Ruffian contenders put in final drills

Ruffian contenders put in final drills

Belmont S. (G1) heroine RAGS TO RICHES (A.P. Indy) breezed five furlongs in

1:02 3/5 under retired Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. over Saratoga's

fast main dirt on Sunday, likely in advance of Saturday's $300,000 Ruffian H. (G1)

at Belmont Park.

"She worked good and I was satisfied with the breeze," trainer Todd Pletcher

said. "I'll see how she comes out of it. From a fitness standpoint, I thought

she looked really good. She galloped out strongly. Angel said he actually had to

reach up and grab her to make her pull up."

Despite the move, the talented chestnut's status for the 1 1/16-mile Ruffian

is still not certain.

"There is no verdict; I'll make a decision when I make a decision," Pletcher

stated.

If the Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner doesn't go in the Ruffian, then her next

start could come in the $250,000 Gazelle S. (G1) on September 15. Her ultimate

goal this year is the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Monmouth Park on October 27.

"Six weeks or seven weeks; it doesn't matter," Pletcher said of the layoff

between Rags to Riches' next start and the Breeders' Cup. "She won the Kentucky

Oaks off eight weeks. She won the Belmont off five weeks. One is against older

fillies and mares (the Ruffian); one is against three-year-old fillies (the

Gazelle). I don't think either

one is going to have a big field, with or without her."

GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again), also expected for the Ruffian, worked a bullet

five furlongs in :59, which was the best of 12 workers at that distance. The

Bobby Frankel-trained four-year-old captured the First Flight H. (G2) and Go for

Wand H. (G1) in her past two by a combined 11 lengths. She just missed by a neck

in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) prior to those two events.

Back-to-back Ogden Phipps queen TAKE D' TOUR (Tour d'Or),

second in the Apple Blossom H. (G1) two back, worked a bullet five furlongs in

1:00 1/5 over Calder's fast main track. This was the six-year-old mare's final drill

for the Ruffian.

"She never worked any better in her life," trainer David Fawkes said. "We'll let her jog

tomorrow morning (Monday) to make sure she came out of it (workout) all right,

and then put her on the van."

Eibar Coa has the call aboard Take D' Tour, who is also gearing up for the

Breeders' Cup Distaff.

"I think if Ginger Punch was going to beat us, it would have been in the

Ogden Phipps," Fawkes added. "We were in a duel for the lead from the start

through a half in :45 and three-quarters in 1:09, and Ginger Punch came to her

and still couldn't get by at the finish. We're ready for whatever shows up in

the race."