Rags To Riches wins the Oaks

Rags To Riches, the winner of the Santa Anita Oaks in March, added the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks to her list of victories Friday at Churchill Downs.

“She’s just an unbelievable filly. A true superstar,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who sent Rags To Riches to Hollywood Park last winter to train on the synthetic track alongside Circular Quay, who will run in the Kentucky Derby today.

Rags To Riches was racing after an eight-week layoff, just as Circular Quay will in the Derby.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, the 3-year-old chestnut rallied from fifth before taking command in the stretch and winning the 1 1/8 -mile Grade I race for fillies by 4 1/4 lengths on a sloppy track.

The favored Rags To Riches finished in 1:49.99 and paid $5.

Octave, another filly trained by Pletcher, was second, and High Heels was third.

Mistical Plan, trained by Hollywood Park-based Doug O’Neill and owned by J. Paul Reddam of Sunset Beach, was fifth.

With five starters in the Derby today, Pletcher has a chance to complete a rare double by sweeping the Oaks and the Derby.

Rags To Riches, a daughter of A.P. Indy, might be close to earning a start against the boys.

Michael Tabor, co-owner of the $1.9-million filly along with Derrick Smith, said he was a traditionalist who had been opposed to racing against colts, but that Friday’s performance might have changed his mind.

-- Robyn Norwood