Rags to Riches (horse)

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Rags to Riches
Rags to Riches.jpg
Rags to Riches in the paddock area at Belmont Park during the day of the Belmont Stakes
(June 9th, 2007)
Sire A.P. Indy
Grandsire Seattle Slew
Dam Better Than Honour
Damsire Deputy Minister
Sex Filly
Foaled 2004
Country United States
Colour Chestnut
Breeder Skara Glen Stables
Owner Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Trainer Todd Pletcher
Record 7: 5-1-0
Earnings $1,340,028
Major wins

Las Virgenes Stakes (2007)
Santa Anita Oaks (2007)
Kentucky Oaks (2007)

American Classic Race wins:
Belmont Stakes (2007)
Awards
NTRA "Moment of the Year" (2007)
World Champion 3-year-old Filly (2007)
American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (2007)
Horse (Equus ferus caballus)
Last updated on September 22, 2007

Rags to Riches (foaled February 27, 2004, in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred filly racehorse who in 2007 became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in over a century.

Contents

[edit] Background

She was sired by 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee A.P. Indy, who in turn was a son of 1977 U.S. Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew and, on his dam's side, a grandson of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. She was out of the mare Better Than Honour, who is a daughter of Canadian Hall of Fame inductee and two-time North American Champion sire Deputy Minister. Better Than Honour also produced the 2006 Belmont Stakes winner, Jazil.

Bred by Skara Glen Stables, Rags to Riches was purchased for US$1.9 million in September 2005 at the Keeneland Sales by the partnership of Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith.

[edit] Racing career

[edit] Early races

Sent to the track at age two under trainer Todd Pletcher, Rags to Riches made her first start in a 4½ furlong sprint. She finished fourth.

Brought back to competition in January 2007, Rags to Riches won her first race at Santa Anita Park by six lengths. Ridden by Garrett Gomez, in February she won the 8 furlong Las Virgenes Stakes after running five wide for a good part of the race. In March, she drew away to win the 1 mile Grade I Santa Anita Oaks by 5½ lengths. Made the betting favorite for the prestigious Grade I Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, she won by 4¼ lengths ovver a field that included the 2006 U.S. Champion 2-Yr-Old Filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, Dreaming of Anna.

[edit] Belmont Stakes

On June 5, 2007, the handlers of Rags to Riches announced she would run in the third and longest leg of the U.S. Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes. It was her first start against males.

In the race, Rags to Riches stumbled out of the starting gate but recovered to move within striking distance of the pacesetters. At the top of the stretch, she dueled head-to-head with Preakness Stakes and eventual Horse of the Year winner Curlin. Curlin put his nose in front briefly, but the filly fought back and beat him to the finish line by a head. Rags to Riches' win made her only the third filly to ever win the Belmont and the first since Tanya claimed victory 102 years earlier in 1905. She was also the first filly to win the race at the current 1½ mile distance at Belmont Park (The race distance has varied: from 1867 until 1873, it was 1⅝ miles (2.6 km). In 1874, the distance was reduced to 1½ miles (2.4 km), and from 1890 to 1892, and in 1895, the distance was 1¼ miles (2 km). From 1896 until 1925, the distance was increased to 1 3/8 miles (2.3 km). In 1926, the race distance was set at the present 1½ miles (2.4 km)).Tanya's win came 38 years after Ruthless captured the inaugural running of the Belmont in 1867.

Belmont Park track announcer Tom Durkin called the race:

"Here comes Hard Spun. And Curlin is coming through in between horses! And Rags to Riches is coming with a four-wide sweep! And Tiago is in behind them. And at the top of the stretch, a filly is in front at the Belmont! But Curlin is right there with her! These two, in a battle of the sexes at the Belmont Stakes! It is Curlin on the inside -- Rags to Riches on the outside. A desperate finish: Rags to Riches and Curlin! They're coming down to the wire. It's gonna be very close! And it's gonna be.... a filly in the Belmont! Rags to Riches has beaten Curlin and a hundred years of Belmont history! The first filly to win it in over a century!"

[edit] Later 2007 season

Rags to Riches in the paddock area at Belmont Park

Despite several minor medical problems over the summer, Rags to Riches continued to train at Belmont Park towards the 2007 Breeder's Cup. She made her return to the races in the $250,000 Gazelle Stakes at Belmont Park on September 15 but finished second to Lear's Princess. It was announced the next day, September 16, that X-rays had revealed a hairline fracture in her right front pastern, and that her trainer Todd Pletcher had taken her out of training. She was expected to make a full recovery and return to racing in 2008.

Rags to Riches received several honors at the end of her three-year-old season. Among voters, she was a Teen Choice Award nominee for Choice Female Athlete [1] in 2007. She was also named 2007 World Champion 3-year-old filly by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

[edit] 2008 Season

Rags to Riches resumed training at age 4. Then on March 24, 2008, Todd Pletcher announced that she had re-injured her right front pastern and was retiring. Rags to Riches' career resulted in five wins in seven starts and $1.3 million in earnings.

