Bolshoi Ballet Storms Home for Galileo in Belmont Derby

There were a multitude of heartfelt tributes that poured out around the globe July 10 after the passing of Coolmore's champion stallion Galileo  at the age of 23.

Few, though, were as profound as the one offered by one of his sons at Belmont Park.

In a slightly more than two-minute-long testament to the greatness Galileo passed along to his progeny, Bolshoi Ballet  added another chapter to his sire's legacy by shipping in from Europe and capturing the $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) for the Coolmore team of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg.

"It's a tough day for everyone," Coolmore's M.V. Magnier said while choking up over the loss of the 12-time champion sire. "That horse has been incredible to a lot of people who have been involved with him for the last 23 years. Sadly, it happens, but hopefully we have his replacement."

By virtue of his 1 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/4-mile opening leg of the New York Racing Association's Turf Triple for 3-year-olds under Ryan Moore for legendary European trainer Aidan O'Brien, Bolshoi Ballet will go into the record books as the 92nd grade or group 1 winner sired by Galileo. Yet beyond that incredibly lofty statistical figure, Saturday's victory over group 2 winner Tokyo Gold  validated all of the faith Coolmore and O'Brien had in the son of the Anabaa  mare Alta Anna.

Prior to the June 5 Cazoo Derby (G1) at Epsom Downs, Magnier was chagrined over comments by cynics who wondered out loud why a huge international outfit such as Coolmore would run only one 3-year-old in such a prestigious race.

"Plenty of people gave us a slagging for running only one horse in the Derby, and then they also complain when we run a few," said Magnier.

That single entrant was Bolshoi Ballet, who filled O'Brien with the belief that one starter would be enough. A winner of group 3 stakes in his two starts before the Derby, he was viewed as the horse to beat by both his connections and the betting public, which sent him off as the $1.35-to-1 favorite in the renowned European classic.

"Aidan had so much confidence in this horse going into the Derby," Magnier said 

Unfortunately, the combination of soft ground and a cut to his rear right hind leg combined to trip up Bolshoi Ballet and the Galileo colt finished seventh, beaten 17 lengths.

Five weeks later, a "good" turf course in New York and a return to top form underscored why O'Brien believed one was enough in both the Epsom and Belmont derbies.

"He proved today that he's really powerful. Ryan said he's a very good horse," Magnier said.

Moore kept Bolshoi Ballet in seventh early on, then moved four-wide into contention on the final turn. He surged past Cellist  in the final furlong and drew clear for his fourth win in seven starts. The victory also handed Coolmore and O'Brien a second Belmont Derby win, following Deauville 's score in 2016.

"He won comfortably without being able to show how good he is. We're happy with him. He's the most beautiful horse you'll see. He's a real athlete. He's a class horse," Moore said. "With a furlong to run, you could see he was just waiting; having a look and his ears were going. He's still getting used to knowing what he has to do. We think there's more to come. Potentially, I suppose he could be a Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) horse."

Bred in Ireland by Lynch-Bages and Rhinestone Bloodstock, Bolshoi Ballet is the sixth of seven foals out of Alta Anna and is a full brother to group 2 winner Southern France . His dam also has a yearling filly by No Nay Never , the only one of the seven foals not sired by Galileo.

The international theme of Saturday's Turf Triple was continued by the runner-up, Tokyo Gold, another shipper from Europe who is owned by Teruya Yoshida and trained by Satoshi Kobayashi who won the Derby Italiano Universita Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (G2) in his previous start.

Last in the field of nine after a half-mile in :51.34, the son of Kendargent  rallied strongly in the stretch to take second by a neck over Calumet Farm's Cellist, a homebred son of Big Blue Kitten  trained by Rusty Arnold, who held on gamely for third after battling for the early lead.

"He ran really well," said John Velazquez, who rode Tokyo Gold. "I wish I had a little better position in the first part of the race, but I was right behind the winner the whole way, so I (figured) I might as well stay there. He's pretty handy and when I asked, he ran. The other horse (Bolshoi Ballet) was just a little better than us."

Sent off as the even money favorite ($4.10), Bolshoi Ballet covered the 1 1/4 miles on a turf course rated good in 2:04.42.

Bolshoi Ballet also completed a sweep of both Turf Triple races for O'Brien and the Coolmore connections, who teamed to capture the $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) for 3-year-old fillies earlier on the card with Santa Barbara .

"What they do (at NYRA) is fantastic. The way they looked after us was incredible," said Magnier, who attended the races in New York in person on the same day his family's global powerhouse lost their flagship sire. "The prize money is great. The ground is good. Everything is perfect. It's a good place to come to."

Not surprisingly, though both Bolshoi Ballet and Santa Barbara will return to Ireland July 11, Magnier left the door open for Bolshoi Ballet to return to New York. He mentioned the $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) Aug. 7 at Saratoga Race Course or the Sept. 18 $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park, the final two legs of the Turf Triple, as options for the newly minted grade 1 winner. 

He also listed the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) as a possibility, which is certainly what you would expect for a son of the late, great Galileo.

Video: Belmont Derby Invitational S. (G1T)