Afleet Alex ready to enhance resume
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Afleet Alex might have it all after Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 at Oaklawn. His stellar reesume includes the No. 1 spot on Daily Racing Form's Derby Watch, a Grade 1 win, and the highest Beyer Speed Figure earned by a 3-year-old in 2005. The one credential he lacks is a two-turn win, something he will be favored to accomplish in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel.
Heck, Afleet Alex even has his own website, www.afleetalex.com, which was to launch on Thursday.
Afleet Alex has made only one start around two turns, a second-place finish in the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 30. He made two separate runs during his troubled trip in that 1 1/16-mile race.
"That's very hard to do with an older horse, let alone a 2-year-old," said his trainer, Tim Ritchey.
Afleet Alex should have an easier trip Saturday, and everything about him suggests he will rise to the challenge. He has a strong female side of his family, which indicates he should be comfortable going a route of ground. He has tactical speed, and he is athletic and has push-button acceleration.
"He rates," said Ritchey. "He's very kind.
"When we got him out of the 2-year-old sale, he was a little speed crazy," Ritchey added. "He wasn't terrible. We had to teach him to relax a little bit when he galloped, and sit in behind horses when he breezed. He learned early, after two or three breezes, to sit behind and wait."
Others expected for the Rebel are Rockport Harbor, Greater Good, Baston Challenge, and Jazzy Gallop.
Rockport Harbor galloped a mile and a half on Wednesday, his second day back to the track after an old laceration on his right hind foot flared up and forced him to miss three days of training. He is on course for the Rebel, said his trainer, John Servis.
"He trained a lot more today, and so far so good," Servis said.
Rockport Harbor came onto the track around 7 a.m. Central, and after warming up moved into a gallop.
Greater Good was on the track at about the same time, and he stood in the gate and also galloped. He has made a favorable impression, physically, and seems to have put on weight since his win in the $100,000 Southwest on Feb. 19.
"Last year, it would take him two or three days to get over a race," said Bob Holthus, who trains Greater Good. "This year after the Southwest, it didn't take a lot out of him. He's matured a lot from 2 to 3."
* Grade 2 winner My Trusty Cat will make her first start of the year in the ninth race on Friday, an optional claiming allowance. She is being pointed for the Grade 3, $200,000 Vinery Madison at Keeneland by trainer David Vance.
* Actxecutive, who has not raced since finishing second to Roman Ruler in the Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar on Aug. 15, will make his comeback in the first on Friday, a one-mile allowance for 3-year-olds. Trainer Steve Asmussen has given the mount to Roman Chapa.