ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN
APRIL 13, 2005
by James Scully
A storm named BELLAMY ROAD (Concerto) blew through Aqueduct on Saturday as
the Wood Memorial (G1) proved to be an utter destruction. The 17 1/2-length
laugher produced the possible favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1) four weeks
later and brings The Boss, owner George Steinbrenner, into the mix. The
dark bay is yet another top contender trained by the Kentucky Derby guru,
Nick Zito.
Bellamy Road sprinted to the lead after the break, repulsed a bid from
SCRAPPY T (Fit to Fight) on the backstretch and toyed with his
rivals the rest of the way, earning a terrific 115 BRIS Speed rating and winning with
seemingly plenty left in the tank. Jockey Javier Castellano could have taken a
nap from the far turn to the finish but instead decided to show off a little,
waving and blowing kisses to the crowd around the sixteenth pole. No horse has
run nine furlongs faster at Aqueduct in the last 30 years.
Bellamy Road wasn’t on the radar screen in January or February. He was up the
track as the favorite in Breeders’ Futurity (G1) in early October and wasn’t
seen again until March 12 at Gulfstream Park, making his first start for Zito in
a one-mile allowance. He romped in similar style that afternoon, winning by 15
3/4 lengths and notching a 106 Speed figure, but that came against unproven
opponents around only one turn. The Wood Memorial represented a much steeper
challenge, and Bellamy Road made it look easy.
The once-beaten colt left the impression that if he runs the same way on May
7, nobody’s going to beat him. However, Bellamy Road caught a very
speed-favoring track and will enter the Kentucky Derby off only two prep races,
which is taboo for trend enthusiasts who believe horses need at least three
starts at three to win on the first Saturday in May. Regardless of how the track
was playing or the number of races under him, Bellamy Road remains a very
dangerous candidate for the Derby. He has run like a freak both times this year
and could continue to improve.
What’s more troubling for the front runner is the potential speed waiting for him at Churchill Downs.
HIGH LIMIT (Maria’s Mon) and ROCKPORT HARBOR (Unbridled’s Song) are both Grade
1-caliber performers who can be defined as strictly one-dimensional speedballs.
We’ve got a trio of top class three-year-olds pointing toward this year’s
Kentucky Derby and none want to rate. Bellamy Road hasn’t trailed in the early
stages of his last four starts, and High Limit and Rockport Harbor have both
never been behind another horse at the first or second point of call.
Asking one or any to relax in the early stages of the Kentucky Derby seems akin
to teaching an old dog a new trick.
This isn’t shaping up to be a War Emblem-type year. It’s starting to look a
lot more like 2001 when Millennium Wind, Balto Star and Songandaprayer battled
through the fastest half-mile in Derby history (:44.86), setting the stage for a
last-to-first Monarchos.
High Limit still has to get past Saturday’s Blue Grass (G1) and Rockport
Harbor will run in the Lexington S. (G2) the following Saturday. Bellamy Road
supporters should be rooting against both because they don’t want to see those
horses in the Kentucky Derby field.
Wood runner-up SURVIVALIST (Danzig) turned in a solid performance in his
first two-turn appearance and should make the trip to Louisville, Kentucky. The
one-run closer will need to make big strides for Shug McGaughey over the next month,
but he figures to get a promising pace scenario. GOING WILD (Golden Missile),
whose only wins have come in wire to wire fashion, didn’t make the early lead in the Wood
and appeared to be eased on the far turn, fading to last. He’s not going to be
any kind of factor in the Triple Crown races, but since there was nothing wrong
physically at the barn, trainer D. Wayne Lukas will send Going Wild to the
Kentucky Derby.
Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby (G1) yielded an upset as BUZZARDS BAY (Marco
Bay) proved best at 30-1. After closely attending the pace through the first
turn, the Jeff Mullins-trained colt grabbed the lead on the backstretch and then
out-battled GENERAL JOHN B (Sweetsouthernsaint) and WILKO (Awesome Again) through
the stretch for a half-length decision. He gave Mullins his third-straight Santa
Anita Derby victory, following in the hoofsteps of Buddy Gil and Castledale
(Ire) (Peintre Celebre).
Buzzards Bay captured the three-horse Golden Gate Derby in mid-January but
was unplaced when traveling to New Orleans for the Risen Star S. (G3) in
February. He came into the Santa Anita Derby off a third in the El Camino Real
Derby (G3) and earned his first triple-digit Speed rating (103) on Saturday.
Runner-up General John B, who was coming off an eighth in the Fountain of
Youth (G2), was sent off at 64-1 and finished a nose better than Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile (G1) hero Wilko, who has performed decently in two starts this season
but has been dogged by foot problems.
This year’s event probably won’t have much impact upon the Triple Crown
races.
The big story was the fifth-place finish from SWEET CATOMINE (Storm Cat) at
even-money. Owner Marty Wygod said she had nearly everything wrong with her but
strangles entering the race, and the talented lass is now out of consideration
for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks (G1). Sweet Catomine will also have a new
trainer, John Shireffs, the next time she runs.
Saturday’s Illinois Derby (G2) turned into a runway as GREELEY’S GALAXY (Mr.
Greeley) left runner-up MONARCH’S LANE (Maria’s Mon) reeling inside the final
furlong, drawing off to a 9 1/2-length score under Kent Desormeaux. He’s now won
three straight and would enter the Kentucky Derby on the upswing for trainer
Warren Stute. However, Greeley’s Galaxy isn’t nominated to the Triple Crown.
Unraced at two, the chestnut broke his maiden in his second lifetime start in
mid-February and then recorded an impressive four-length allowance victory going
8 1/2 furlongs on March 10 at Santa Anita. Many expected the promising colt to
be a $6,000 late nominee by the March 26 deadline, but owner B. Wayne Hughes
said a clerical oversight resulted in Greeley’s Galaxy not being nominated. Fire
the clerks! Hughes will now have to spend $200,000 to supplement to the Kentucky
Derby, and he says he’ll pay it. However, Greeley’s Galaxy won’t get preference
over any nominated three-year-olds, meaning he needs 19 or fewer horses to
enter. That appears unlikely, leaving Greeley’s Galaxy’s connections thinking Preakness (G1).
Two terrific races, the Blue Grass and Arkansas Derby (G2), are on tap this
Saturday. Zito has won the Wood with Bellamy Road and the Florida Derby (G1)
with the HIGH FLY (Atticus), but he says the best three-year-old in his stable
is SUN KING (Charismatic), who, along with CONSOLIDATOR (Storm Cat) and BANDINI
(Fusaichi Pegasus), will have to catch High Limit at Keeneland.
The Arkansas Derby favorite should be GREATER GOOD (Intidab), but there’s
plenty of interest surrounding AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) and FLOWER ALLEY
(Distorted Humor). Zito’s fifth-stringer, ANDROMEDA’S HERO (Fusaichi Pegasus),
needs a good showing in Hot Springs, Arkanasas, to secure a spot in the Kentucky
Derby field.