May 17 (Bloomberg) -- Ratings for NBC’s coverage of the Preakness Stakes rose 27 percent from last year as favorite Rachel Alexandra, a filly, held off a come-from-behind effort by Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and 11 other colts.

Yesterday’s telecast on the General Electric Co. network was watched in 7.9 percent of homes in the top 56 U.S. media markets, NBC said, citing Nielsen Media Research Inc. That compares with a 10.2 rating for the Kentucky Derby this year, also broadcast by NBC.

Last year’s Preakness victory in Baltimore by Big Brown, who also won the Derby, had a 6.2 preliminary rating. The overnight rating was the highest since 2004, when the rating was 9.2 percent.

Rachel Alexandra, the 2-to-1 pre-race favorite, beat Mine That Bird, ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, by a length. Trainer Steve Ausmussen said there was initial concern about the only female horse in the field when she broke from the starting gate a little to the right.

The filly’s win was the first at the Preakness since Nellie Morse’s victory 85 years ago. Jockey Calvin Borel, who two weeks ago rode Mine That Bird to victory in the Derby, rode Rachel Alexandra.

Rachel Alexandra’s winning time was 1 minute, 44.08 seconds. She was the first horse to win the Preakness from the No. 13 post position and took $660,000 from the $1.1 million purse.

National ratings will be available later this week, said NBC Sports spokesman Adam Freifeld.

To contact the reporters responsible for this story: Dan Hart in Washington at dahart@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: May 17, 2009 14:14 EDT