Hoosier Philly captures the Rags to Riches (Coady Photography)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Gold Standard Racing Stable LLC’s Hoosier Philly tracked the early leaders from third down the backstretch before she swung out three-wide on the final turn and rapidly swept to the front to draw away and comfortably win the 10th running of the $200,000 Rags to Riches for 2-year-old fillies by 7 ½ lengths over T Max on Sunday at Churchill Downs – opening day of the 133rd Fall Meet and co-feature on the 18th Stars of Tomorrow I program for 2-year-olds.
Ridden by Edgar Morales and trained by Tom Amoss, Hoosier Philly ran 1 1/16 miles over a sloppy track in 1:46.90 while making her two-turn debut. Previously, she broke her maiden by 1 ¾ lengths while running 5 ½ furlongs at Churchill Downs in her Sept. 25 debut.
“She’s unlike any horse I’ve ever had in my career and that goes back to 1987,” said Amoss, who trained the sensational Serengeti Empress that won the 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks and banked more than $2.1 million between 2018-20.
Peacock Lass led the field of seven fillies through early fractions of :24.08 and :48.38 with T Max tracking in second and Hoosier Philly rating in third two paths off the inside rail. T Max engaged Peacock Lass midway around the turn but Hoosier Philly loomed boldly as she moved to the outside. Peacock Lass passed the quarter pole in 1:13.27 but Hoosier Philly quickly asserted herself to the front without asking and splashed away down the lane while galloping clear for the runaway victory.
“She broke a little slow but she settled in very comfortably going into the turn,” Morales said. “I had a ton of horse beneath me in the far turn and was so confident in the way she was going. Down the stretch she was switching leads but just playing around a little bit. She was so far in front of her competition and she knew that. I think she has a lot more gears left in her. She’s a very special filly and probably one of the best I’ve ever been on.”
Hoosier Philly, the even-money favorite, paid $4.08, $3.36 and $2.38. T Max, ridden by Jack Gilligan, returned $5.80 and $3.70 at odds of 7 -1. Fun and Feisty, the Pocahontas (GIII) winner who was the 2-1 second betting choice, was another head back in third under Brian Hernandez Jr. and paid $2.22 to show.
Peacock Lass was fourth and was followed by Stellar Lady, East Shore and Dre Me Less. Naughty Gal was a late scratch.
Sunday’s payday was worth $121,140 and Hoosier Philly improved her record to 2-2-0-0—$190,140.
“I’m so happy for the owners, Bill Stone and Ron Radcliff, and their partners,” Amoss said. “I’m disappointed they couldn’t be here today but hopefully for the next one. She was pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and was the first alternate in the race. We waited all the way until 9 o’clock this morning to see if she could get in and when I called she was still on the ou tside so we decided to run her here.”
By Into Mischief, Hoosier Philly is out of the Tapit mare Tapella. The gray or roan filly was bred in Kentucky by Candy Meadows LLC.
Sunday’s race is named in honor of Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor’s 2007 Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner. Five years ago, Michael Dubb and Monomoy Stables’ Monomoy Girl cruised to a 6 ½-length score in the Rags to Riches prior to her triumph in the 2018 Kentucky Oaks.
The Rags to Riches serves as the local prep race to the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) on Saturday, Nov. 26 which will award top five points on a scale of 10-4-3-2-1 for the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
