Belmont: Willy Beamin's win in Mike Lee soothes sting of favorite's failure for Dutrow

Trevor Miles

Mike Luzzi guides Willy Beamin, coming back just four days after winning an allowance, to victory in the Mike Lee for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.’s fortunes changed in about 30 minutes Sunday at Belmont Park when it came to the two stakes restricted to New York-breds.

After watching his 3-5 favorite Sacred Success fade badly in the stretch of the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, Dutrow’s horse Willy Beamin upset the heavily favored Brigand to win the $125,000 Mike Lee Stakes for 3-year-old males.

Willy Beamin was running back just four days after winning a second-level allowance race on this track. Under Mike Luzzi, Willy Beamin rallied past Brigand, the 1-2 favorite, inside the sixteenth pole to win the Mike Lee by four lengths. Brigand, a $925,000 purchase who was facing New York-breds for the first time, held second by a neck over Night Maneuver.

Dutrow and owner James Riccio claimed Willy Beamin for $25,000 out of a winning effort at Aqueduct on March 23. The horse has now gone 3 for 3 for his new connections.

 “I was confident Willy Beamin would run big, it just looked like [Brigand] was better,” Dutrow said. “I’m glad he didn’t show up today. I would have been disappointed if we finished worse than second.”

Willy Beamin covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.44 and returned $7 as the second choice.

The Mike Lee is the first leg of the Big Apple Triple, which awards $50,000 in bonus money to the three horses who earn the most points by running in each race. The next leg is the New York Derby at Finger Lakes on July 21 and Dutrow said he would point Willy Beamin to that 1 1/16-mile race. The final leg is the Albany Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 22.

About 30 minutes earlier, Dutrow was disappointed to see Sacred Success pack it in after a half-mile, fading to fifth behind Beautiful But Blue.

Beautiful But Blue, under Junior Alvarado, confronted Sacred Success at the three-eighths pole, before taking over turning for home. She was never seriously threatened while drawing off to a 3 1/4-length victory over Fiftyfour Forever. Beautiful But Blue covered seven furlongs in 1:23.72 and returned $12.60.

Beautiful But Blue had won three consecutive dirt races from Nov. 23 to Feb. 12 for owners/breeders Chester and Mary Broman and trainer Tom Bush. Unable to find a suitable dirt race for her, Bush ran Beautiful But Blue on May 2 in an overnight turf stakes, where she finished fifth.

 “We think she ran very well on turf the other day,” Bush said. “She got away poorly, it was a tough race and she closed. It was such a different experience for her. But in all likelihood we’ll stay on the dirt.”

Tweedside: Medolina now 3 for 3

Medolina made a solid return from a five-month layoff, scoring a 2 1/4-length victory over Ainsley in the $90,000 Tweedside Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

It was the third victory in as many starts for Medolina, who hadn’t run since January. She is owned by brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer and trained by Todd Pletcher. Coincidentally, Pletcher trained the filly Tweedside, for whom the race was named.

Medolina, a daughter of Aragorn, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.83 and returned $5 as the favorite.