‘Rags’ Makes History
Rags to Riches leaving the paddock before the Belmont.
There may have been only 46,870 people at Belmont yesterday (ThoroTimes), but you wouldn’t have guessed that from the cheers that greeted Rags to Riches in the post parade or the roar of the crowd as she crossed the wire a head in front of Curlin, becoming the first filly in 102 years to take the Belmont. Even trainer Todd Pletcher reportedly let go, crying “Come on, baby! Come on, baby! Come on, baby!” (NY Times), as his filly came down the stretch, Curlin dogging her every stride in a race that will probably go down as one of the best Belmonts ever.
Rags to Riches overcame a stumble at the start, a four-wide ride around the turns, and pacesetter C P West’s dawdling fractions through the first mile to get the historic victory. She and Curlin made their moves entering the stretch at the same moment, Rags to Riches asserting a narrow lead over the Preakness winner. The two ran the last quarter in a quick :23.83, in what race caller Tom Durkin termed “a battle of the sexes,” with the gutsy and determined Rags to Riches keeping her head in front down the lane. Eventual third and fourth-place finishers Tiago and Hard Spun ran well behind.
The blurs in front are Rags to Riches and Curlin, head to head in the Belmont stretch.
Rags to Riches scored a career high Beyer of 107 for the race, for which the final time was 2:28.74, and paid $10.60 as the 4-1 second favorite.
Where she starts next is up for discussion: “We might go the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama or the Haskell and Travers,” said Pletcher (Blood-Horse). Wherever she races next, jockey John Velazquez, riding in place of regular jock Garrett Gomez, who was on Hard Spun instead, will likely retain the mount (Times Union).
Curlin leaving the paddock.
Curlin, so game in the Belmont coming off his tough Preakness win, may get a break now after five races in four months. “With his schedule to this point, I think picking his head up and giving him his breath is what he deserves,” said trainer Steve Asmussen after.
The Manhattan field going to the gate.
The Belmont wasn’t the only race on Saturday with such a thrilling finish. In the Manhattan Stakes, 8-year-old Better Talk Now showed he’s a still a force on the turf, “rallying furiously in the stretch” (DRF) to nose out English Channel at the wire, who finished a nose ahead of Shakis.
In the True North Handicap, longshot Will He Shine won easily after Keyed Entry blew the stretch turn and forced favorite Bordonaro wide. “My horse was scrambling to keep stride, and it took him about an eighth of a mile to find his stride,” said jockey Richard Migliore. “Once we caught up with Keyed Entry, that horse bore out really badly and took us out of the race” (WashPost). Noted: Bordonaro appeared wearing front bandages for the first time on Saturday.
Other results: Teuflesberg bounced back from his 17th place finish in the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Woody Stephens (ESPN). My Typhoon followed up her win in the Jenny Wiley at Keeneland with another in the Just a Game Stakes, while Cotton Blossom ran down favorite Dream Rush to score in the Acorn.
At Hollywood Park: Lava Man, making his first start since finishing last in the Dubai Duty Free, finished second to the late-running After Market in the Whittingham Memorial Handicap (Blood-Horse). While the loss ended Lava Man’s nine-race California winning streak, it does set him up nicely for his next start, the June 30 Hollywood Gold Cup.
