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Rags to Riches makes history in Belmont
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Rags to Riches (outside) outdueled Curlin to take the Belmont
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) |
RAGS TO RICHES (A.P. Indy) entered Saturday's $1 million
Belmont
S. (G1) looking to become the first filly to win the 1 1/2-mile "Test of
Champions" since Tanya in 1905. One stumbling start and embattled stretch run
later, and the brave chestnut miss made her mark in the history books, just
getting her blazed head down on the line to take the 139th Belmont.
With the win, Rags to Riches became just the third filly in history to take
the Belmont, joining Ruthless, who captured the inaugural running, and Tanya.
The remarkable miss not only made history for herself, but gave
trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez their first victory in a Triple
Crown race.
"It's a special feeling no matter when you do it, but when you do it
with a filly for the first time in 102 years, it's really special," an
emotional Pletcher said. "When she stumbled, I had an immediate bad
feeling. But Johnny and I talked and we wanted to be patient, keep her
face clean. We're fortunate to get it done."
Owned by Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Rags to Riches stumbled when the
gates opened, forcing Velazquez to grab hold for a second. It didn't seem to affect
the three-year-old lass, though, as she quickly moved up to take her usual
position just to the outside of the pacesetters. While C P West (Came Home) was
setting splits of :24 3/5, :50, 1:15 1/5 and 1:40 1/5, Rags to Riches was loping along
close to the pace.
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Leaving the turn, all the entrants laid it down, but it was Preakness S.
(G1) hero Curlin (Smart Strike) and Rags to Riches who separated themselves from
their rivals. As Curlin split horses coming out of the turn, Rags to Riches
circled four wide and a battle for the ages began.
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Rags to Riches would not be denied in the
Belmont
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) |
Running nip and tuck down Belmont's long stretch, Rags to Riches appeared for
a moment ready to pull away from her challenger, but Curlin wouldn't give up
that easily, digging in and rallying back to her inside. As the wire quickly
approached, the gutsy filly called on all her courage and heart to get her head
just inches in front of Curlin, stopping the clock in 2:28 3/5 over the fast
dirt.
Tiago (Pleasant Tap), a half-brother to 2005 Kentucky Derby (G1)
winner, Giacomo (Holy Bull), was best of the rest, and following under the line
were Hard Spun (Danzig), C P West, Imawildandcrazyguy (Wild Event) and Slew's
Tizzy (Tiznow).
"She stumbled in error and the first thing I thought was, 'Why did it
happen now?,'" Velazquez said. "But Todd and I talked and all we wanted
was to give her a good chance around the turn. We didn't want her
jumping up and wasting a lot of energy.
"(Regular rider) Garrett Gomez told me she will give you 100 percent
without asking. It was unfortunate for him that he turned over the
horse, but this victory goes with him, too."
Gomez was unable to pilot Rags to Riches because he had committed to
ride Hard Spun before Pletcher decided to run the filly. Velazquez also
already had a mount for the Belmont in Slew's Tizzy, but that colt's
trainer, Greg Fox, released him from his obligation so he could have the
mount on Rags to Riches.
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The filly was sent off as the 4-1 second choice in the seven-horse
field, giving back $10.60, $4.40 and $3.20 to her faithful backers. Curlin,
the even-money favorite, was worth $3 and $2.30 for his inspiring effort
while ending the $25.20 exacta. Another 5 1/2 lengths back in third, Tiago paid $3.70 at 6-1, finishing the $131.50 trifecta,
and it was another 5 1/2 lengths back to Derby runner-up and Preakness
third Hard Spun, who completed the $242.50 superfecta (7-3-2-6).
"I thought I put him in all the right places," jockey Robby Albarado said of
his ride aboard Curlin. "He handled it very well inside. He was saving ground on
both turns. It is where I wanted to be the whole race.
"He never stopped. I thought, at one point, he could come back and get her,
but she is tough. She is an amazing filly. I was coming back at her but she is a
tough filly."
Rags to Riches began her career at Churchill Downs on June 10, 2006, the same
day that her
half-brother Jazil (Seeking the Gold) was taking the Belmont by 1 1/4
lengths. One year after her debut, the chestnut filly traced her sibling's hoofsteps to the winner's circle at the Elmont, New York, track.
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Rags to Riches went to her knees at the
start of the Belmont
(Patrick Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) |
She dropped that first start, finishing fourth, and wasn't seen again
until January, when she dominated a Santa Anita maiden special weight
test by six lengths. Immediately moved up to face Grade 1 company, Rags
to Riches broke to the right when the gates opened on the Las Virgenes
S. (G1) and ran in the middle of the track throughout the mile test.
Despite all that, she still recorded a three-quarter of a length victory
and was pointed for the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) next out.
Running three wide in that 8 1/2-furlong event, the striking filly
easily pulled off a 5 1/2-length victory and talk immediately started
for her to take on the boys, first in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and
then in the Kentucky Derby. Her owners opted instead to take her to the
Kentucky Oaks (G1), where she used her patented wide trip to score by 4
1/4 lengths over the muddy, sealed, Churchill dirt.
Rags to Riches and Jazil are out of Grade 2 heroine Better Than Honour
(Deputy Minister), who finished second in the 1999 Acorn S. (G1) and third in
the Mother Goose S. (G1), earning $250,920 from an 8-2-4-2 mark. The 11-year-old
mare is out of 1982 Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Blush with Pride (Blushing Groom
[Fr]), making her a full sister to Group 3 victor Turnberry Isle (Ire) (Deputy
Minister) and a half-sister to Group 2 heroine and Group 1 runner-up Smolensk
(Danzig) as well as Group 1 runner-up Maryinsky (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). |
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Rags to Riches eyeing Curling prior to her
victory
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) |
This is the female family of multiple classic winner El Gran Senor
(Northern Dancer), who was a champion in England and Ireland; English
and Irish champion Try My Best (Northern Dancer); English, French and
Irish highweight Xaar (Zafonic); and Spinning World (Nureyev), who
captured the 1997 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) and was highweighted in both
France and Ireland.
Purchased for $1.9 million as a Keeneland September yearling, Rags to
Riches was bred in Kentucky by Skara Glen Stables. She came close to
doubling her earnings with the winner's share on Saturday, now owning
$1,292,528 in lifetime earnings, and boasts a 6-5-0-0 career mark.
Rags to Riches has an unraced juvenile three-quarter brother named
Casino Drive (Mineshaft) and an unnamed yearling half-brother by Giant's
Causeway. |
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