Bellamy Road breezing at Churchill Downs during Derby week.
Bellamy Road, who finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) as the 5-2 favorite, popped a splint Tuesday morning in his left front leg and will miss at least 30 days of training.The Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner, owned by George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable, will obviously miss the final two legs of the Triple Crown, the May 21 Preakness (gr. I) and June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I)."He probably had a blind splint going in to the Derby and it was the Derby that aggravated it," trainer Nick Zito said Tuesday. "There is no doubt you will see the real Bellamy Road again."Zito said the son of Concerto was fine after the Derby. "Sunday it was not there. Monday, it was not there. We noticed something this morning while doing him up."Dr. Foster Northrop took X-rays of Bellamy Road and discovered the splint."The good news is that it is clean," Zito said.Zito said he called Steinbrenner's son, Hank, and Kinsman farm manager Ed Sexton with the news of Bellamy Road's injury. They agreed the horse should stay with Zito rather than being turned out.Bellamy Road, who has won four of six lifetime starts, will remain at Churchill Downs.Zito said three of the other four horses he ran in the Derby -- Sun King, High Fly, and Noble Causeway -- are all possible for the Preakness. The fifth of his starters, Andromeda's Hero, will not contest the Preakness but may run in the Belmont.The Derby was won by longshot Giacomo, who is headed to the Preakness.
