming off her long layoff.

“We’re happy with where she’s at now,” Asmussen said following her last work. “The main thing is she’s healthy and this is a step in the process to getting her back to her previous level.”

The only other graded winner in the field, Zardana, ships in from California for John Shirreffs, who, of course, also trains Zenyatta. Davis Flores will be aboard the winner of Hollywood Park’s Bayakoa Handicap as they leave from the three, just outside of Rachel.

Clear Sailing, who breaks from post 5 under Shane Sellers, is a Fair Grounds specialist, having won an allowance by eight and the Pelleteri Stakes in her last start. Fighter Wing (Corey Lanerie, rail), second behind Clear Sailing in the Pelleteri, and Unforgotten (Miguel Mena, post 4), unplaced in the Sunshine Millions Distaff last out, complete the field.

Zenyatta drew post eight in a field of nine for the Santa Margarita, a race she also won during the first of her two championship campaigns in 2008. The 6-year-old daughter of Street Cry hasn’t started since becoming the first female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 7, improving her record to a perfect 14-for-14 lifetime. It was thought she’d be retired after that race, but in January, owners Jerry and Ann Moss announced that their star would return for one more season.

Zenyatta carries 127 pounds, including regular rider Mike Smith, in the nine furlong event. She gives between 12 to 19 pounds to her rivals.

“It’s a lot of weight to spot them starting off the year, but fortunately for us she’s a big mare and carries her weight very well, so, hopefully, it won’t bother her too much,” Smith said. “She’s ready for something and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Striking Dancer, who carries the next highest weight at 115, won the Grade II La Canada at Santa Anita last time out. Alex Solis rides the filly, who breaks from post 5.

Chantal Sutherland rides Pretty Unusual, who she partnered to a win in the Grade II El Encino three starts back. But in her last two efforts, the filly was unplaced in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf and the Buena Vista Handicap.

Dance To My Tune (Martin Garcia, rail), Pretty Katherine (Joel Rosario, post 2), Made For Magic (Barrio, post 3), Gripsholm Castle (Victor Espinoza, post 6), Powerofvoodoo (Kaplan, post 7) and Floating Heart (Joe Talamo, post 9) round out the field.

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Although racing’s two leading ladies will steal the spotlight on Saturday, plenty of other stakes are happening around the country, including some key Kentucky Derby preps.

Eclipse champion 2-year-old Lookin at Lucky is making his first start outside of California, his first start on conventional dirt and his first start with blinkers in the Grade II Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Trainer Bob Baffert chose to ship the colt for his season debut after the success he had bringing stablemate Conveyance in to win the Southwest last month.

Lookin at Lucky, who hasn’t started since winning the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood in December, is 5-for-6 lifetime, with his only loss coming by an unlucky head in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He also owns wins in the Best Pal and Norfolk. The half-brother to Jim Dandy winner Kensei breaks from the two under regular rider Garrett Gomez.

Hopeful winner Dublin was a hard-charging second in the Southwest in his season debut after breaking poorly and sitting near the back of the pack down the backstretch. The strapping son of Afleet Alex breaks from the outside, post 7, and gets a rider change, as the legendary trainer Wayne Lukas is choosing to replace Terry Thimpson with Corey Nakatani.

Noble’s Promise (Robby Albarado, post 6) is making his first start since running second to Lookin at Lucky in the Futurity. Cardiff Giant (Christian Santiago Reyes, rail) was second in the San Rafael and third in the Southwest.

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The unbeaten Caracortado, winner of the Robert B. Lewis last out, highlights a balanced field of seven in the Grade II San Felipe at Santa Anita. The gelding, who will be ridden by Paul Atkinson as they break from the outside, is 5-for-5 lifetime and hopes to use this race as a springboard into next month’s Santa Anita Derby.

Todd Pletcher ships in Interactif time in hopes of breaking onto the Derby trail. The colt won the With Anticipation at Saratoga and the Bourbon at Keeneland, both on the turf. Rafael Bejerano will ride, and they break from post 2.

American Lion, who gets the services of Eclipse winning jockey Julien Leparoux, won the Hollywood Prevue, then was third in the Lewis last out. The colt has blinkers on for trainer Eoin Harty and breaks from the four.

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Super Saver won the Kentucky Jockey Club last fall on the same track where the Kentucky Derby will be run in less than two months. The colt tries to take another step toward that goal in today’s Grade III Tampa Bay Derby. The colt breaks from post 6 for trainer Todd Pletcher and will have NYRA leading rider Ramon Dominguez aboard.

Odysseus (Rajiv Maragh, post 7) is coming off an impressive allowance score at Tampa and Uptowncharlybrown (Daniel Centino, rail) is 2-for-3 lifetime at the track, including the Pasco Stakes.

Also on the Tampa card, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and Eclipse champion She Be Wild is favored in the Grade III Florida Oaks.

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A balanced field of 11 older campaigners will challenge the Grade II Gulfstream Park Handicap. Nick Zito sends out Gulfstream specialist Cool Coal Man, who is 4-for-5 lifetime at the track, including an allowance win last time out in his season debut. Cool Coal Man will be ridden by Eddie Castro and drew the nine.

This Ones For Phil is trying to stretch his speed out to a mile after winning a blazingly fast edition of the Sunshine Millions Sprint last out. Johnny Velazquez rides for Rick Dutrow. He’ll have to use his speed early, breaking from the outside, post 11.

You And I Forever (Javier Castellano, post 10) was second to Quality Road two starts back in the Hal’s Hope, Grasshopper (Alan Garcia, post 8) returned from a layoff of over nine months to win a Gulfstream allowance last out and the talented Harlem Rocker (Eibar Coa, post 5) is rounding his way back into form on the third start off a long layoff.

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The speedy Bickersons was planning to try to wheel back on just over two weeks rest in the Grade III Cicada at Aqueduct. But she'll get some extra time, as rain and high winds forced the postponement of today's card. The race will be rescheduled for March 20.

Bickersons won the Moccasin last fall and the Forward Gal earlier this year.