ESPN2 has the oaks under card! I had no idea, mind you, I can only wager on the Oaks online.
The weather is hideous at Churchill! I missed the Louisville Stakes, but they replayed the stretch run which featured winner Ginger Punch hopping over a puddle… impressive!
I didn’t handicap the Oaks (or much of anything yet), but I’ll be placing a little sloppy track exacta of Bsharpsonata & Little Belle.
Rags to Riches, in a league of her own training at Belmont (Jason Moran)
I have to admit, when I checked the TBA RSS late in the afternoon and sawtheposts about Rags to Riches retirement, a tear came to my eye. While not a surprise, it is indeed a bummer. Although, if she were my horse, and OH how I wish she was, I would do the same thing.
In my mind, she’s a legend… no question about it. Clearly being only the third filly to win the Belmont and the first in over 100 years to do so makes a compelling case right off the bat. Beating the eventual horse of the year in the thrilling stretch duel makes the case even stronger. But all of her wins were incredible… running 5 wide in the Las Virgenes, winning by at least 5 lengths in the Santa Anita Oaks and the Kentucky Oaks? Legend.
She’s one of the reasons that I count myself extremely lucky that 2007 was my first full year as a racing fan. I had the pleasure of sitting at the top of the stretch at the Belmont when she came roaring around that corner.
At the very least, I won’t have to miss her running the in Distaff in the fall if it doesn’t work out, but I’m sure she would have been running in the Gentleman’s Classic anyway!
Hat’s off to R2R, and many thanks to her connections, particularly for running her in the Belmont. A move that not all would make with a filly.
I’m sure she’s gonna be one of the those cool moms who’s kid’s are really smart AND can kick your ass, until then…
I can’t wait to get bargain shopping on some of the promising youngsters… we should definitely know at least a little more about them by the first pool. And who knows what kind of talent hasn’t even raced yet!
I’l be doing some catch-up posting (and reading, which leads to more posting) this weekend.
Loading ...
Loading ...
