I KNOW YOU WERE ALL BITING YOUR NAILS OVER THIS ONE
ANYWAY, A RECORD WAS SET AT THE BELMONT..
NO TRIPLE CROWN, NOOOOO DEFEATING SECRETARIAT'S RECORD (NOT IN A MILLION YEARS) .. BUT, A NICE VICTORY.. KINDA SWEET FOR ME.. NOT BECAUSE OF THE "LADY".. BUT BECAUSE SHE EDGED OUT CURLIN THE WAY HE NOSED OUT STREET SENSE
Rags to Riches beats Curlin and the boys
ELMONT, N.Y. - Start spreading the news. Trainer Todd Pletcher has won his first Triple Crown race, on a day when it was ladies first at Belmont Park.
Rags to Riches, the lone filly in the 139th Belmont Stakes, overcame a significant stumble at the start and beat six boys, including Preakness Stakes winner Curlin, to end two inglorious streaks, one for fillies in the Belmont, and one for Pletcher in Triple Crown races, on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Rags to Riches ($10.40) became only the third filly to win the Belmont of 22 who have attempted it, but she was the first since 1905. Pletcher had sent out 28 losers in Triple Crown races, all males, before the filly brought him glory.
"It's a special feeling no matter when you do it," said Pletcher, who only decided on Tuesday to put Rags to Riches in the Belmont. "To do it with a filly, which hasn't been done in 102 years, it's a real credit to how good the filly is,"
Rags to Riches, carrying 121 pounds - five fewer than the males - outfought Curlin through a thrilling stretch drive to win by a head. Tiago was another 5 1/2 lengths back in third. Hard Spun was fourth and was followed, in order, by C P West, Imawildandcrazyguy, and Slew's Tizzy.
She covered 1 1/2 miles on the fast main track in 2:28.74.
Rags to Riches was the second choice in the betting, but she seemed to be first in the hearts of the fans who came to Belmont Park on Saturday. She received the loudest cheer of the seven runners when they were introduced during the post parade by announcer Tom Durkin, and she received an even louder cheer when she came back to the winner's circle.
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But Rags to Riches was racing against males for the first time. She already had established herself as the best 3-year-old filly in the land, having captured the Kentucky Oaks. She has now won five straight races after losing her lone start last year.
As the field moved around the far turn, Curlin knifed between horses to challenge for the lead, Hard Spun ranged up three wide, and Rags to Riches rallied four lanes wide.
Curlin led narrowly turning into the stretch, but Rags to Riches was on even terms passing the eighth pole, was just in front with a sixteenth to go, and then outbattled Curlin in the shadow of the wire.
Rags to Riches became the fourth horse in the last five years to win the Belmont off a five-week layoff.
Curlin, the favorite, had won the Preakness Stakes after finishing third in the Kentucky Derby. He and Hard Spun, who was second in the Derby and third in the Preakness, were the only horses in this year's Triple Crown who ran in all three races.
The field of seven was the smallest in the Belmont since six went to the post in 2003.
It was a balmy but not oppressive day on Saturday at Belmont Park, the heat of Friday having broken overnight.
This year's Triple Crown began with a late-running victory by Street Sense in the Derby, but when Street Sense was narrowly defeated by Curlin in the Preakness two weeks later, he subsequently was kept out of the Belmont. That was one of the factors that led Pletcher to run Rags to Riches.
The two fillies to win the Belmont Stakes prior to Rags to Riches were Ruthless in the inaugural running in 1867 and Tanya in 1905.
..it puts us in contention for the crown. totally agree, 3 good derby horses, and Lukas is bringing in a couple ringers.. I hate that.. they bypass the Derby &.. zap.. hopefully not this year... let's see a triple crown in :D2007
. Though no TC, I'm actually kinda happy with the results-- all
the belmont in 2:24 at 31 lengths