That was the end of one journey and the beginning of another for both
Bellamy Road and jockey Javier Castellano immediately moved to the front when
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“You’ve got to take your hats off to Bellamy Road,” Pletcher said after the
race. “He’s a super horse, obviously a very gifted horse. We had a seasoning
edge today. Obviously, we emphasize the Saratoga meet and it’s a meet we gear up
for every year. If this is the meet you gear up for then obviously the Travers
has to be the biggest race of the meet. It’s huge. I’d have to say this ranks up
there with the two Breeders’ Cup wins last year.”
Sporting the colors of Melnyk Racing Stables in the winner’s circle of the
2005 “Mid-Summer Derby,” Flower
Alley returned $8, $4 and $2.70 to his faithful backers, who sent him off at
3-1. The exotics paid $33.60 (exacta) and $53 (7-1-4 trifecta). Bellamy Road did
well coming off the 112-day break, giving back $4.10 and $3 while holding Roman
Ruler to third by 2 3/4 lengths. The post-time favorite was worth $2.50, and it
was another 3 1/2 lengths back to Don’t Get Mad (Stephen Got Even). Andromeda’s
Hero, Reverberate (Thunder Gulch) and Chekhov (Pulpit) finished out the order
under the wire.
“Bellamy Road ran his heart out,” trainer Nick Zito said of his charge. “We
were right there with the winner, but he was a little better than us. What can I
say? I’m very proud of my horses. Bellamy Road hasn’t run in four months. He
came here and fought all the way. I think the horse will be OK.”
Flower Alley began his career with a third in a maiden special weight event, but
showed he just a needed a bit more distance when breaking his maiden by three
parts a length in his first start as a sophomore while going a mile. He
immediately moved up to graded company and added the Lane’s End S. (G2) to his
record. A second in the Arkansas Derby (G2) to eventual dual classic winner Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet) preceded his Kentucky Derby try, and the
three-year-old took a slight break before returning in early July to fill that
same position in the Dwyer S. (G2). He entered the Travers off an easy 5
1/4-length score in the Jim Dandy S. (G2), and now sports a 8-4-2-1 career mark.
The winner’s share here tipped Flower Alley over into the prestigious
millionaire club, as he has now accumulated $1,451,660 in lifetime earnings.
Bred in the Bluegrass State by George Brunacini & Bona Terra Farms, Flower
Alley is the second registered foal out of the winning Princess Olivia (Lycius),
making him a half-brother to an unnamed juvenile colt by Black Minnaloushe and
an unnamed yearling filly by Victory Gallop. He was purchased by his current
connections for $165,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Pletcher mentioned that the October 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) could be next
for Flower Alley before a try in the Breeders’ Cup.