Gorgeaus Rags to Riches!

Namaste.

Breaking News! Laurel Wreath Farm Announces Top 6 TBs of 21st Century!

1. Velvet Tenderness by Groomstick out of Wining Effort.

2. Rags to Riches by A.P. Indy out of Better than Honour.

3. Zenyatta by Street Cry out of Vertigineux

4. Rachel Alexandra by Medaglia Doro out of Lotta Kim

5. Better than Honour by Deputy Minister out of Blush with Pride.

6. Indian Blessing by Indian Charlie out of Shameful.

Breaking News! Filly takes Preakness 2009!

Yesterday was pretty amazing. I spent the morning with my horses and then went to a flea market and purchased a wooden sewing kit, like my Aunt Ruth and mom had. I worked quietly on organizing my crafts and then watched television coverage of the 2009 Rolex (which I had attended in person) and then knitted while watching the coverage of the Preakness Stakes. The Stakes were sponsored by Blackberry and Canon, my two favorite sponsors, if you have to like corporations!! And NBC did a spectacular job covering the event, completly redeeming themselves for their shoddy coverage of the Derby. They covered the horses the entire time. They gave in depth stories about each horse. They live interviewed the jockeys, trainers, owners, grooms. They had really expert coverage with professional bettors and oddsmakers. They went into the jockey room and covered the jockey photo. They took us to the barn, to the paddock, to the saddling area. They walked with each horse from the barn to these other locations. They had coverage from hock level up close and personal. You practically felt like you were in the saddling area!

And what a week we had leading into this event. The filly's original owner made a big deal of saying that he wasn't sorry he hadn't entered his Oaks winning filly in the Derby because the Derby was the showcase venue for the world's best upcoming stallions. Boo. But Jess Jackson, the 79-year-old head of the winery, organized a purchase of the filly, transferred her to Steve Asmussen as head trainer and Scott Blasi, assistant trainer, and sent her to Pimlico in Baltimore! Then, as if that weren't exciting enough, the trainers and owners of Mine that Bird and Pioneerofthenile tried to bar her entry by exploiting a rule. But the owners of Luv Gov, named jokingly after Eliott Spitzer, caught wind of those shenanigans and Marylou Whitney said she would pull her horse, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, if Rachel Alexandra stayed at 15th and couldn't earn the 14th slot. Her husband, John Hendrickson, said, "We think Rachel Alexandra is wonderful. We entered our horse because we thought we had a shot. But if we are the deciding factor on whether or not Rachel Alexandra gets in, then we'll withdraw and wait until the Belmont. We're for sportsmanship and what's best for the game. It is ladies first for us."

So, she made it into the race. And what a race. She had the outside post. She broke clean and quickly was in front and pulled in from her wide place. She was in front from gate to wire with Mine that Bird making good tracks at the very end. She won by a length. It was *amazing* and here's why. First, she won from Post 13, the first time that's ever happened in Preakness history. Second, she was the first filly to win the race in 85 years, since Nellie Morse in 1924 when Calvin Coolidge was president, for goodness' sake! Third, she won from the front the entire race which is incredibly wildly rare for a horse to be able to do -- grabbing and holding onto the front for an entire race! Plus, fourth, she had a jockey who in the first time in history won two jewels of the Triple Crown while riding two different horses! Amazing! It was a great, great race.

Steve Asmussen credited Scott with keeping her in tip top shape. They said when she arrived at Pimlico, "You could tell she was happy going to the racetrack. You just watched her ears. She's very intelligent. She has seen it before." They joked about how soon she'd be visiting Curlin, another living legend they trained and raced. And Scott talked about his love for him and his recent visit to the champion in which Curlin did a dance of happy love, a greeting dance, and threw one of his shoes, "That horse knew me. There is an emotional attachment. That is why we get up early and go to the barns. People in this business love our horses." And when he went to pick up Rachel Alexandra from her trainer, Hal Wiggins, last week, he said, "He's one of my best friends. I know it's tough. I remember when Curlin walked out of our barn."

