Rags to Riches: Okay, this is getting out of hand

[bdw0617]

First you skip the CCOA, then you skip the travers, then the Alabama, and now

(drumroll)

By Karen M. Johnson

Rags to Riches will not run in the Ruffian Handicap (gr.I) on Sept. 8 against older fillies and mares at Belmont Park, trainer Todd Pletcher said Wednesday morning.

The daughter of A.P. Indy, out of Better Than Honour, who has not raced since winning the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), will run instead against 3-year-old fillies in the Gazelle (gr. I) at Belmont Sept. 15. The Gazelle will be her final start before the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Monmouth Park on Oct. 26-27.

Rags to Riches was forced to miss a scheduled breeze on Aug. 27 at Saratoga because of a fever and subsequently missed three days of training. She recovered quickly and worked five furlongs in 1:02.63 on Sept. 2 at Saratoga to Pletcher’s satisfaction. Still, Pletcher believes it is prudent to wait an additional week and run her in the 1 1/8-mile Gazelle. The filly is scheduled to work next at Belmont on Sept. 8.

"The Gazelle makes more sense because it gives her another work," Pletcher said. "It really wasn’t a hard decision, and I think it is fine. It was nice to have another option, and now it gives us six weeks to the Breeders’ Cup, which works." The trainer added that if Rags to Riches had worked on schedule last month, then she would still have been on target for the Ruffian.

"If she hadn’t missed that work, she would have been getting really sharp and ready to run," he said.

Rags to Riches has had a series of setbacks this summer, although none serious. A fever kept her from running in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) at Belmont July 21. In July, she was pulled up at the start of a workout because the exercise rider felt something amiss. A thorough examination followed, and nothing was found wrong with the filly, but the missed training time cost her a start in the Alabama (gr. I) at Saratoga.

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=40618

we will never see Rag's race again. he has had to ease this filly out of the spotlinght of the national media and instead of helping the sport bring new people to the game by bringing new fans to the sport, you give her a month off because of a "fever".... you are crying wolf pletcher

moreso, what kinda damn trainer points his filly into the distaff without having faced older horses once, which if by chance she actually does run, will happen?

[Rokeby Forever]

Don't be so hard on ol' Todd....he did get six races out of her. That's six more than he's gotten out of The Green Monkey.

[Maven]

If she's not sharp why wouldn't he run her in what will probably be a G1 workout? Makes sense to me. Why throw her into stiffer competition coming off an illness induced layoff?

And since when is bringing in new fans a bigger responsibility than the health of your horse?

[bdw0617]

If she's not sharp why wouldn't he run her in what will probably be a G1 workout? Makes sense to me. Why throw her into stiffer competition coming off an illness induced layoff?

And since when is bringing in new fans a bigger responsibility than the health of your horse?

1. don't sit here and tell me that from June 10th until September 4th, she hasn't been right enough to run a race. she is the only colt/filly not to race since the belmont. CP West has ran twice.


2. Because the goal isn't to WIN the ruffian or the Gazelle, she has 5 GRade 1 wins already, she doesn't need another. the goal is to WIN the BREEDERS CUP DISTAFF

you don't do that by getting "grade 1 workouts" against powder puff 3YO's when the Distaff is a month away.

She's a good filly.. but she has to up her game, or at least know what the game is against the best mares the country has to offer. this isn't Coco Belle she's trying to beat.

this is why pletcher is 2 for 41 in Breeders cup races.

[Maven]

If she's not sharp why wouldn't he run her in what will probably be a G1 workout? Makes sense to me. Why throw her into stiffer competition coming off an illness induced layoff?

And since when is bringing in new fans a bigger responsibility than the health of your horse?

1. don't sit here and tell me that from June 10th until September 4th, she hasn't been right enough to run a race. she is the only colt/filly not to race since the belmont. CP West has ran twice.


2. Because the goal isn't to WIN the ruffian or the Gazelle, she has 5 GRade 1 wins already, she doesn't need another. the goal is to WIN the BREEDERS CUP DISTAFF

you don't do that by getting "grade 1 workouts" against powder puff 3YO's when the Distaff is a month away.

She's a good filly.. but she has to up her game, or at least know what the game is against the best mares the country has to offer. this isn't Coco Belle she's trying to beat.

this is why pletcher is 2 for 41 in Breeders cup races.

