Bellamy Road to be back to full training in 3-4 weeks
NEW YORK -- Bellamy Road has not been ruled out of the Belmont Stakes, although it's unlikely that the beaten Kentucky Derby favorite owned by Yankees boss George Steinbrenner will be healthy enough to run in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Edward Sexton, who runs Steinbrenner's Kinsman Farm in Ocala, Fla., said Wednesday that Bellamy Road's popped splint in his left front leg was "a very minute injury" and the 3-year-old colt would resume light training in two weeks.
"He'll be back in full training in three to four weeks," Sexton said. "The Belmont is looking doubtful, but we'll just have to see what happens."
On Tuesday, trainer Nick Zito told the Web sites of The Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse that Bellamy Road would miss the Preakness on May 21 and the Belmont on June 11, then be pointed to the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 27.
The Preakness is definitely out, with Sexton saying the report "was blown out of proportion.
"The injury is not serious. It's just bad timing," Sexton said in a telephone interview. "We could run him in the Preakness and Belmont, but he'd never race again. This is not about greed. We have to stop. The horse comes first and you have to admire Mr. Steinbrenner for that. He took it like a man."
After Bellamy Road finished seventh in Saturday's Derby as the 5-2 favorite, the injury was discovered Tuesday at Churchill Downs. A popped splint is a racing term for inflammation of the tissue covering a splint bone -- a small bone between the ankle and knee.
If Bellamy Road misses the Belmont, Sexton said the son of Concerto would be pointed to a schedule that includes a prep race or two before the Travers, followed by the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 1, and the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 29, both at Belmont Park.
Giacomo scored the second biggest upset in Derby history with his victory at odds of 50-1. Sexton said the injury affected Bellamy Road's performance.
"The horse that was supposed to win the Derby didn't win," Sexton said. "If the horse [Bellamy Road] was 100 percent, there would have been the right winner. He's a super horse. He's a champion, and he'll be back, bigger, better and bolder."
Watch the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 21 at 5 p.m. ET on NBC.
Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press
