Belmont Stakes Classic: Rags to Riches edges Curlin
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Photo:
NYRA Photo
I've had the extraordinary fortune of witnessing some of the most memorable contests in American racing history, and several of the most unforgettable of them took place in the Belmont Stakes. The 31-length masterpiece painted by Secretariat, Affirmed and Alydar's battle for the ages, Victory Gallop's wild denial of Real Quiet, and American Pharoah's march to end the drought, all readily come to mind. As many great editions of the Belmont Stakes that I've seen, though, I'm not sure any gave me more pleasure than when Rags to Riches edged Curlin in a stretch-long duel to win the 2007 Belmont.
When Carl Nafzger decided to skip the Belmont Stakes with his champion Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense, it quickly became Curlin's race to lose. The lightly raced son of Smart Strike had been third in the Derby, but courageously came back to beet Street Sense in the Preakness. Chief among his rivals would be the ultra-impressive winner of the Kentucky Oaks, Rags to Riches. The regally bred daughter of Belmont winner and Horse of the Year, A.P. Indy, had never raced against colts before, but was coming in on a four race winning streak, including three straight impressive Grade 1 victories. She had also been in her stall resting while Curlin was running in that tough Middle Jewel.
The crowd made no bones about their betting choice, tabbing Curlin as the 11-10 favorite, while the Todd Pletcher-trained Kentucky Oaks winner was preferred as the 4-1 second choice over the talented and game Derby runner-up, Hard Spun (9-2), and the late running winner of the Santa Anita Derby, Tiago (6-1).
The fantastic Belmont that was about to unfold almost never was, as Rags to Riches, ridden by John Velazquez, stumbled badly at the start and easily could have lost her rider. The pair were able to recover, and soon followed a bunched group of seven into the first turn, while quite wide.
photo courtesy of the NYRA
Hard Spun, who had run too fast early in the Preakness, was not going to make the same mistake again under new rider, Garrett Gomez. He was content to follow a pair of longshots, C P West and Slew's Tizzy through tedious early splits of :24.74, :50.14, and 1:15.32. This was in direct contrast to the 1:09 and change thrown down in the Preakness. This left Curlin, ridden by Robby Albarado, and Rags to Riches with little choice, but to be very close to the lead down the backstretch.
Curlin, fourth on the inside, and Rags to Riches, fifth on the outside bided their time as the 2007 Test of a Champion continued to be a tactical race. The Arkansas Derby and Preakness winner moved first on the backstretch, but lacked room to move all the way to the lead. The filly soon was on even terms, as the two were poised to make their move on the final turn.
Rags to Riches swung widest of all for clear sailing, while Albarado deftly moved inside and then between horses to find running room for his big chestnut. With the early speed wilting, Hard Spun tried to quicken with the other two, but after ten furlongs, he simply did not have enough left. Tiago also did not have the turn of foot to stay with Curlin and Rags to Riches.
Suddenly, the two horses, one male, and one female, who had both entered the Belmont Stakes with 4-of-5 lifetime records, were alone in front of the Belmont stands for a final quarter-mile not soon to be forgotten. After the sluggish early pace, both wonderful examples of thoroughbred prowess were now in full flight. The masculine Curlin hugged the rail, while the feminine Rags to Riches threw everything but the kitchen sink at him from close quarters to his outside flank.
It truly was a Belmont for the ages. Every time the filly looked ready to gain a decisive advantage over her new adversary, Curlin resolutely and bravely fought back on the rail. The Belmont crowd cheered wildly as the two sensational sophomores carried their intense battle all the way to the wire. When the pair crossed the finish line, racing fans both at the track, and at home in front of their televisions, were in awe of what they had just seen.
After a grueling mile-and-a-half in 2:28.74, it was Rags to Riches, who had vanquished her male foe in one of the greatest stretch battles in many years. The elegant filly had kept her blaze adorned head just in front of the budding superstar. It was a victory for the fairer sex, but it was also hardly a defeat for the valiant young Curlin, who would enjoy many more successes in the coming months.
The race was run, the deed was done, and new history was written. Rags to Riches was the first filly to win the final leg of the Triple Crown in more than a century, and it was anything but easy. She had to overcome a bad start and one of the best horses of the 21st century to win the Belmont.
Their careers went in very different directions after this epic encounter. Curlin would power his way to consecutive Horse of the Year titles, while the filly that beat him in the Belmont would be injured after only one more career start following her history making win, but on this glorious afternoon at Belmont Park, everything came together perfectly for one of my favorite races of all-time.
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