A Big Win For The "Rich" Girl!
Paris Hilton, take note (from your jail cell): here's a Rich girl who truly earns her keep!
Wow!!!! My throat is sore from yelling....when I saw the stretch dual developing between Curlin and Rags To Riches, I was jumping up and down screaming, "Yeah! Let the filly win! Let the filly win! Let the filly win!"
That was a great race. I loved it. Rags To Riches is the first filly to win the Belmont since 1905. She ran a great race and outdueled Curlin down the stretch, and Curlin is a tough, tough customer, just ask Street Sense!
Ironically, tonight ESPN is airing a movie about the filly Ruffian, one of the all time greats who broke down during the 1975 match race against Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure.
I watched the Ruffian vs. Foolish Pleasure race on TV that day back in 1975, a showdown that attracted the attention of even non-horse racing fans. The 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Fisher whetted people's appetites for "he vs. she", and the "Equine Battle Of The Sexes" match race was met with great anticipation. What started out as a great, celebratory day turned into a horror when Ruffian broke down.
I'm going to watch the Ruffian movie tonight, but I have mixed feelings as I am not anxious to relive the pain.
Sports Illustrated included Ruffian as the only non-human on their list of the top 100 female athletes of the 20th century, ranking her 53rd. The Blood Horse magazine ranks her #35 in their top 100 racehorses. Where will Rags To Riches be ranked when we look back years from now? Who knows, but in the short term, the rest of 2007 could be very interesting, as the Rich Girl may run against Street Sense later this summer in the Travers Stakes in New York and the Breeders Cup in November!