Rags To Riches to Belmont?

[Cannon Shell]

I was astonished to hear that Hard Spun was going to run in the Belmont. I would be really surprised if SS goes. And I still have my doubts that Curlin will go.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I was astonished to hear that Hard Spun was going to run in the Belmont. I would be really surprised if SS goes. And I still have my doubts that Curlin will go.

I couldn't agree more. Nothing about Hard Spun makes me think he wants a mile and a half. If he goes I'm thinking he will suck up a ton of money in a big way.

NT

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I was astonished to hear that Hard Spun was going to run in the Belmont. I would be really surprised if SS goes. And I still have my doubts that Curlin will go.

I think Hard Spun could do well in the Belmont, but how well will depend on the rider. I always view the Belmont as more of a riders race, and there is no margin for error in judgement of the pace. I'm not sure from what I've seen that Pino is the right man for the task.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

I think Hard Spun could do well in the Belmont, but how well will depend on the rider. I always view the Belmont as more of a riders race, and there is no margin for error in judgement of the pace. I'm not sure from what I've seen that Pino is the right man for the task.

I think he will wilt in the Belmont no matter who rides. I guess we will see.

[lemoncrush]

Without the top 3, I think we'll have a very good betting race
with a deeper field.
I agree with others who noted it would be nice to see Street Sense and Curlin face off again in the Travers or Haskell as fresh horses. I think they could both use a freshining for summer/fall.

[parsixfarms]

If two or more of the "Big Three" decide to pass the Belmont, I'd be shocked if Pletcher didn't enter Rags to Riches in the Belmont. Desperate people do desperate things (see entry of Circular Quay in the Preakness).

[Danzig]

pletcher is desperate? i don't know that i'd go that far.

rags is well bred for the distance, and i think she can handle it. and of course you have three horses, very good horses, who have run two tough races in two weeks time. so now would be a good time to try it.

whether todd goes 0-29, or finally wins a tc race.....well, that's up to the filly. but i don't think it's desperation that will make the decision. we've all seen good fillies take on colts, i say let her try and see where she fits in. props to her connections if they do it. she's beaten her peers pretty handily, it's time to step up to the next level.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Danzig

pletcher is desperate? i don't know that i'd go that far.

rags is well bred for the distance, and i think she can handle it. and of course you have three horses, very good horses, who have run two tough races in two weeks time. so now would be a good time to try it.

whether todd goes 0-29, or finally wins a tc race.....well, that's up to the filly. but i don't think it's desperation that will make the decision. we've all seen good fillies take on colts, i say let her try and see where she fits in. props to her connections if they do it. she's beaten her peers pretty handily, it's time to step up to the next level.

There's no doubt in my mind that he's "desperate" to win a TC race. What else would you call the entry of Circular Quay in the Preakness? This was a light-bodied horse that didn't run in the Wood because four weeks to the Derby would be "too close." So how do you then explain running him back in two weeks in the Preakness.

I don't think there's any question that Pletcher will do whatever he can to get that first Triple Crown win and quell the whispers about why his stable has performed so poorly on the days when the TRPB "Big Race" teams are in place.

That all being said, I think this is a very special filly. In the absence of Street Sense and Curlin, she'd probably be one of the race favorites.

[ELA]

Originally Posted by Bobby Fischer

Its all about hyping the horse. The more hype, the more demand there is for the horse. The stock goes up. This is a Tabor horse.

If they were to actually run her she would prove to be inferior to the top males and possibly set her back from prepping toward the major goals she is pointed towards.

There is absolutely nothing to hype, nor any reason to do so. Coolmore is not a commercial breeder. If they do it, it's strictly an ego, sportsmen, etc. thing -- even if they say it's to increase the filly's value. They don't sell their fillies, and they don't sell their foals. If they were going to syndicate her for breeding and to race the foals, it would be a done deal regardless of whether or not she takes on the boys. It's just outside their normal MO/business model.

Hype is not needed here IMO. If they change their MO and race her for these reasons, great. As a fan, it's moot as to why they would race her -- just the mere fact that they would is what the fan is looking for.

Eric