Afleet Alex works

ELMONT, N.Y. - Afleet Alex, the leading 3-year-old in the country, worked five furlongs in 1:00.93 Sunday morning at Belmont Park, his first breeze since his dominant victory in last month's Belmont Stakes.

Regular rider Jeremy Rose was aboard Afleet Alex, whose time was the 13th fastest of 39 works over the main track, which was rated fast. Track clockers caught Afleet Alex in splits of 25.73 seconds, 37.73, and 49.44, meaning he got his last eight in 11.49 seconds. Afleet Alex galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.58 and seven furlongs in 1:29.33.

"That's just basically a maintenance breeze, let him stretch his legs, put a little air into him," trainer Tim Ritchey said. "Jeremy said he went great, hit the ground perfect did it very easily."

After falling one length short when third in the Kentucky Derby, Afleet Alex overcame a bumping incident with Scrappy T at the head of the stretch to win the Preakness by 4 3/4 lengths before dominating the Belmont Stakes by seven lengths.

Afleet Alex, who has won 8 of 12 career starts, is being pointed to the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 7.