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Dame Dorothy calls audible, wires Bed o' Roses

Dame Dorothy, now four-for-four at seven furlongs, will put that record on the line in the Ballerina (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography/Joe Labozzetta) Bobby Flay's Dame Dorothy (Bernardini) withstood a sustained challenge from Street Story (Street Cry) to justify 3-5 favoritism in Saturday's $147,000 Bed o' Roses H. (G3) at Belmont Park. Like her celebrity chef owner, Dame Dorothy showed the poise to handle an unexpected ingredient: setting the pace for the first time in her career. With the early scratch of La Verdad (Yes It's True), and then the sluggish start by Room for Me (Harlington), the Todd Pletcher filly found herself in front in the opening strides. Jockey Javier Castellano took what was handed to them, and Dame Dorothy got away with a cozy splits of :23 4/5 and :47 3/5 on the fast track. The tracking Street Story loomed alongside leaving the far turn, and the match was on. Knuckling down on the inside, Dame Dorothy responded to the challenge and ultimately rebuffed her after six furlongs in 1:11 1/5. The 123-pound highweight edged 1 1/2 lengths clear in a final time of 1:24 for seven furlongs and paid $3.50. There was a six-length chasm back to Expression (Invasor) in third, followed by Room for Me and the ever-trailing Tahoe Tigress (Stephen Got Even). Medaglia d'Argento (Medaglia d'Oro), like stablemate La Verdad, stayed in Linda Rice's barn, and Hot Rendezvous (Macho Uno) also scratched.

"The race didn't unfold as we anticipated it would when Room for Me missed the break, but anyways, it worked out well," Pletcher said. "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."

"I didn't expect to be on the lead, but (Room for Me) didn't break out of the gate so I took a shot," Castellano said. "When the only speed horse didn't break, 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."

Dame Dorothy's scorecard now stands at 9-7-1-1, $709,740. The winner of her first four, including the Turnback the Alarm (G3) here and the Malvern Rose for Pennsylvania-breds at Presque Isle, the bay suffered her initial loss when third in the 1 1/8-mile Comely (G3) at Aqueduct. She then cut back successfully to this trip in the January 17 Florida Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park, but again found 1 1/8 miles a bit far when a distant second to Warren's Veneda (Affirmative) in Santa Anita's Santa Margarita (G1) March 14. Dame Dorothy reverted to seven furlongs for a career high in the May 2 Humana Distaff (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day, and she made it two in a row here.

As might have been expected given her proficiency at this trip, the August 29 Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga is Dame Dorothy's major summer objective. Pletcher indicated that the four-year-old filly may get one race in the interim.

Bred by Derry Meeting Farm in the Keystone State, Dame Dorothy was sold for $390,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She is a half-sister to Grade/Group 1 star Mrs. Lindsay (Theatrical), the dam of current Poule d'Essai des Poulains (Fr-G1) third Mr. Owen (Invincible Spirit). Out of the winning Woodman mare Vole Vole Monamour, Dame Dorothy counts as her fourth dam English/Irish champion and French classic heroine Mrs. Penny (Great Nephew).

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