Pletcher Has Another Try For Classic Riches

Exciting filly Rags To Riches will bid to become the first filly in 102 years to win the Belmont Stakes when she lines up in New York on Saturday night.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Kentucky Oaks heroine has been drawn in stall seven and will face just six rivals, chief among them being Preakness hero Curlin, who will race from gate three.

Ruthless in 1867 and Tanya in 1905 are the only fillies to win the mile-and-a-half race.

Pletcher, without a win from 28 runners in Triple Crown races, said: 'What we have to gain is it hasn´t really been done in modern times. She´s sort of accomplished everything a three-year-old filly could accomplish. From a historical perspective, it would place her at the highest level.

'She´s doing very well right now. She came out of her last work well.'

Curlin, third in the Kentucky Derby before his Preakness triumph, is trained by Steve Asmussen, who respects the chance of the Pletcher filly.

He said: 'She´s a very intriguing horse.

'There are no comparisons to make because she has never run against males.

'She´s not going to be a pace factor, so her running is not really going to change how the race is run.

'She´s just another quality horse in the race and Curlin is going to have to run extremely well to win.'

Point Given in 2001 and Afleet Alex in 2005 took the Preakness and Belmont after being beaten in Kentucky.

Hard Spun, runner-up in the Derby and third in the Preakness, will come out of gate six.

(C) PA Sport