1) I WILL sit here and tell you she wasn't right the past few months and ask your homeboy Rok how I know that in pm if you must. She's been fighting a lingering bug and they're still not sure what it was. I do find it extremely funny that you think you know more about her health sitting behind a computer than those who are around her every day.

2) People were saying she couldn't win the Belmont coming out of the Oaks after so many weeks of not racing and having beat up on a bunch of nobodies. But she stepped up her game didn't she?

As it sits, the older filly division isn't that exciting and she should be able to beat them when healthy. Wouldn't you rather have your horse win a G1 in what should be a paid workout and a great boost of confidence into the BC?

If the answer is no, hold off on buying those horses you plan on.

By the way, until you get your trainer's license, i'm not sure you're the most informed in what training practices/strategies work and dont work. And yes, we ALL know you watch races ALL day. Doesn't mean jack.

[Rokeby Forever]

I'm not convinced that Rags could beat the older division. I still think the 3 year old filly division is weak as tea. Get past the top two or three and there's nobody in it - the sprinters are MUCH stronger.

Rags was all out to beat a tired Curlin...who showed me nothing in the Haskell.

[Maven]

And who do you think is a better mare than Rags at the Distaff distance?

And you know, I do find it kinda funny that when Boca shows herself to be a likely late sprinting type, all of a sudden the distaff sprinters are loaded to bare this year! lol

[bdw0617]

If she's not sharp why wouldn't he run her in what will probably be a G1 workout? Makes sense to me. Why throw her into stiffer competition coming off an illness induced layoff?

And since when is bringing in new fans a bigger responsibility than the health of your horse?

1. don't sit here and tell me that from June 10th until September 4th, she hasn't been right enough to run a race. she is the only colt/filly not to race since the belmont. CP West has ran twice.


2. Because the goal isn't to WIN the ruffian or the Gazelle, she has 5 GRade 1 wins already, she doesn't need another. the goal is to WIN the BREEDERS CUP DISTAFF

you don't do that by getting "grade 1 workouts" against powder puff 3YO's when the Distaff is a month away.

She's a good filly.. but she has to up her game, or at least know what the game is against the best mares the country has to offer. this isn't Coco Belle she's trying to beat.

this is why pletcher is 2 for 41 in Breeders cup races.

1) I WILL sit here and tell you she wasn't right the past few months and ask your homeboy Rok how I know that in pm if you must. She's been fighting a lingering bug and they're still not sure what it was. I do find it extremely funny that you think you know more about her health sitting behind a computer than those who are around her every day.

2) People were saying she couldn't win the Belmont coming out of the Oaks after so many weeks of not racing and having beat up on a bunch of nobodies. But she stepped up her game didn't she?

As it sits, the older filly division isn't that exciting and she should be able to beat them when healthy. Wouldn't you rather have your horse win a G1 in what should be a paid workout and a great boost of confidence into the BC?

If the answer is no, hold off on buying those horses you plan on.

By the way, until you get your trainer's license, i'm not sure you're the most informed in what training practices/strategies work and dont work. And yes, we ALL know you watch races ALL day. Doesn't mean jack.

1. rok is not my homeboy.

She's been fighting a lingering bug and they're still not sure what it was.

the first time she had she had a temp, it lasted for all of 24 hours. then when she took a funny step they had her checked over.. now I won't knock a trainer for that.. I wish more would do the same

it's AFTER that that I have to scratch my head. Since let's say, the middle of july, the only thing that's been wrong with her is a temp for no more than a day, that was so much a non issue that pletch was quoted as saying he was STILL going to work her out as normal.

2. you never heard that from me. Seriously. I think they made a mistake not running in the SA Derby/kentucky derby... she's THAT good. she would have won the SA going away.. would have at the very least placed in the derby.

however, it's apples and oranges. beating curlin who was running his 3rd grade 1 in 5 weeks, beating octave and beating Sillver Swallow is different than trying to beat Hystericalady, Balance, Nashoba's Key and company, who are not only fully cranked to the max, have been pointing towards this race since January 1st.

I'm not saying she CAN'T. she has every RIGHT to. but as a trainer you have to give her every chance to succeed. giving her a shot against older horses is giving her every right

in comparison, look at the super derby.. they are willing to double the purse to 1 mil yet because it's a 3YO race only, no one will go. they are taking less money to get the experience of facing older horses.

