Does anyone remember Union Rags? Union Rags sat atop almost all of the Kentucky Derby Top 10
or 12 or 16 polls for the first few months of 2012. Union Rags was ranked
number 1 in my first seven Derby top 10 polls until April 2nd when
Union Rags finished third in the Florida Derby and Hansen had won the Gotham. In that 8th version of my
poll I'll Have Another was ranked
third having not run since his win in the Robert Lewis on Feb. 4th.
Does anyone remember that in
seven lifetime starts Union Rags has four wins, a second, and a third for
$1,198,000 in earnings which is second to only I’ll Have Another amongst the 2012 Belmont Stakes possible starters? His only out of the money finish came
in his troubled Kentucky Derby seventh place finish. The Daily Racing Form chart described his trip, “Union Rags bumped and
squeezed at the start, was outrun along the rail, took up once in the second
turn, swung wide to the outside for the drive and made a late gain.”
Does anyone remember that
one of Union Rags best races came at Belmont? His five-length win in the
Champagne Stakes came over Alpha who
was a horse that many looked at as an upset possibility until he spiked a fever
and will have to miss the Belmont.
Does anyone remember that
Union Rags was the 1.10-1 favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile? Another
troubled trip left him a nose short of victory behind Hansen.
Does anyone remember that
prior to the Kentucky Derby most of the pre-race feel good stories were about
Union Rags’ owner Phyllis Wyeth. She was the breeder, but sold the horse and regretted
that decision and bought him back for $390,000 in February of 2011.
Does anyone remember that
Union Rags’ main 2011 jockey Javier Castellano made an early decision go with
Todd Pletcher for his Derby mount? Trainer Michael Matz then turned to Julien
Leparoux who gave his horse two highly questioned rides in the Florida and
Kentucky Derbys. Union Rags will
now be ridden by John Velazquez who
is one of Belmont Park’s most successful jockeys in history.
Does anyone remember that
Union Rags will enter the Belmont relaxed and well rested after training at Fair
Hills in Maryland? He has been
allowed to graze and hang out in his paddock and just be a horse. All reports say that he looks extremely
fit and healthy heading into his final breeze on Sunday.
I, for one, remember all of
these reasons that make Union Rags one of the four horses that have a
legitimate chance to win the Belmont Stakes. I think the winner will
come from this group: Dullahan, I’ll
Have Another, Paynter, or Union
Rags.