Doubt he was short. Zito's new format is ready to pop with the career top. Just review his results from the last year. This horse was greased for a big time effort. Anyone doubting that just scan his p.p.'s under Zito. Flower Alley has more speed than many gave him credit for, he had Bellamania measured from the outset and was poised to make him pound spastic at the sand any time he wanted. (And Alley though improving, isn't among the best of this bunch.) What's going to be Bellamania's achilles heel is that he wants the lead but he's not a world class burner nor a fast accellerator. He's too awkward to be. Couldn't hold a candle to horses like King Glorious or even Lion Heart for that matter, let alone a Spend a Buck or a Seattle Slew. Its a good thing Alex or a fit Bandini or an on form Greeley's Galaxy, or even a ready to run Scrappy T. weren't in this one.

I stated after the Withers or Preakness that I would take Scrappy T. in a match race with Bellamania. If they meet again at 10 marks I guarantee Scrappy comes out better upon the head to head.

You gotta be real careful listening to Zito these days. He's a good trainer, but he's all about saying glowing things to ingratiate himself with owners. The Boss makes management decisions quickly. Don't think for a moment Nicky isn't factoring business. You also gotta be real careful about blindly accepting a contestable number on its face.

I dont think hes a 10 mark horse. The results make that pretty clear. Beaten soundly at that distance when he couldn't employ his favored running style and then getting it all his own way in a weak 10 mark bunch and having the laurels snatched from him by a horse that had him measured the whole way and who himself was unlikely to be peak form and stretching at the distance.

Anyway I'm done talking about him. I know where he stands. Hes a 10 mark money burner. If the entrants favor him he could earn Grade I at 9 marks, but Flower Alley is gonna beat him at that distance too.

I consider this matter closed.