Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy–Better Than Honour, by Deputy Minister), only the third filly in history to win the GI Belmont Stakes, died due to infirmities of old age, Coolmore announced Monday. Owned by Coolmore’s Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Rags to Riches etched her name into the annals of American racing history when she outbattled Curlin in a dramatic stretch duel to take the final leg of the Triple Crown in 2007, becoming the first filly in 102 years to win the race.
Rags to Riches, purchased for $1.9 million at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, also won the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Santa Anita Oaks and GI Las Virgenes Stakes and was named champion 3-year-old filly of 2007.
“Rags to Riches was a truly talented racehorse, and it’s been a privilege to be around a horse of her calibre,” said Coolmore’s Dermot Ryan. “Her achievements left a lasting impression on all of us, and she brought great pride to her ownership. I would like to thank Bob Davis and his team, who have cared for her with exceptional dedication for over a decade.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher also paid tribute to his former pupil on Monday.
“She was extra special. She was my first Classic winner and to do it in a race like the Belmont against colts, in a quality field with horses like Curlin and Hard Spun in there, it was a remarkable race,” the conditioner said. “It kind of encapsulated everything that’s exciting about horse racing. She stumbled at the start and was able to overcome that and the stretch-long duel with Curlin–it looked like she was going to win, it looked like he was going to come back. It was every emotion you could have during the running of a race. [When she it hit the wire first] it was probably the most excited I’ve ever been after a race. It’s still to this day, I think, the most exciting race that we’ve been a part of.”
The Hall of Famer continued, “She was a terrific filly to train on the racetrack. She was very professional, very straightforward. She was a very good mover, beautiful to watch gallop. That’s part of why she was successful in the Belmont, because she was such a great galloper. But she was totally different around the barn. She was very territorial and she was very aggressive. She was not a house pet.”
Rags to Riches has a 2-year-old filly by Munnings and a yearling colt by Uncle Mo.
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