Schoolyard Dreams eyes Pegasus

Trainer Derek Ryan offered no alibis for Schoolyard Dreams in the Preakness.

Ryan said he thought Schoolyard Dreams, the tough-luck loser of the Tampa Bay Derby, had a shot in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Instead, Schoolyard Dreams got shot down - finishing ninth behind Lookin At Lucky.

"He got beat," Ryan said. "No excuse. He made a little move and flattened out. You take your ball and go home. That's the worst race he's run all year."

Schoolyard Dreams will now be pointed to the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes here on June 19.

The Pegasus, a longtime fixture in the fall at the Meadowlands, now serves as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational here on Aug. 1.

Schoolyard Dreams will have his first breeze since the Preakness this weekend.

"He came out of the Preakness fine," Ryan said. "We'll just go on with it."

Bella d'Oro returns in allowance

Bella d'Oro, an impressive maiden winner in her Monmouth debut last August, makes her first start since then in Sunday's fifth race, an $80,000 first-level sprint allowance for fillies and mares.

A private purchase by the Red Oak Stable after her 2-year-old campaign, Bella d'Oro ran three times in California last year before heading to New Jersey.

"They thought turf would be her game," said trainer Greg Sacco. "She ran okay out there, and kind of spun her wheels on the Polytrack."

Bella d'Oro developed ankle issues after the Monmouth win, sending her to the sidelines.

"She's come back as a big, strapping 4-year-old filly," Sacco said. "Her game will eventually be routing on the main track. This looks like a good spot for a comeback and she looks ready to go."