Rag To Riches to skip Santa Anita Derby.....

[smartyalex]

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=38153

[PPerfectfan]

I can see not running her in the S.A. Derby but nothing till she runs in the Oaks?? Somethings gotta be up.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by PPerfectfan

I can see not running her in the S.A. Derby but nothing till she runs in the Oaks?? Somethings gotta be up.

Another Ravel ???

[Hoist Her Flag]

I think this is to get people to quit asking if she's going to run. This lets Todd see how he does in the Bix 6 preps. If the wheels start falling off his other horses. He's got here ready to go for the Derby. If she runs in the SA Derby and runs 2 hard then he might not win the Oaks. Good Strategy, still 40 days and 6 big preps, if Any Given Saturday, Cirqular Quay and Scatt Daddy all lose the preps, which is possible, we may have her off the bench.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Hoist Her Flag

I think this is to get people to quit asking if she's going to run. This lets Todd see how he does in the Bix 6 preps. If the wheels start falling off his other horses. He's got here ready to go for the Derby. If she runs in the SA Derby and runs 2 hard then he might not win the Oaks. Good Strategy, still 40 days and 6 big preps, if Any Given Saturday, Cirqular Quay and Scatt Daddy all lose the preps, which is possible, we may have her off the bench.

Scat Daddy and Circular Quay don't have to win their preps to get into the derby (although that would be nice.)

[NTamm1215]

It's probably a little naive to think that should other Pletcher entries lose their final preps he'll convince Tabor and Smith to run Rags to Riches in the Derby. I think they're pretty confident in Circular Quay right now and would love to somehow sweep the Oaks/Derby. It would be a longshot, but anything is possible.

So, I'd say don't plan on Scat Daddy's and CQ's and Any Given Saturday's performances having too much effect on a change of plans with Rags to Riches. The first two, like Cajungator said, are in the field already, meaning they're there on May 5, barring injury.

NT

[lemoncrush]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

It's probably a little naive to think that should other Pletcher entries lose their final preps he'll convince Tabor and Smith to run Rags to Riches in the Derby. I think they're pretty confident in Circular Quay right now and would love to somehow sweep the Oaks/Derby. It would be a longshot, but anything is possible.

So, I'd say don't plan on Scat Daddy's and CQ's and Any Given Saturday's performances having too much effect on a change of plans with Rags to Riches. The first two, like Cajungator said, are in the field already, meaning they're there on May 5, barring injury.

NT

I totally agree.
and with the injury to Ravel and the decision for Rags to Riches to skip both the SA and Kentucy derby, it will be interesting to see who Gomez decides to ride on May 5th (assuming he sticks with a Pletcher horse).

He's ridden CQ twice, but never Scat Daddy or Any Given Saturday.
Prado rides Scat Daddy this weekend in the Florida Derby when Johnny V is in Dubai, so maybe that combo will stick if he looks like a legitimate derby horse (which I'm skeptical about).
Gomez will probably ride Sam P in the Santa Anita derby, although I doubt he would ride him in the event he makes it to Louisville.
Bejarano has been hot lately, and I don't think he has secured a mount as of yet (he has ridden both CQ and Any Given Saturday in the past).

Pletcher still has too many horses that are possible to really make any sense of it now, I assume.