Why Rags To Riches Lost And Is Out For The Year

And Reviews of Several Stakes for Breeders' Cup Prospects

A Column by Steve Davidowitz
September 19, 2007

When Rags to Riches went to the post in the $250,000 Gazelle Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on Saturday, September 15th, she was an over bet, 2-5 wagering favorite meeting a very fit, improving rival in Lear's Princess.

She was over bet because horses do not walk on water - not even great horses. Besides not having raced at all since winning the Belmont Stakes in June over Preakness winner Curlin, Rags to Riches had suffered minor injuries and illnesses that forced trainer Todd Pletcher to skip three previously intended stakes - the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) and the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap (G1).

Running in the Gazelle against other 3-year-old fillies was the backup plan to the Ruffian against older horses. It was also a clue that she wasn't quite at her best, otherwise Pletcher wouldn't have sought out a seemingly easier spot.

Some easy spot!

With Lear's Princess in the Gazelle, the race would hardly be a stroll in the park. When last seen, Lear's Princess was finishing a strong second to Lady Joanne in the Alabama. During the three weeks since that hard-fought Grade 1 contest, Lear's Princess had trained well with blinkers to tweak her form just another notch forward.

But there was another reason why Rags to Riches was defeated in the Gazelle, a reason that traces back to a bad habit the filly previously exhibited in workouts she had with the Derby colt Circular Quay in April at Keeneland.

Rags to Riches shows noticeable discomfort when racing on the inside.

That is why she was beaten by Circular Quay in team drills. That is why she cocked her head to the outside in those workouts, losing her fluid stride. That is also why she did the same thing when Lear's Princess moved outside to challenge her in the stretch.

While expressing this discomfort, Rags to Riches hesitated to change leads in the workouts and in the Gazelle, something she never failed to do properly while racing outside in her impressive series of graded stakes victories in California, Kentucky and New York.

After losing the Gazelle on Saturday, Rags to Riches walked off the track sound. However, by morning she was off in the right front leg. X-rays showed that she has a very minor fracture to the pastern, probably caused by her awkward stride in the moment of fiercest combat - while she was racing inside of Lear's Princess.

She is out of the Breeders' Cup races, out for the year. But her connections, including trainer Pletcher, say she will be back in silks sometime in 2008. That would be great for her, for her fans and for the sport, but it would also be an upset if that really occurs in this age when top horses - male and female - are retired when a pimple is found on their hindquarters. That notwithstanding, we will all root for her healthy return.

Reviews of graded stakes for prominent Breeders' Cup prospects:

There were two Grade 2 stakes for juveniles at Belmont Park on Saturday - the $250,000 Futurity Stakes and the $250,000 Matron Stakes. There was also the important $1 million Woodbine Mile (G1) on the Woodbine turf course on Sunday and a seemingly minor stakes race for juveniles on the Woodbine turf that identified the horse to beat in the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. That race will be run on Friday, October 26th, during the first of two days of expanded Breeders' Cup racing at Monmouth Park.

The week before, among other stakes, there were two graded turf events at Belmont Park with Breeders' Cup implications. I have some brief notes to share on those events as well.

Belmont Park, Saturday, September 15:

• The $250,000 Matron Stakes (G2) at 7 furlongs for 2-year-old fillies

The Larry Jones-trained Proud Spell remained unbeaten in three starts when she took advantage of a hot speed duel between longshots Maren's Meadow (also trained by Jones) and Miss Red Delicious. She sailed into the clear to a relatively easy victory over the maiden Armonk, who was heavily bet on the idea that she was going to improve with the extra yardage since her okay second with traffic problems in her maiden debut won by Syriana's Song, who was the morningline favorite in this race and didn't fire at all. The final clocking of 1:24.20 included a moderate final furlong a shade under 13 seconds. Jones and Armonk's trainer Kiaran McLaughlin both said the top two finishers will go to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Monmouth Park on Saturday, October 27th. Neither trainer ruled out an intermediary race over a distance of ground at Belmont or Keeneland in early October. A few others in this field may also be given a chance to redeem themselves in one of those races.

