How to bet the 2024 Rags to Riches Stakes

An octet of two-year-old fillies will run 1 1/16 miles beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs in Sunday’s $200,000 Rags to Riches S. I came away most impressed with a trio of last-out winners in this contest and will center my plays around the three exciting prospects. 

Rags to Riches Wagers

• $6 exacta key box 2 with 4,6 ($24)
• $4 trifecta box 2,4,6 ($24)

Rigney Racing’s #2 Claire’s Charm (5-2) missed by a neck while well clear of third in her debut at Saratoga on Aug. 18, and followed up that showing with a graduating run on this oval while going one mile on Sept. 22. Bred in the Bluegrass State, the $385,000 yearling purchase looked like a winner throughout in her latest endeavor when the second-place finisher was 11 lengths clear of her nearest pursuer. Trained by the high-percentage Phil Bauer, the daughter of Violence will always be in striking range while saving ground with Tyler Gaffalione inheriting the mount atop the May foal. 

Godolphin homebred #6 Good Cheer (6-5) has dominated a pair of fields in succession by a combined 25 1/4 lengths for conditioner Brad Cox and is obviously one to use in all facets. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is out of a dual Grade 1 heroine and could be following in her footsteps going forward. While the bay filly hasn’t faced a field with this amount of class as of yet, she looms large, nonetheless, with Luis Saez retaining the ride. I expect her to be stalking the pace while in the clear every step of the way. 

From a visual standpoint, the Norm Casse-trained #4 Alyeska (10-1) looked the part in her last-to-first debut win while sprinting on the Churchill Downs strip. By strong freshman sire Vekoma, the juvenile filly galloped out well clear in her unveiling to suggest that she will appreciate more ground with which to work with as she progresses, and the lass has posted a pair of solid morning drills in the interim as well. The Marylou Whitney homebred will be a major late player in the affair if pilot Ricard Santana Jr. can keep her in touch with the field early on.