Rags to Riches has won the Belmont Stakes, becoming the first filly (female) to win in more than 100 years. Favorite Curlin came in second.It was the first Triple Crown victory for trainer (Todd Pletcher) and jockey (John Velazquez). Rags to Riches stumbled at the start but recovered to become the third filly to win the race, following Ruthless in 1867 and Tanya in 1905.
Curlin, the Preakness winner and a heavy favorite once it was announced that Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense would sit out the race, was beaten by just a head after Rags to Riches made a tremendous stretch run.
Horse racing is a sport without a star (at least without a living star), and with three different horses winning the Triple Crown races, that hasn't changed this year. Rags to Riches will attract some attention as a female winning in a male-dominated sport, but Chad Johnson is still the big deal in horse racing today.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Exploitation of ponies.
Racing doped equines, gambling (legalized & illegal frachises), alcohol sales and TV revenues.
Just like NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Olympic swimming and Lance's Tour de Farces.
Barbaro was a BIG ESPN/NBC TV star before a triple crown stress fracture and doping breakdown imploded that marketing brand name.
In the end---the race horses are killed off early.
No worse than what Michael Vick does. Boycott all TV sports. (college football too)
Posted at 7:41PM on Jun 9th 2007 by George Mitchell
2. This is so inspiring. I'm so excited about Rags to Riches future. HURRAH to Rags To Riches Victory. Way to go John Velazquez.
Posted at 11:17PM on Jun 9th 2007 by Jacqueline Velazquez
3. I think it is wonderful that a filly won. I hope there will be more entered in races. I know there are some that out there as good as any stallion. And they can use her to reproduce more great runners with a great stud. I think this is a great thing for horse racing.
Posted at 12:44AM on Jun 10th 2007 by B.BUCEK
4. This was a great race, such beautiful animals. A great lead in to the Ruffian movie that brought back all those memories from that sad time. She was a horse with a big heart like this Rag to Riches filly.
Posted at 1:02AM on Jun 10th 2007 by merry gold
5. The first guy is a moron. This was a great race! My only knock is on Gomez ride on Hard Spun. Way too conservative just as Pino was way to aggresive at Pimlico.
Posted at 3:42AM on Jun 10th 2007 by Brad
6. What a great race! Unfortunately, in my local newspaper on Saturday morning, I could not find the names of the jockeys,which was important to me because my favorite is Edgar Prado.
Posted at 6:41AM on Jun 10th 2007 by Edgar
7. Rags to Riches is the new super star in horse racing.
It will be interesting to see how her offspring do.
Horse people say the stalion brings the speed, the mare brings the heart.
Posted at 7:10AM on Jun 10th 2007 by Sam Walton
8. Very good racem down the stretch. But it's Hard to beleive Hard Spun did not go to the lead and force a quicker pace. Could it be that Garret Gomez, was upset he couldn't get off of the mount to ride, RAGS to RICHES, and decided to use a different strategy. Hard to belive Larry Jones hasn's said anything. You could see the horse fighting the jockey, and want to go faster earlier. Differnt out come, maybe.. But That's why they race. Hard Spun should have ridden differtly could have done better.
Posted at 9:54AM on Jun 10th 2007 by TRR
9. It was a beautiful thing to see. The heart that the filly has.
Please, don't run her like they did Barbaro. Just because their birthday are all Jan 1st. doesn't mean that all of their bones are mature. I would hate to see her get hurt.
Posted at 11:51AM on Jun 10th 2007 by Diane Kelley
10. I would just liek to make a comment about the first comment. People think that racing is a cruel thing to do to animals. Yes, in some cases illegal things are done, horses are buted, and given things to make then run faster. But once you get up there to the big races, stuff liek that CAN'T happen. I'm totally against animal abuse, but I don't see racing as that. There are some really good owner's out there that put their horses first. These horses have the best life. Racing is what they do. If you think this is bad, take a look at what happens to horses in other diciplines, such as Dressage. Everywhere, there are the good owners, and the bad.
Posted at 12:00PM on Jun 10th 2007 by Amanda
11. one thing we red heads want to let you all know
we are a force to recond with. no one even said she is one good looking red head baby girl. ,love love love it.
Posted at 3:12PM on Jun 10th 2007 by susan
12. RAGS TO RICHES DONE GREATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Posted at 3:25PM on Jun 10th 2007 by CAPT2RON
13. I THOUGH IT WAS A GREAT RACE, RAGS TO RICHES SHOWED
CLASS , AND WON LIKE A REA LADY
Posted at 3:28PM on Jun 10th 2007 by CAPT2RON
14. Brad is a super moron.
This doped pony is doomed too. Steroid, cortisone, Salbutamol, amphetamine and Blood doped for infammy
Another Barbaro. Doped and stress fractured for gaming profit and YV entertainment.
Enjoy the Pharma freak---it won't last very long.
Posted at 11:19PM on Jun 10th 2007 by George Mitchell
15. That was a great race so great to see a filly take over the races. to comment 11 what does being a red head have to do with any thing? that filly has heart and determination not because of her color.
YOU ROCK RAGS TO RICHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted at 11:57PM on Jun 10th 2007 by Sarah
16. Wonderful race--one of the best I have ever seen. Head to head over several furlongs. Couldn't get much better.
Race horses dying young????? Where do we come up with that one??
Posted at 1:29PM on Jun 11th 2007 by Budo
17. Race ponies do not live 17 years.
Typically 3-7!
Profit motive, massive doping and stress fractures drive equine mortality tables.
Posted at 2:41PM on Jun 11th 2007 by George Mitchell
18. To Comment 17
Yes race horses can live to be 17 and older Secretariat lived to be 18 of corse you would not know becuase obviously you are not a horse racing fan!.
Your the only one on Steroid's
Posted at 9:33PM on Jun 11th 2007 by Sarah
19. That was one of the great races of all time, with the leaders changing back and forth from the time they rounded the last turn, and that's a long way at Belmont! In the end, after they had each found extra gears, she found yet another overdrive and passed at the wire fair and square. Her trainer said that he wanted her to keep up at the start as she could "run all day", and her jockey said he had been told to "keep her face clean", free from mud. So she was on the outside while her opponent ran inside, and it was GLORIOUS! Naturally, the Press couldn't let a filly REALLY win, and had to preview the disgustingly inaccurate film of Ruffian (as the owner of Flying Colors actually SAID into the open microphone, "It's sad but they don't play in short pants out there.")
Remember, too, that Winning Colors won the Derby and was third in the Preakness recently, for the Distaff.
Alison Morey
Posted at 12:08AM on Jun 12th 2007 by Alison Morey
20. Congrats to Rags to Riches but calling her a superstar after 1 race in which she carried 5 less pounds than the other horses is a bit of a stretch. maybe she would have won carrying the same weight but maybe not.I personnaly dont see why the weights should be different for fillys and I dont know If the weights will be the same in future races against the boys but in my opinion after running in all 3 triple crown races and conceding 5 pounds I think the outcome could have been different with Curlin winning by a nose. Im not saying this because im a Curlin fan, as a matter of fact I was betting on Hard Spun , I thought he would be loose on the lead, in the Belmont. If they would have been carrying the same weight my opinion would be different but until then no superstar status for Rags to Riches.
Posted at 10:47AM on Jun 15th 2007 by bernard kauffman