[edit] Retirement and stud

She was sent to broodmare duty at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky and on March 9, 2009, gave birth to her first foal, a filly by Giant's Causeway named Riches Causeway. She was then bred to Henrythenavigator and on March 17, 2010, foaled a colt. She foaled a colt by Galileo in Ireland in 2011 and has been bred back to Galileo.[1]

[edit] Pedigree

Pedigree of Rags to Riches
Sire
A.P. Indy		 Seattle Slew Bold Reasoning Boldnesian
Reason To Earn
My Charmer Poker
Fair Charmer
Weekend Surprise Secretariat Bold Ruler
Somethingroyal
Lassie Dear Buckpasser
Gay Missile
Dam
Better Than Honour		 Deputy Minister Vice Regent Northern Dancer
Victoria Regina
Mint Copy Bunty's Flight
Shakney
Blush With Pride Blushing Groom Red God
Runaway Bride
Best In Show Traffic Judge
Stolen Hour

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Charging to the Kentucky Derby". Bloodhorse.com. http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/throughthelens/archive/2011/05/03/charging-to-the-kentucky-derby.aspx. Retrieved 24 May 2011. 

[edit] External links

1867 Ruthless ♥ • 1868 General Duke • 1869 Fenian • 1870 Kingfisher • 1871 Harry Bassett • 1872 Joe Daniels • 1873 Springbok • 1874 Saxon • 1875 Calvin • 1876 Algerine • 1877 Cloverbrook • 1878 Duke Of Magenta • 1879 Spendthrift • 1880 Grenada • 1881 Saunterer • 1882 Forester • 1883 George Kinney • 1884 Panique • 1885 Tyrant • 1886 Inspector B • 1887 Hanover • 1888 Sir Dixon • 1889 Eric • 1890 Burlington • 1891 Foxford • 1892 Patron • 1893 Commanche • 1894 Henry of Navarre • 1895 Belmar • 1896 Hastings • 1897 Scottish Chieftain • 1898 Bowling Brook • 1899 Jean Bereaud • 1900 Ildrim • 1901 Commando • 1902 Masterman • 1903 Africander • 1904 Delhi • 1905 Tanya ♥ • 1906 Burgomaster • 1907 Peter Pan • 1908 Colin • 1909 Joe Madden • 1910 Sweep • 1913 Prince Eugene • 1914 Luke McLuke • 1915 The Finn • 1916 Friar Rock • 1917 Hourless • 1918 Johren • 1919 Sir Barton ₩ • 1920 Man o' War • 1921 Grey Lag • 1922 Pillory • 1923 Zev • 1924 Mad Play • 1925 American Flag • 1926 Crusader • 1927 Chance Shot • 1928 Vito • 1929 Blue Larkspur • 1930 Gallant Fox ₩ • 1931 Twenty Grand • 1932 Faireno • 1933 Hurryoff • 1934 Peace Chance • 1935 Omaha ₩ • 1936 Granville • 1937 War Admiral ₩ • 1938 Pasteurized • 1939 Johnstown • 1940 Bimelech • 1941 Whirlaway ₩ • 1942 Shut Out • 1943 Count Fleet ₩ • 1944 Bounding Home • 1945 Pavot • 1946 Assault ₩ • 1947 Phalanx • 1948 Citation ₩ • 1949 Capot • 1950 Middleground • 1951 Counterpoint • 1952 One Count • 1953 Native Dancer • 1954 High Gun • 1955 Nashua • 1956 Needles • 1957 Gallant Man • 1958 Cavan • 1959 Sword Dancer • 1960 Celtic Ash • 1961 Sherluck • 1962 Jaipur • 1963 Chateaugay • 1964 Quadrangle • 1965 Hail To All • 1966 Amberoid • 1967 Damascus • 1968 Stage Door Johnny • 1969 Arts and Letters • 1970 High Echelon • 1971 Pass Catcher • 1972 Riva Ridge • 1973 Secretariat ₩ • 1974 Little Current • 1975 Avatar • 1976 Bold Forbes • 1977 Seattle Slew ₩ • 1978 Affirmed ₩ • 1979 Coastal • 1980 Temperence Hill • 1981 Summing • 1982 Conquistador Cielo • 1983 Caveat • 1984 Swale • 1985 Creme Fraiche • 1986 Danzig Connection • 1987 Bet Twice • 1988 Risen Star • 1989 Easy Goer • 1990 Go And Go • 1991 Hansel • 1992 A.P. Indy • 1993 Colonial Affair • 1994 Tabasco Cat • 1995 Thunder Gulch • 1996 Editor's Note • 1997 Touch Gold • 1998 Victory Gallop • 1999 Lemon Drop Kid • 2000 Commendable • 2001 Point Given • 2002 Sarava • 2003 Empire Maker • 2004 Birdstone • 2005 Afleet Alex • 2006 Jazil • 2007 Rags to Riches ♥ • 2008 Da' Tara • 2009 Summer Bird • 2010 Drosselmeyer • 2011 Ruler on Ice
Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly
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