KEY POINTS:
NEW YORK - Rags to Riches, a powerful filly with four wins in a row, will seek an historic victory in Sunday's 139th Belmont Stakes after joining the field yesterday for the last of this year's Triple Crown races.
Kentucky Oaks winner Rags to Riches challenges Preakness champion Curlin in her quest to become the third filly to win the Belmont following Ruthless, who won the 1867 inaugural running, and Tanya in 1905.
Some of the lustre of the final in the Triple Crown series disappeared when the owners of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, who was overtaken at the wire by Curlin at the Preakness, decided against entering the Belmont.
The decision to enter the Todd Pletcher-trained Rags to Riches against the colts has injected life into the 1 1/2-mile race, longest of the Triple Crown series for 3-year-olds.
The filly comes into the race with a perfect pedigree to go along with her winning resume.
She was sired by 1992 Belmont winner A.P. Indy, and her half-brother, Jazil, won last year's Belmont.
They were both produced by the same dam, Better Than Honour.
"She's got the best pedigree for this race that a horse could have," Pletcher, who has saddled 28 horses in Triple Crown races without a victory, said.
The filly will have to get used to a new rider, however, as her entry led to some jockey shuffling.
Garrett Gomez, who rode the filly during her winning streak, had already agreed to replace Mario Pino as jockey for Hard Spun, who finished third in the Preakness and second in the Kentucky Derby.
John Velazquez, Pletcher's number one rider, who was set to ride Lone Star Derby winner Slew's Tizzy in the Belmont, will now be aboard Rags to Riches for the first time.
Rafael Bejarano is the new rider for Slew's Tizzy.
The field also includes Santa Anita Derby winner Tiago and Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Imawildandcrazyguy.
"She's dominated the fillies," said Velazquez. "We'll see what she can do against the colts."
- REUTERS
