Don't just add Bellamy Road to Nick Zito's stellar list of contenders for the May 7 Kentucky Derby. Move him to the top.

The 3-year-old son of Concerto, owned by George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stables, rocketed to a 17 ½ length victory over Survivalist in Saturday's $750,000 Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct. On a sun-drenched but cool and windy afternoon, the big brown colt hit the wire in the 1 1/8th mile race in 1:47.16, considered the equal of Riva Ridge's track record of 1:47 flat set in 1973 and breaking Private Terms's stakes record of 1:47 1/5 set in 1988. Both of those were run in the period before times were timed in hundredths.

"Amazing," said Zito, who also trains High Fly and Noble Causeway, the 1-2 finishers in the Florida Derby, as well as Sun King, who is set to start in next week's Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland Race Course. "I'm just happy to be in the game with this many horses at this time. We all knew he was doing well. He shipped up from Florida well, he vanned well, he was calm in the paddock, and then you saw him prancing on the track. We want to keep it going."

Under Javier Castellano, Bellamy Road went straight to the front and zipped through early fractions of 23.13 and 46.08 while being chased by the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Going Wild. He rolled past the six-furlong mark in 1:09.84, and then opened up through the stretch without being put to the test, hitting the mile in 1:34.41 while widening his advantage with every stride.

"I told Javier the plan was to let him get to the first turn," said Zito. "We'll take our chances and just hope we don't get into a speed duel. He's a big, long horse and he wants to run free. Boy, he was unbelievable today. He just kept going, I hope he stays this way for four weeks, and he'll have a good shot, too."

Far behind him, Survivalist finished up with good energy to edge longshot Scrappy T for place, while strung out behind them were Galloping Grocer, Naughty New Yorker, Pavo and Going Wild, who was 41 lengths back.

"I couldn't even see the winner," remarked Jerry Bailey, aboard Pavo.

The Wood Memorial has produced three of the last five Kentucky Derby winners, including Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), Monarchos (2001) and Funny Cide (2003).

The victory was the second this year for Bellamy Road, who won a second-level allowance at Gulfstream Park by 15 ¾ lengths on March 12 in his first start for Zito, Last year, he won two of three starts for Michael Dickinson, including the Cradle Stakes at River Downs on September 6.

"When I saw (Bellamy Road) in Florida, I thought he was the best 3-year-old I've seen this year," said Shug McGaughey, trainer of runner-up Survivalist. "He's a very, very talented horse."

The slightest of favorites at $2.55-$1 over Going Wild, Bellamy Road returned $7.10, $4.90 and $4.10 as he extended his lifetime record to three victories in six starts, with two seconds. Survivalist, ridden by Richard Migliore, paid $6.10 and $5 while Scrappy T, under Rafael Bejarano, returned $5.90 for show.

Bellamy Road, who is out of the Deputed Testamony mare Hurry Home Hillary, earned $450,000 to boost his bankroll to $611,400, $570,000 of which has come in graded stakes.

Zito, who has won the Kentucky Derby twice with Go for Gin (1994) and Strike the Gold (1991), would not commit to ranking his Derby contenders, which in addition to Bellamy Road, Sun King, High Fly, and Noble Causeway includes Andromeda's Hero, who will start in either the Blue Grass or the Lexington Stakes.

"It's like being a parent," explained Zito, who picked up his third Wood Memorial victory, having won in 1990 with Thirty Six Red and 1999 with Adonis. "You don't want to take one son or daughter over the other. We're just happy he's in the family."

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