This sort of reporting made me happy. I'm glad the filly got a chance and did well. I'm glad that NBC did such great coverage and had an *amazing* woman interviewer who was *everywhere*, including on a track pony conducting the interviews on horseback. I'm glad that everyone had such positive things to say about the beauty, intelligence, majesty, and emotional connections of horses.

This year has been a great year for racing. Rags to Riches, the 2007 Belmont-winning filly, foaled her first Giant's Causeway filly, and Rachel Alexandra breezed out with power to win the Preakness!!! Go, Grrrls!!!

Breaking News! Rags to Riches Has a Filly!

This morning, I was laying quietly in bed in the early dark hours with my dog and cats, cozy and happy. The day before, I had been thinking about Rags to Riches and wondering whether she foaled. So, I leaned over, picked up my Blackberry and was delighted that a google alert told me that on Monday night at 9:30pm, Rags had her first filly by Giant's Causeway at Coolmore's Asford Stud near Lexington. Here's a photo of her all fat and happy taken in February, posted on The Bloodline.

You will remember that she was the first filly in 102 years to win the Belmont Stakes and that her dad's Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor felt that she should run in the Kentucky Oaks rather than Derby. She didn't even break a sweat in the Oaks, winning it in a loping frolicking canter. Then those boys rethought their position and entered her in the Belmont. Now mind you, in that race, she had a stumble which almost took her to her face, and she scrambled athletically up to hand a loss to Curlin, Horse of the Year two years running and the winner of the Preakness and Dubai World Cup and Breeders Cup. She's just that fine!

Dermot Ryan, the General Manager of Ashford said, "She had a nice filly foal. All is good. Mother and daughter are doing well." I sure would like to see that filly!

Here's a small detail about the bad economy. In 2007, GC's way stud fee was $300,000, but this Spring 2009, you could have a GC foal for the paltry fee of $125,000. Just saying. Snap up the deal! ;)

Another important detail is that she's related to my two mares. She and Violet share the same great-grandpa, Blushing Groom. They also share other famous notables including Nasrullah, Princequillo, and Traffic. And even Hailee has a masterful relation in Equipoise!

Better than Honour at November Fasig-Tipton

So, the farm that owned Better than Honour decided to focus their work on race-horse development, so they made an agreement to disperse their broodmares. Well, among their herd, they had Better than Honour, Kentucky Broodmare of the Year who is the mother of Casino Drive and the mother of back-to-back Belmont Stakes winners Jazil and Rags to Riches. Mind you, Rags was the first filly to win the Belmont in 105 years! Anyway, she went in the Fasig-Tipton November Sale and she sold to the fellow who wanted to keep her from this dispersal for $14million. Everyone interviewed said that she is worth every penny. She is leaving a genetic heritage which will run like a river through the thoroughbred pedigree -- a blue, blue, royal blue hen. Namaste!

Breaking News! Renny's Weight and Other Equines!

All right, so soon, September 3rd, Renny will have to have his first dewormer. So, Monica at Westview Veterinary called me recently to talk about setting up an appointment for Fall shots. She conferred with Dr. Z about baby's weight and he told me the secret formula to figure out his weight for medicine dosages. Get a tailor's measuring tape, measure his heart girth, substract 25, and divide by .07. So, this morning, I go out to the stable to weigh my little guy. I have a tailor's tape AND a regular horse weight tape because I want to take two measurements with two devices. I was impressed. I got within 5 lbs using both measures.

Baby Renny weighs somewhere between 287 and 292 pounds. My baby is a big boy! And a naughty one. This morning, he gave Derek a hassle about being turned out, he sneezed snot all over himself, he danced around like a ballerina while I was trying to measure him, and he generally just showed impatience about everything EXCEPT the carrot treats that I brought him. Grandma is cool when she has treats, but she's become a drag when she expects baby to behave! Can you believe that my little man who was just a scrap of flesh and bone a few scant weeks ago in May is now a 292 porker! Way to go!

