Meet the Legendary Fillies Who Conquered the Belmont Stakes: Ruthless, Tanya, and Rags to Riches

Only three fillies have won the Belmont Stakes:

Ruthless (1867)

Tanya (1905)

Rags to Riches (2007)

Ruthless:

Ruthless was a filly born in 1864 and became one of the most significant horses in American thoroughbred racing history. She won the very first running of the Belmont Stakes in 1867, beating her male competitors and becoming the first filly to win a Triple Crown race. Ruthless was trained by Hall of Famer Alex McDaniel, who rode her to victory in several races. After her racing career, Ruthless was retired and used as a broodmare, producing several successful offspring. Her legacy as a pioneer in women’s horse racing lives on, and she is considered a true icon of the sport.

Tanya:

Tanya was a chestnut filly who won the 1905 Belmont Stakes. She was the first filly to win the Belmont and only the third filly to win any of the Triple Crown races. Tanya was owned by August Belmont Jr. and trained by John Whalen. She won three other races that year and was named Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

Rags to Riches:

Rags to Riches was a bay filly who won the 2007 Belmont Stakes. She was the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in over 100 years. Rags to Riches was owned by Michael Tabor and trained by Todd Pletcher. She won five of her seven career starts, including the Kentucky Oaks and the Santa Anita Oaks. Rags to Riches was named Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in 2007.