Bolshoi Ballet Pays Tribute To Galileo In Belmont Derby
Bolshoi Ballet (3c Galileo - Alta Anna, by Anabaa) paid a fitting tribute to his late sire when capturing Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Derby, and in turn, completed a Grade 1 double on the card for Aidan O’Brien, Coolmore partners, Westerberg and Ryan Moore.
The son of Galileo was sent off favourite as he dropped back to the ten furlong trip of his two impressive Group 3 wins and raced prominently from the halfway stage. Switched right to challenge with a furlong and a half left to race, he stayed on strongly to lead a furlong later and kept on well to win by a length and a quarter.
Speaking after the race, Moore said, “It was a messy race and he won comfortably without being able to show how good he is. He's the most beautiful horse you'll see. He's a real athlete. He's a class horse.” On potential targets, he added, “We think there's more to come. Potentially, I suppose he could be a Breeders' Cup Turf horse.”
Bred by Lynch-Bages and Rhinestone Bloodstock, Bolshoi Ballet becomes a poignant 92nd top-level by the great Galileo.