Rags to Riches to the Preakness?

[MNslappy]

Ok, it's 230 AM and officially the day after the Derby. So let me start the Preakness speculation with this:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horseracing/bal-sp.derbynotes05may05,0,3680723.story?coll=bal-sports-horse


With 100,075 fans jamming into Churchill Downs yesterday, Rags to Riches sat off the pace in the Grade I, $500,000 Kentucky Oaks, waiting to make her point.

Rags to Riches, the California filly who has been criticized for building her resume against less than the strongest contenders, shut everyone up with her charge down the stretch to victory. With mud flying, the A.P. Indy 3-year-old drew away from the field and beat Octave to the finish by 4 1/4 lengths.

"She hadn't been in these conditions before and to be between horses was a concern, but we know she's a very good filly and we were hopeful," said owner Michael Tabor, who won the Kentucky Derby with Thunder Gulch in 1995. "I was nervous for only a second or so. She's a valuable broodmare, but this is what you dream about." A traditionalist, Tabor had turned down the opportunity to run the filly in today's Kentucky Derby, but said after the Oaks: "Maybe we'll step up now."



So, this amateur player would like all of you seasoned vets to give your opinions.

#1 If she had run in the Derby, do you think she would have had a shot at hitting the board given the way the race was run and the way it played out, or would she have been completely overmatched?

#2 Is it far-fetched to think that this filly might have actually been Pletcher's best shot at finally winning the big one? Is he sitting by himself doing this :bang: right now over Tabor's decision not to run her?

#3 Do you think she will run in the Preakness and/or do you think she should run in the Preakness?

I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys think, I really respect the opinions here.

[Edward DeVere]

Rags To Riches certainly could have fit into the triple.

I don't think you'll see her in the Preakness, due to the 15 days between races. Definitely not Pletcher's style.

[gIracing]

Rags To Riches certainly could have fit into the triple.

I don't think you'll see her in the Preakness, due to the 15 days between races. Definitely not Pletcher's style.

if anything you will see her in the Belmont.. that's more of her style, the father they go, the better she will be.

my gosh I wish Mag wouldn't have gotten injuried after romping at SA... Santa Anita had the two best fillies in the country.


Did anyone catch the Beyer for Hysterialady? (a ticket i cashed BTW).. a 108!!!! she would have given SS a run for his money if she could have gotten the distance

[OTM Al]

Belmont if anything for Rags to Riches. This years version will be very good I think if SS wins in 2 weeks.

Hysterical Lady is a very servicable 7f horse. I took her on top of Pussycat Doll as that seemed the only way the top one got beat. Not a 10f horse however

[gIracing]

Belmont if anything for Rags to Riches. This years version will be very good I think if SS wins in 2 weeks.

Hysterical Lady is a very servicable 7f horse. I took her on top of Pussycat Doll as that seemed the only way the top one got beat. Not a 10f horse however

i was not brining mention to her possibly going 10F (she's not even 3 is she?), I was talking about the BEYER.. that's high for anyone, let alone a filly. I don't know aobut 10 furlongs but I would be extremely tempted to get her in something like the cigar mile later down the road.. I mean she made pussycat doll look like a claimer, and she's a G1 winner. I mean I had her becuase I was impressed with her last victory, but I didn't expect THAT.


I actually think R2R will get the 10F better thsn SS would.. looking at how spent he was after the derby and how much run R2R had after the oaks.

[Ron]

That would be something.

[WJ47]

I'd love to see Rags to Riches up against the colts in either the Preakness or Belmont. That would certainly liven things up a little. She was really impressive in the Oaks. Too bad they didn't run in her in the Derby, I think she could have been competitive with these colts.

[gIracing]

I'd love to see Rags to Riches up against the colts in either the Preakness or Belmont. That would certainly liven things up a little. She was really impressive in the Oaks. Too bad they didn't run in her in the Derby, I think she could have been competitive with these colts.


they made the right decision... an Oaks win looks better than a derby place on her black type... it's all about breeding. I would be hesitant to put her against SS....

[Hajck Hillstrom]

....RAGS TO RICHES is Pletcher's best 3 year old. I said in February that she should run in the Derby, but I also predicted that she would win the Triple Crown after her Las Virgines victory. I think Michael Tabor wanted to see if he could sweep the Oaks/Derby.

I don't think that we will see her in either the Preakness or the Belmont Stakes. Pletcher will probably put her in the Travers though.

As I stood in the mud on the terrace lawn after the Oaks I proclaimed to anyone that would listen that they just watched the best 3 year old in the country win.

One gentleman stopped in his tracks and said, "this guy knows what he is talking about."

She is very special.

Carry on, Carry on,

Hajck Hillstrom

[Ron]

They should pay Pletcher to run this horse in the Belmont.

[BetHorses!]

I'm hearing she will run in the Belmont

[MNslappy]

this from the AP story on the PA front page:

And now it's on to the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), where there won't be a Triple Crown try for the third straight year after six attempts the previous 10 years. The last Triple Crown champion was Affirmed in 1978.

"If Street Sense and Curlin show up, then it will be good for the Belmont, maybe like the Affirmed-Alydar rivalry," said trainer Nick Zito, who played spoiler in the last Triple try in 2004, when Birdstone ran down Smarty Jones in the stretch. "If Hard Spun's there, too, then you've got the top three from the first two races and that would be wonderful."

Other Belmont contenders include the filly Rags to Riches, winner of the Kentucky Oaks, and four Derby starters who missed the Preakness - Imawildandcrazyguy (fourth), Tiago (seventh), Nobiz Like Shobiz (10th) and Great Hunter (13th).

Also on the list are Sightseeing, winner of Sunday's Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II), Barbaro Stakes winner Chelokee, trained by Michael Matz, Slew's Tizzy and Cristobal, who has run twice in France.

For now, it appears Street Sense won't show up for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, the longest and most grueling of the series.

"There's not really any reason to go there right now," Nafzger said, but added he'd talk things over with owner James Tafel before reaching a final decision.

Consider Curlin and Hard Spun probables.