Bellasis gets his shot with Old Triangle in El Camino Real Derby

Two of the eight runners in Saturday’s $100,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields are three-time winners.

First, there is Endlessly, the winner of two Grade 3 stakes on turf in Southern California last fall who will be a heavy favorite. A Kentucky-bred colt by Oscar Performance, Endlessly has earned $239,200 for owners and breeders John and Jerry Amerman.

Then there is Old Triangle, a California-bred gelding by the City Zip stallion Gig Harbor who races for owner and breeder Francis O’Leary and trainer Tim Bellasis. He has earned $39,390 in six starts.

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Old Triangle will not only have his stakes debut in the El Camino Real Derby, but is the first runner in a six-figure stakes for Bellasis. The 65-year-old Bellasis has not had a runner in any stakes since Prima Gianna finished last of eight in the $75,700 California Fair Sprint Handicap at Sacramento in 2013.

There was a win by the Bellasis-trained Miss Gumdrop in the $10,000 La Mademoiselle Handicap at the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale in 1991, but, remarkably, that did not make the national stakes roundups that day.

“Does a $10,000 stakes at Ferndale count?” Bellasis asked with a laugh earlier this week.

Bellasis, the son of trainer Richard Bellasis, has won 436 races since his career began in 1988. He had a career-best year in 2022 with stable earnings of $399,378, and cracked the $300,000 figure for the second time last year, finishing the season with earnings of $343,226.

Having a starter in the El Camino Real Derby is a big deal.

“I’ve made my living with cheap claimers,” he said. “I haven’t spent more than $20,000 for a claiming horse more than two times in my life.

“I’ve been at it forever. The minute I graduated college, I took out my assistant trainer’s license.

“I’m a second generation trainer. I grew up at Santa Anita.”

Old Triangle won his third start in a $12,500 claimer for maidens at 5 1/2 furlongs in November, and has since won two of three starts in starter allowance races at a mile.

Old Triangle closed from fifth of six to win his last start by a nose on Jan. 27 at a mile.

“He’s gotten better as a router,” Bellasis said.

Bellasis has been based in Northern California throughout his career, and plans to stay in that area after the closure of Golden Gate Fields in June. There is growing expectation that racing will be held at Pleasanton in the fall, after the conclusion of the county fair circuit, to give Northern California racing vital continuity, Bellasis said.

“I’m from Pleasanton,” Bellasis said. “I stabled there for 30 years. I’m hoping to go back year-round.”

Old Triangle will be part of the Bellasis team, regardless of how he fares as a longshot in the El Camino Real Derby. If he pulls an upset, there is a berth available to the winner to the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 18.

Bellasis has more realistic expectations.

“I’ve got nowhere else to run,” he said. “I don’t think the mile and an eighth will be a problem. That would be cool if he can run third.”

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