Sahadi fondly recalls Golden Ballet

Southern California trainer Jenine Sahadi could not grab her phone fast enough after Drosselmeyer's win in the Belmont Stakes on June 5. She had to get in touch with retired Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron and retired racing veterinarian Jack Robbins to share old memories.

Sahadi and McCarron teamed to win four stakes in 2000 and 2001 with Golden Ballet, Drosselmeyer's dam, who was bred in California. Robbins and Sahadi are close friends.

"She was so magnificent," Sahadi said. "She was gorgeous to look at. I called Doc, and said. 'I trained the dam of a Belmont winner.'

"I think it's fabulous. I was so stoked that it was Bill Mott and WinStar Farm," referring to Drosselmeyer's trainer and owner. "They are great for racing."

Sahadi trained Golden Ballet for Bill Heiligbrodt and the Team Valor partnership. The highlights of Golden Ballet's time with Sahadi were wins in two Grade 1 stakes at Santa Anita -- the Las Virgenes Stakes and Santa Anita Oaks.

The preceding year, Golden Ballet was beaten in two lowly two-furlong races in the spring of 2000 at Santa Anita.