In other news, Better than Honour is going to go on the block at the Fall Fasig-Tipton sale! Hill 'n Dale is dispersing their stock and reorganizing their business and because they are in a double partnership, they felt that selling their stock was the only fair way to handle a division of assets. Unbelievable. She is expected to earn between 12 and 15 million, as she is the producer of back-to-back Belmont winners, the first filly to win the Belmont in 105 years, and a current G1 stakes winner, Casino Drive. She's not surprisingly a Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Sure wish I had spare change. I would put on my best southern belle hat, my kid gloves, and go to that sale to buy that perfect girl!

Also, in other news, the trainer for Big Brown dissed Curlin the other day, saying his horse BB was much better because he could win the Derby, win the Haskell, win on turf, and had never been beaten by a filly. So, today the owners of Curlin put up good money for a charitable cause (for child care for Belmont Park workers) to get Big Brown to enter the Woodward Stakes on August 30th for a showdown between the big boys. I think this would be good because it would answer once and for all which of the two would make a good sire for Violet's first baby! ;)

Rags Receives Praise at Belmont

Here's our girl, receiving praise on her big day of winning the Belmont. She sure made her family very happy! And she sure taught that fabulous Curlin a trick or two about how to tough it out and be a regal champion! These photos are by Terence Dulay and Cindy Pierson Dulay.

Rags takes a Bath!

Here are photos of the beautiful Rags to Riches, having a bath and just feeling good. I hope that she's enjoying her new job as a broodmare, and I hope she gets in foal with Giant's Causeway this year. Maybe some day she can have a baby with Curlin, the young stud she spanked in the Belmont Stakes!

Curlin and Rags to Riches Belmont post parade

Here they are, Curlin and Rags on their way to the post-parade festivities before the Belmont. Now remember, though Curlin is a Preakness, Breeders Cup, and Dubai World Cup-winning superstar, on that lovely day at Belmont Park, Rags showed him an extra special lesson on the power of a champion filly heart! She's being bred to Giant's Causeway this year, but I hope some day she and Curlin produce a baby! He's coming home soon to "take stock" of what's left to win and what his career should be. His ownership is still up for question. What a lousy deal not to have an uncontested set of parents/owners!

Breaking News! Rags to Riches Retires!

Today's Daily Racing Form reports mixed news. Rags to Riches was formally retired, after reinjuring her right front pastern as she was going back to training this spring. They are not sure when exactly, but she received a hairline fracture last Fall, either as part of her great champion effort to avoid a spill in the Belmont or later in the summer in the G1 Gazelle Stakes. Anyway, she took a break instead of running in the Breeders Cup and then after a winter off, posted two 3 furlong workouts at Palm Beach Downs.

They've decided to retire her rather than nurse her from this second injury and attempt to race her in late fall. Her owners, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, intend to breed her to Giant's Causeway, a champion thoroughbred who stood as a sire in both Ireland and Australia and who now lives in Versaille, Kentucky at Asford Stud. His race record is 13: 9(8), 4(4), and 0, with earnings of $3,078,989. He ran for two years. He was born Valentine's Day in 1997 and his parents were Storm Cat out of Mariah's Storm by Rahy. His stud fee is $125,000.

Her trainer told the Daily Racing Form, "She will go down in the history books as one of the best fillies ever to run. With the tremendous family that she comes from, she should make a terrific broodmare. We are excited for her and the prospects that lie ahead." I hope she successfully becomes a mom this year!

The photos for this entry are by Getty Images for the Belmont photo and from the Ashford Stud site for Giant's Causeway.

Breaking News! Busy Girls

Yesterday, March 11, Rags to Riches returned to work at Palm Beach Downs by breezing 3 furlongs at 38:40.

Indian Blessing will take a break to freshen up for the summer and fall season. She won't enter the Oaks. She was undefeated in 5 races, but just recently came in second to Proud Spell in the Louisiana Downs. Her trainer says that she fought with the jockey the entire time for the right to just speed bump the whole race. She's a rocket and wants to flat out run without patience in any way for an endurance. So, they don't think that she's ready to muck about at the long distance of the Oaks. They want to rest her and get her laser sharp for shorter sprint races.

