Saturday was a moment in history! Rags to Riches became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in 105 years! In 1905, Tanya had won, and Ruthless won the very first Belmont. Overall, 22 fillies have tried to take it from the boys. It was an exciting race, let me tell you. She was ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Todd Pletcher. She stumbled right out of the gate, a heavy over her knees, crunched over fetlocks stumble and the boys just took off in front of her. She shook it off, like the champion she is! She was in the outside gate and was on the far outside the entire mile and a half. Velazquez had been told to save her energy and keep mud from being flipped up on her too much. So, she came around the backstretch far out on the track, and Curlin was winning. Well, she stalked him down and it was just the two of them for about a half mile. She had it most of the way, by a girl's nose, and then he surged and took it from her. But -- get this -- she took it back and refused to lose. She won by a clear head victory! Let me tell you, the grandstand went nuts!!! The first filly to win in 105 years for goodness' sake!!! And the first filly to win since they extended the Belmont's distance. Velazquez was thrilled because though he had won the 2004 Eclipse Award for jockey of the year (the year Rags was born, mind you), he was 0 for 20 in Triple Crown races. And her trainer, Todd Pletcher, while the nation's leading trainer for 3 years running, has gone 0 for 28 up until now for Triple Crown Races. Rags has given him his first jewel!! Rags has two dads, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, who think of her win not as a feminist victory because they are used to the European racing tradition, where people think of the girls as just as macho competitors as the boys!! Of their decision to put Rags in the Belmont, her dad Tabor said, "It was a fantastic feat. We thought it was something the public would like to see." Yes, the public did enjoy it! Who doesn't like to witness a flatout moment in history!!!
