Dame Dorothy determined in Bed o' Roses victory
The entire complexion of the race changed right at the start when Room For Me missed the break in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at Belmont Park. Favored Dame Dorothy took immediate advantage of her foe’s bad racing luck and went straight to the front. In front is exactly where she stayed as she led the field around “Big Sandy” to post a determined 1 1/2-length victory in the 7 furlong affair.
Room For Me, the expected pacesetter lunged at the start and broke a length behind the other four fillies and mares in the field. With Javier Castellano aboard, Dame Dorothy became the one to grab the lead, beating out Street Story for the honors, after that filly broke on top but then conceded the early advantage when it became clear that Dame Dorothy wanted the lead.
Castellano saw no problem with the necessary change in tactics at the start. "I didn't expect to be on the lead, but after [Room for Me] didn't break out of the gate I took a shot,” he said. “When the only speed horse didn't break, I was able to dictate the pace. My filly likes to be competitive. Every time we see a horse, she goes forward, and I think I was in the best spot in the race today."
Rather than press the issue right from the beginning, Street Story took back about a length to a length-and-a-half off Dame Dorothy through an opening quarter in :23.96 and the half in :47.65. Room For Me, Expression, and Tahoe Tigress kept touch with the two leaders but never threatened either. As the field headed into Belmont’s sweeping far turn, Street Story moved alongside Dame Dorothy to make a bid for the lead, and from there all the way down the stretch, it was a battle of wills and heart as neither was willing to give an inch.
With the far turn behind them, it was a two horse race to the wire as Dame Dorothy and Street Story put several lengths between themselves and their three rivals. The battling duo clocked the 6 furlongs in 1:11.39 racing stride for stride. Deep inside the final furlong, Dame Dorothy began to put some space between herself and Street Story, inching clear to hit the wire the winner by 1 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:24.19. Expression improved position to finish third, Room For Me ran fourth and Tahoe Tigress finished fifth and last after trailing throughout.
Hot Rendevous, La Verdad, and Medaglia d’Argento were all scratched.
As the favorite, Dame Dorothy paid $3.50/$2.20/$2.10. Street Story, the 9-2 third choice, returned $3.40/$2.60, and Expression returned $3.20 for the show. The $2 exacta paid $12.60, the $2 trifecta returned $35.40 and there was no superfecta wagering.
Todd Pletcher, the winning trainer, had some concerns about Dame Dorothy heading into today’s race, but the filly performed exceptionally well despite anyway. "She had missed some training and was carrying top weight, so those things always concern you as a trainer,” he explained. “But she responded very well. The race didn't unfold as we anticipated it would when Room for Me missed the break, but anyways, it worked out well. Certainly, with La Verdad coming out it was a significant scratch. When we originally picked up the overnight we didn't anticipate being on the lead, but it worked out.”
As to Dame Dorothy’s next race, Pletcher already has a spot in mind. “We'll look next at the Ballerina [Grade 1, $500,000, seven furlongs, Saratoga Race Course, August 29]; we'll just have to decide if there will be anything in between."