Columnist Ralph Siraco: Prep races produce two strong rivals to Bellamy Road

Ralph Siraco

Monday, April 18, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

The Kentucky Derby plot thickens.

On Saturday two of the final three prep races for this year's Kentucky Derby produced a pair of winners that immediately challenged Bellamy Road on the road to Louisville.

Although the runaway victory in the Wood Memorial last week was an impressive record-breaking effort, fresh in the memories of racing fans are now the two most recent victors in the race for the roses.

Bandini has matured and Afleet Alex is back, each with daylight wins over the weekend.

Trainer Todd Pletcher was down to his last bullets in a holster that packed 34 nominees for this year's Triple Crown -- the most by any trainer -- when Bandini came rolling home in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

Moments later, his Lane's End winner, Flower Alley, finished as runner-up in the Arkansas Derby. Now, Pletcher says, both are heading to Louisville.

Bandini was last seen finishing an erratic second to eventual Florida Derby winner High Fly in the March 5 Fountain Of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus had tried to bite a rival in the early going of the race, then ran in spurts while perusing the scenery through the home stretch, but still finished less than a length of catching High Fly while gaining ground with every stride.

Pletcher went to work on Bandini in the mornings, trying to get his talented trainee to become more focused on racing. From only four lifetime races with a pair of wins, Bandini was scheduled for a rematch with High Fly in the April 2 Florida Derby, but was forced to miss the race due to a minor foot bruise. That rematch now becomes the Kentucky Derby.

Bandini cruised past Louisiana Derby winner High Limit before a record Keeneland crowd of 33,621 which had assembled to watch the deepest and most talented field of sophomores in a Derby prep race this year.

The Bobby Frankel trainee, however, is expected to move on to the Kentucky Derby. So too is the D. Wayne Lukas trainee Consolidator, the Felipe Stakes winner who finished fifth.

While jockey John Velazquez was celebrating his victory on Bandini, the horse he abandoned won the Arkansas Derby moments later in Hot Springs.

Afleet Alex was reunited with jockey Jeremy Rose and together they won the biggest race of their lives. Although Rose teamed with Afleet Alex to win the Grade II Sanford and Grade I Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and runner-up efforts in both the Grade I Champagne and Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile last year, he was replaced by Velazquez when Afleet Alex finished an uncharacteristic last in the March 19 Rebel Stakes.

After that race, it was discovered that Afleet Alex had a lung infection. He returned to top form at Oaklawn Park just in time to annex the $1 million Grade II Arkansas Derby.

The son of Northern Afleet lagged mid-pack early in the 1 1/8-mile race before he looped the field to win by a record eight-length margin as the favorite of the 71,010 -- the second-largest crowd in Oaklawn Park history.

It was his sixth win in nine lifetime starts.

Flower Alley held on for second while another Nick Zito trainee, Adromeda's Hero finished third. Although trainer Tim Ritchey did not commit to a rider for the Derby, how can he not believe that Rose is the best fit on Afleet Alex for the roses?

This Saturday, the final major Kentucky Derby prep is the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, which will serve as a last-gasp vehicle for Rockport Harbor, Going Wild and Sort It Out.

Nashua and Remsen Stakes winner Rockport Harbor, trained by John Servis and ridden by Stewart Elliott of Smarty Jones fame, has been plagued by setbacks. A nagging foot problem and a recent blood clot led him skip the Arkansas Derby. Now, the Lexington will be his last chance to make the Louisville dance.

D. Wayne Lukas will try to reverse a seventh-place finish in the Wood Memorial for San Miguel and Sham Stakes winner Going Wild, while trainer Bob Baffert's last Derby chance this year comes in the form of Whirlaway Stakes winner Sort It Out.