• The $250,000 Futurity Stakes (G2) at 7 furlongs for 2-year-olds

Barclay Tagg, who trained the 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide, has a good 2-year-old in Tale of Ekati. Under an expert ride by Eibar Coa, Tale of Ekati overcame a problem leaving the starting gate, gained ground along the rail on the backstretch, angled out wide for the drive, moved back inside in mid-stretch and passed the tiring pacesetter in a mature performance for an inexperienced 2-year-old. The son of Tale of the Cat out of a Sunday Silence mare is one to watch into next spring. Mythical Pegasus set a brisk pace but was also passed by wagering favorite and three-time stakes winner Kodiak Kowboy, who raced wide throughout and seemed to suggest that his distance limitations will be nine furlongs, if that far. The final time was 1:22.33, nearly two full seconds faster than the fillies in the Matron.

Woodbine Racecourse, Sunday, September 16:

• The $1 million Woodbine Mile on the turf for 3-year-olds and up

Having returned from major injuries incurred when he was 12th in the 2005 Breeders' Cup Turf at Belmont and a series of lackluster training moves for trainer Billy Mott in 2006, Shakespeare was turned over to Kiaran McLaughlin for a 2007 summer and fall campaign. Guess what? This freakishly talented turf performer is back at his best, winning his second straight and first stakes since 2005 with a devastating late run that was one of the best mile races run in America in this decade.

Waiting in the rear off the pack, Shakespeare uncorked a furious late surge that was clocked in 22.5 seconds to overtake the highly ranked Kip Deville, who had previously won graded stakes in California with fast clockings. Remarkable News set the pace and tired to fourth, while longshot Galantas rallied somewhat for third. The final time for this high-class race was 1:33.58. As a 4-year-old in 2005, Shakespeare was a classic distance turf performer. But as a 6-year-old in 2008, Shakespeare has emerged as a serious threat to typical European domination in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile.

• The $250,000 Summer Stakes (G3) at one mile on the turf for 2-year-olds

Prussian was the most impressive winner of a juvenile maiden race I saw at Saratoga this summer when he demolished a well-regarded field of youngsters in a 1 1/16-mile maiden turf race. He was just as impressive winning this, his first stakes in his second career start. Under Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, Prussian was easily placed outside front-running Brickyard Crossing until Desormeaux gave the signal and said "bye bye" to the field. Stretch-running Briarwood Circle did close well for second, but the outcome was never in doubt and the 1 1/4-length margin between the top two was no reflection on how much the best Prussian really was. On now to the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Monmouth on Friday, October 26th. If there is a better 2-year-old turf runner in the world, I haven't seen him.

Belmont Park, Saturday, September 8:

• The $500,000 Man o' War Stakes (G1) at 1 3/8 miles on the turf for 3-year-olds and up

Doctor Dino, a respectable third in the Arlington Million on August 11th, out-gamed Sunriver to win this race. The race was characterized by a fast pace unexpectedly set by the European import Yellowstone, who had never exhibited such runaway speed and forfeited his best chance with his premature antics. Meanwhile, the top two finishers did run well and presumably would be among the leading contenders in the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf on October 27th, but only Sunriver is likely to run in that rich event. Doctor Dino is not presently nominated to the Breeders' Cup.

• The $250,000 Garden City Breeders' Cup (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on the turf for 3-year-old fillies

The European invader Alexander Tango was a solid late threat on paper going into this race based on her good performances against top-flight European foes. She didn't disappoint, even though she didn't get anything close to the fast pace her connections were looking for. Lagging back under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan through those slow early splits, Alexander Tango nevertheless unleashed an electric burst of late speed to win going away over a pair of longshots, Bit of Whimsy and Sharp Susan. Favored Rutherienne suffered a severe leg cut during the race and was no factor. While Alexander Tango is likely to go in the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) on September 29th to determine her status for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on October 27th, Rutherienne's status is unclear.

Next week: The high-class 3-year-old Any Given Saturday runs in the $150,000 Brooklyn Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park against older horses.

Steve Davidowitz has written two highly acclaimed books on Thoroughbred racing---Betting Thoroughbreds and The Best and Worst of Thoroughbred Racing. He also is a regular contributor to Daily Racing Form's Simulcast Weekly and DRF Plus and his columns appear in the Bodog Racebook each week.