Rags to Riches: The lying starts

[Seattle Slew]

Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches missed a scheduled workout with a fever Monday, taking her out of consideration for the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on Saturday at Belmont Park.

"Her temperature has been slightly elevated the last couple of mornings and we had to postpone a scheduled breeze that was to take place," said trainer Todd Pletcher.

Who do these people think they are fooling? For once, I'd like to see the Racing Form call these trainers out for their excuses.

Here's the truth. The owners want horse of the year. They need to win the BC Classic and one race before, against fillies, which will likely be the Alabama. If they win the Alabama, they won't run her again until the Classic, just create another lie about a fever.

Same stuff Kieran McLaughlin did last fall with Invasor. His plan worked, so Pletcher doing the same thing.

Actually glad she's out of the CCAA. Much better betting race without her. And I think she's beatable in the Alabama if top fillies show up, which they should since it's Saratoga and a $750,000 race.

[BigBollocks]

Nice article Slew, and you're dead on the money in the industry as usual. I've had an eye on Rags to Riches for sometime now, and have profited greatly off of her up until this point. In her 2nd race Garrett Gomez ran her so horrible it was beyond pathetic, yet she still went on to win the race after probably running twice the aggregate distance as the place horse. Ever since then she's had my attention.

As much as it takes away from the weekend from a fan's perspective, I'd do the same exact thing if I were Pletcher. He has too much to lose should she lose and/or wear herself out, especially seeing as how McLaughlin has paved the road after an obvious ploy that he was allowed to get away with. I think she takes the Alabama easy personally, but the Classic will be very, very interesting to watch.

Cheers...

[Seattle Slew]

I don't blame the connections, but just tell the truth. Any trainer can make up excuses to keep a horse out of a race. Just say "we think it's in the best interests of the owners and the horse to skip this race."

As much as it takes away from the weekend from a fan's perspective, I'd do the same exact thing if I were Pletcher. He has too much to lose should she lose and/or wear herself out, especially seeing as how McLaughlin has paved the road after an obvious ploy that he was allowed to get away with. I think she takes the Alabama easy personally, but the Classic will be very, very interesting to watch.

Cheers...

[thezbar]

i can think of two possible reasons for this fib.
1. To keep a good working relationship with the racing office.
2. To keep track management off his back. People would be attracted to the races to watch her race. This nips any marketing effort in the bud.

[Seattle Slew]

NYRA was still running commercials on Monday saying she's running on Saturday, hours after the scratch.

i can think of two possible reasons for this fib.
1. To keep a good working relationship with the racing office.
2. To keep track management off his back. People would be attracted to the races to watch her race. This nips any marketing effort in the bud.