Proud Spell, though, is going to pack up her things and leave the Fairgrounds for Keeneland sometime soon. She is going to prepare for an early April race with her eyes set for the May running of the Kentucky Oaks!

Good luck and good health to these good girls.

NTRA "Moment of the Year" 2007!

Okay, so get this, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association picked Rags to Riches' stunning historic macho victory over Curlin in the Belmont Stakes as the 2007 "Moment of the Year!"

I want to emphasize this point. Our girl, Rags, breaks from the gate, stumbles practically to her knees, drags her athletic self up and pounds out a victory over Curlin to be the first filly in 105 years to win the Belmont and gets the "Moment of the Year."

So, I've said it before, and I'll say it again. How can she hammer out and beat old Curlin, the Preakness Stakes winner, and HE gets the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award? He deserves that Eclipse. But in my heart, he shares the honor with his lovely red sister!

Breaking News! Curlin Wins 4 Year-Old Debut!

What a good boy! Yesterday Curlin won the $175,000 Jaguar Cup at the Nad al Sheba Racecourse in Dubai. And he won easily. In fact, his trainer and rider felt he was a little rank, full of himself, in the race. Ready to romp! He got pulled off the rail by Albarado because he was being such a bull and then at the end just surged ahead easily, happily, smoothly to win with grade in a breeze. No pushing, no jockeying, just romping! He won by 2 1/4 lengths over the other 5 horses all of whom carried significantly less weight than our American champion!

These AP photos by Tracy Brand capture some of the excitement. Notice that in every photo, Curlin's ears are forward. He's not working hard. He's just having fun, ears pricked and at complete dominating ease. I'm not sure based on those photos that he even knows he's in a race! No wonder the AP reporting said he had a "perfect trip."

His jockey, Robby Albarado, says, "It is a real honor to be associated with him and he has shown why tonight. I took him wide to settle him as he was a bit keen and from then I was never concerned."

So, far our big American sweetheart has a 10:7-1-2 record and has earned $5,247,800. He came in third at the Kentucky Derby, won the Preakness, got beat by my girl Rags to Riches in the Belmont, and won the Jockey Gold Cup and Breeders Cup Classic. He is prepped and ready to roll for the March 29th, $6 million Dubai World Cup

Breaking News! Rags to Riches Only Living Triple Crown Filly

Here's a photo by Terence Dulay after Rags won the Belmont Stakes for her family. Here is some important news: Now that Winning Colors has passed, Rags to Riches is the only living filly to have won either the Kentucky Derby, Preakness or Belmont Stakes. She is a precious, precious girl.

Here's some history. Of the 112 fillies to have run in any of the jewels, only 10 have won. Of the 38 fillies to run in the Kentucky Derby since 1875, only three won: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and our recently dearly departed Winning Colors (1988).

Of the 52 fillies to run in the Preakness Stakes since 1873, only four have won: Flocarline (1903), Whimsical (1906), Rhine Maiden (1915), and Nellie Morse (1924).

Of the 21 fillies to run in the Belmont Stakes since 1867, only three have won: Ruthless (1867), Tanya (1905), and Rags to Riches (2007).

1915 would have been a fun year -- two girls taking the Kentucky Derby and Preakness!

Bless the strong champion hearts of these good girls and their 102 other big-hearted racing sisters.

Octave, Panty Raid, and Rags to Riches

In these photos by Cindy Pierson Dulay, Barbara Livingston, and Equisport Photos, you see the lovely competitors for this year's Eclipse Champion Three-year-old Filly Award -- Panty Raid,Octave and Rags to Riches.

Octave was foaled April 13, 2004 and purchased for $350K at the Keeneland Sales in September 2005. Her parents are Unbridleds Song and Belle Nuit by Dr. Carter. Her record was 13: 4-7-2 and she earned $1,660,934, so she definitely paid back her purchase price! She won 2 Grade 1 races, the Mother Goose and Coaching Club American Oaks, and was runner-up in the Fairgrounds Oaks and Kentucky Oaks. She was purchased by Darley Stud to be a broodmare, and she retired in November 2007. She'll be bred to the freshman sire, Discreet Cat.