By the way, until you get your trainer's license, i'm not sure you're the most informed in what training practices/strategies work and dont work. And yes, we ALL know you watch races ALL day. Doesn't mean jack

again, I'm not taking the bait.. if anyone you should get mad at roke.. all I did was post an article and offer an opinion. if you don't like it, sue me. But "bash BDW for trying to offer his opinion on something" is getting old

[Rokeby Forever]

In terms of talent, the Test and the addition of La Traviata makes the sprint division much tougher than any 2 turn race that came up this year for the 3 year old fillies. Lear Princess has 5 career starts and ran 2nd in the CCAO and Alabama...that tells me the 2 turn fillies ain't so hot.

[bdw0617]

all I'm saying is that first of all.. if she's really OUT OF IT, then rest her.. but she isn't OUT OF IT because she's still training.. he's babying the filly for no other reason then to baby her, and it's in his best interest to see some tougher company than octave and Folk before the Distaff

[horsenuts]

Don't be so hard on ol' Todd....he did get six races out of her. That's six more than he's gotten out of The Green Monkey.

Well...... she's won four Grade Is in a row including two Classics in the Ky Oaks and then the Belmont so she's done more in those ""six races" then 99.9999999% of horses that have ever raced.


It's not how often a horse races but what they do when they run. I'm associated with a filly that has made 17 starts already in '07 winning 3 with 8 seconds and 3 thirds. Would I trade her for R to R's? You can't be serious?

[Maven]

You're going by what YOU have READ not what the real situation has been. If you think everything about any horse is disclosed to the media, fans, world, etc. you're sadly mistaken. There was more than what you've read and i'm telling you you're wrong with what you're going on.

A tired Curlin is probably still lengths in front of Balance and Hystericalady. And let's not forget Nashoba's Key has never run on the dirt. When I tell you NK's pedigree is turf over turf over turf... etc... it's not exaggeration. They would be fools to run her in the distaff.

In my opinion, you put your horse in a position to WIN. And if skipping open competition to run against her own age group means a G1 win and prep to the BC, then i'm all for it.

A 75% Rags losing to older mares is going to do what for her going into the Distaff? Possibly sour her? Possibly shatter her confidence? Possibly make her tired?

And for the record, I get on Rok every day about many of his statements. But in his defense, he did work for a trainer and spent time at the track. Do you have that experience?

[Rokeby Forever]

And nobody else could have done the same, huh Horsenuts? And...maybe kept her sound?

Ol' Bill Mott showed Pletcher how to train at Saratoga...more than twice as many wins with 20 less starters. Majestic Warrior has only two starts and a Grade 1...do any of Pletcher's two year olds?

[bdw0617]

Don't be so hard on ol' Todd....he did get six races out of her. That's six more than he's gotten out of The Green Monkey.

Well...... she's won four Grade Is in a row including two Classics in the Ky Oaks and then the Belmont so she's done more in those ""six races" then 99.9999999% of horses that have ever raced.


It's not how often a horse races but what they do when they run. I'm associated with a filly that has made 17 starts already in '07 winning 3 with 8 seconds and 3 thirds. Would I trade her for R to R's? You can't be serious?

\


I could care less how many times she has raced. in Rag's case her line is

maiden
grade 1
grade 1
grade 1
grade 1


you can't ask for more than that.

no one is asking pletcher to run the filly in the ground either. A duahger of Better than Honor, and by AP Indy, she's too valuable of a broodmare to risk. plus she's earned her keep alredy. she owes no one anything.


I only have two gripes in this case. First of all... you pass up a Grade 1 against older mares that she honestly could have raced in this coming weekend for a weaker race against lollypops.

that ant he fact that... again... she hasn't raced in 3 months. that's not as big of an issue, because she's still in training... I'm just saying.

up until now, everything to her was a moot point. if her goal is the Distaff..s he needs to get prepared for it. that's all I'm saying.

[Maven]

all I'm saying is that first of all.. if she's really OUT OF IT, then rest her.. but she isn't OUT OF IT because she's still training.. he's babying the filly for no other reason then to baby her, and it's in his best interest to see some tougher company than octave and Folk before the Distaff

Again, you're talking out of your ass! She has missed works... she's been laid up for days at a time being examined.

Hell, I GUARANTEE if they sent her to the farm for some rest you'd be the first screaming that she'll be retired and that you "knew" it.

And it's NOT in her best interest if she isn't fit enough to win comfortably. Many fillies sour VERY easily. Fact.