Bellamy Road off Triple Crown trail; Don't Get Mad to skip Preakness

Last updated: 5/10/05 8:56 PM

Bellamy Road
will skip the Preakness and Belmont due to an injured leg
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Wood Memorial (G1) winner BELLAMY ROAD (Concerto), who finished seventh as
the 5-2 favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1), popped a splint in his left front
leg and will miss the rest of the Triple Crown, trainer Nick Zito said Tuesday.
The injury typically is caused by too much stress on the splint bone, which is
located beneath the knee. X-rays did not reveal any fractures.

Bellamy Road is expected to miss about 30 days of training and will be pointed
toward the August 27 Travers S. (G1) at Saratoga.

Zito said three of his five Kentucky Derby starters — HIGH FLY (Atticus),
NOBLE CAUSEWAY (Giant’s Causeway) and SUN KING (Charismatic) — remain under
consideration for the May 21 Preakness S. (G1). He said ANDROMEDA’S HERO (Fusaichi
Pegasus) will skip the middle jewel of the Triple Crown but may run in the
Belmont S. (G1) on June 11.

In other Preakness news:

DON’T GET MAD (Stephen Got Even), who romped to a seven-length victory in the
Derby Trial S. just seven days before finishing fourth in the “Run for
the Roses,” will not run in the Preakness, trainer Ron Ellis said.

“He had two major efforts in two weeks,” Ellis said. “We’ll take him off the
trail for now, but the Belmont remains a strong consideration.”

B. Wayne Hughes, who owns Don’t Get Mad, is expected to be represented in the
Preakness by GREELEY’S GALAXY (Mr. Greeley), who was 11th in the Derby.

Trainer Tim Ritchey confirmed that Kentucky Derby third-place finisher AFLEET
ALEX (Northern Afleet) will travel by van from Churchill Downs to Pimlico on
Wednesday, thus being the first to arrive at the Preakness stakes barn.

“I traveled back to Delaware (after the Derby) where we had some horses
running, but I will be at Pimlico around 4 p.m. (EDT) Wednesday to receive
Afleet Alex,” Ritchey said. “Right now, he’s doing great. Everything is going as
planned.”

Kentucky Derby runner-up CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal) has returned to
Belmont Park.

“We haven’t decided on a ship date, but it will probably be Wednesday of next
week,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “His final breeze will most likely be at
Belmont.”

WILKO (Awesome Again), who finished sixth in the Derby, is expected to fly
from Louisville to Baltimore, Maryland, on May 18. Trainer Craig Dollase took
certain satisfaction that four of the top six finishers in the Kentucky Derby were based
in Southern California.

“I’m proud of the way our California horses performed in the Derby,” Dollase
said. “Our horse ran a big race. When you consider the fact that he bled and
endured kick-back from 18 other horses, it looks like a solid effort. We have
beaten those horses, which makes me very confident going into the Preakness.”