Panty Raid was foaled March 8, 2004, Violet's birthday, but a year later! Her parents are Include and Adventurous Di by Private Account. She was purchased in April 2006 for $275K at the Keeneland Sales. Her race record is 9: 5-1-1 and she has earned so far $1,052,380, again, earning her keep! She won the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

Rags to Riches was foaled February 27, 2004 and her parents were A.P. Indy and Better than Honour by Deputy Minister. She was purchased at the September 2005 Keeneland Sales for $1.9 million! So far, she has earned $1,342,528, so she hasn't quite paid herself off yet. However, she did give her human parents a big dose of pride in winning the Belmont Stakes and earning the NTRA "Moment of the Year" by kicking the butt of Curlin, this year's Eclipse Horse of the Year winner! She won her Champion three-year-old filly Eclipse Award and was a runner for Horse of the Year, losing to the boy she beat -- another story of a great gal falling to the politics of the old boys network! Aargh. Anyway, she not only has won the Belmont Stakes, but she has also won the Kentucky Oaks (practically yawning, it was so easy) and the Santa Anita Oaks and Las Virgenes Stakes.

Such lovely girls!

Ginger Punch and My Girls!

Ginger Punch was born on April 23, 2003, just a month after my own girl, Violet. She is owned by Frank Stronach, the magnate who owns Adena Springs. Her parents are Awesome Again and Nappelen by Bold Revenue. She is 4 years old and just this past month won an Eclipse Award for Champion Older Female! Then on January 26th, a few days later, she won the Sunshine Millions Distaff by 6 3/4ths lengths! Last fall, she won the 2007 Breeders' Cup Distaff by wading through the mud, mud, mud at top speeds!

Among her other major wins were the First Flight Handicap, Go For Wand Handicap, and Ruffian Handicap! Her current record is 15: 8-5-1 with total earnings of $2,176,679. The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for 3 year old and up mares and fillies ranks her at #7 in the world, and our gal Rags to Riches is #1!

She's got a little One Countin her background, but here's the super cool thing -- she and Violet both have Blushing Groom in their heritage! In fact, he is the great-grandpa on both their sire's side! I think that shows just how super Violet is -- Blushing Groom and then Cherokee Run's nearest and dearest relatives on her sire's side! Just wonderful! I hope Ginger Punch has a great year!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Punch

Breaking News! 448 Nominated to Triple Crown 2008!

Triple Crown Productions announced this past Saturday that 448 horses were nominated by the January 19th deadline for the races associated with the Triple Crown! The fee was $600 for the nomination, and horses can still nominate, but the fee jumps to $6,000! Among the 448 are Pyro and War Pass. Only 2 fillies are nominated, Country Star and Mushka. Country Star (photo by Benoit) won the Hollywood Starlet and Alcibiades Stakes in 2007 and Mushka (photo by Vanessa Ng) won the Demoiselle Stakes (shown in these photos). They are both daughters of the 2003 Belmont Stakes winner, Empire Maker.

Distorted Humor is the stud with the most kids nominated with 13, and Tale of a Cat and Mineshaft have the second-most nominated offspring with 11 each! Todd Pletcher leads the trainers with 31 nominees, Zito comes in second with 19!

Only 2 fillies out of 448 nominees! Makes you really see why Rags is a powerful kind of girl!






http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/3/1737770/2008_derby_noms.pdf

Follow Your Dreams!

Emma-Jayne Wilson says, "Always learning and being a student of this game is paramount in regards to ongoing success." What a girl! And she should know. In 2005, when she was only 24 years old, she won the Canadian Sovereign Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey and then won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in North America!

She started riding at age 9 and at age 13 reached out to that premiere track, Woodbine, but was told that based on her hands and feet, she for sure would be "too big" to be a jockey. So, she packed herself off to the University of Guelph's Equine Program, and in her first year met Sandy Hawley, Canada's most famous jockey of all time, who right away recognized her talent and encouraged her to learn about thoroughbreds. She practiced all types of riding, english and western and lots of things in between and upon graduation went to Woodbine to serve as an exercise rider!

