Dame Dorothy goes wire to wire in Bed o' Roses

Finding herself loose on the lead after second choice Room for Me lunged at the break, Dame Dorothy and Javier Castellano took full advantage en route to a front-running victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at Belmont Park.

Once Room for Me broke behind the field, Dame Dorothy ($3.50) was able to get away with an exceptionally soft first quarter in 23.96 seconds. She maintained the lead through a half-mile in 47.65 while prompted by Street Story, and had plenty left in the tank to repel a challenge from that rival through the stretch.

“I didn’t expect to be on the lead, but after [Room for Me] didn’t break out of the gate I took a shot,” said Castellano. “I was able to dictate the pace. My filly likes to be competitive. Every time we see a horse, she goes forward, and I think I was in the best spot in the race today.”

Coming off a win in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff seven weeks earlier, Dame Dorothy won by 1 1/2 lengths for her third victory in four starts at age 4. She ran seven furlongs in 1:24.19 on a fast track, and earned $90,000 for celebrity chef owner Bobby Flay.

“She had missed some training and was carrying top weight, so those things always concern you as a trainer,” said Todd Pletcher. “But she responded very well. The race didn’t unfold as we anticipated it would when Room for Me missed the break, but anyways, it worked out well. Certainly, with La Verdad coming out it was a significant scratch. When we originally picked up the overnight we didn’t anticipate being on the lead, but it worked out. We’ll look next at the Ballerina [Aug. 29]; we’ll just have to decide if there will be anything in between.”

The winner carried 123 pounds, and was giving six pounds to runner-up Street Story. It was six lengths farther back to Expression, who got third over Room for Me and Tahoe Tigress in the field of five fillies and mares.