August 27, 2004 was her first official race, and by December 2005, at the conclusion of Woodbine's season, she was the record-breaking leader in the jockey standings with 1,096 starts -- her nearest competitor was 300 races below this figure! She was the leader of all North American apprentice jockeys in both winnings and earnings and had herself tucked pretty well decently into the ranks of all jockeys too! Thus, her Apprentice wins in both the Sovereign and Eclipse!

She and Rags to Riches shared a year of firsts for females! In 2007, Emma-Jayne Wilson became the first female jockey in the 148 year history of the Queen's Plate to win! As she was being interviewed after that win on the way to the winner's circle, she told the interviewer on horseback, "Been there, bought the t-shirt, said and done!"

As of early January 2009, she was on her way to Hong Kong until early April to participate twice a week in their racing season! And then she is back home to start the racing season on April 5th at her beloved Woodbine!
http://www.bramptonsports.ca/inductee.php?pk=117
or
http://www.bloodhorse.com/eclipse2006/Wilson.htm

Breaking News! Eclipse Awards Announced yesterday!

Yesterday in Beverly Hills, they celebrated the Eclipse Awards. Curlin was the big winner, being voted the 3-year-old male of the year AND the Horse of the Year! I am happy to report that Street Sense and Rags to Riches were also finalists for the Horse of the Year!

Here are the winners by categories:

1. 2 year-old-male, War Pass
2. 2-year-old filly, Indian Blessing
3. 3-year-old male, Curlin
4. 3-year-old filly, Rags to Riches (yay!)
5. Older male, Lawyer Ron
6. Older female, Ginger Punch
7. Female Sprinter, Maryfield
8. Male sprinter, Midnight Lute
9. Male turf, English Channel
10. Female turf, Lahudood
11. Steeplechase, Good Night Shirt
12. Breeder, Adena Springs
13. Jockey, Garret Gomez
14. Trainer, Todd Pletcher (Rags' trainer)

Pletcher won his 4th Trainer Eclipse award in a row this year! I want to remind you that Curlin's custody is contested. Jess Jackson (Curlin's 77 year-old dad) recently purchased 80% of Curlin from buying out George Bolton and Satish Sanan, but the other 20% is owned by Midnight Cry Stable with the lawyers Shirley Cunningham, Jr. and William Gallion who cheated the 418 people who sued them for their winnings from the phen-phen case. A judge says that all of those 418 people get to share in the winnings and breeding profits from Curlin. Poor guy. Tough world.

Anyway, Jess Jackson wants to race Curlin in his fourth year rather than send him to the breeding shed right away. In a New York Times article yesterday, Jackson explained his decision to race Curlin this year and aim him toward the Dubai World Cup, "Racing needs heroes. It's a sad thing to see so many great horses going to stud for financial reasons when the sport needs that competition to elevate it and market it." But he admitted to not just being selfless, by saying, "It's the joy I get from racing him. I'm a sportsman and have been one all my life. At this age 77, I can't throw a football anymore. I get a vicarious thrill from enjoying one of the most beautiful animals in the world." What a good guy! Sure hope it works out for Curlin.

Get this! Curlin was in New Orleans on Friday, having a 5 furlong workout at the Fairgrounds! The race track that I visited and betted at, and the race track where they hold Jazzfest! And the race track where sweet Black Gold is buried!

Breaking News! Rags to Riches Works at Gallop!

Yesterday, Sunday, January 20th, news reported from Palm Beach Downs indicated that Rags to Riches had her first galloping workout since her injury in the Gazelle Stakes last August. Her trainer, Todd Pletcher, said that "She looks great, but will probably need at least 30 days before we think about having her work."

I am glad she got to stretch her legs, but even gladder that they are bringing her on slow. She is the overwhelming favorite today to win the Eclipse Award for 3-year-old filly of the year.

In my view, she should win Horse of the Year for being the first filly in 105 years to win the Belmont Stakes. She's a fighting champion, big-boned girl!