Harness: Alexander hoping for monster 2021 from American Courage

As trainer Travis Alexander recalled the September 12 New York Night of Champions, he could only utter, "He picked a bad night to have a bad night." Specifically, it was his formerly unbeaten 2-year-old American Courage that went into the $225,000 final as the prohibitive favorite.

"Matt (Kakaley, driver) said everything felt fine coming to the half, and he was just waiting to let him pace," Alexander said of the race. Yet before Kakaley would decide to make his move, American Courage suddenly came to a walk, and Kakaley guided him to the inside of the pylons to avoid any trouble. American Courage did finish the mile but was distanced.

"We still don't know exactly what it was," said Alexander from his stable at Sunshine Meadows in Florida. "We took his pulse after he'd had a bath that night and it was normal."

Alexander had American Courage examined, and despite the possibility that the event may have been related to atrial fibrillation, the vets couldn't conclude that to be the specific cause.

"There was also the possibility that this could have been a lingering part of the virus he went through," said Alexander, who suggested that one of his veterinarians had recognized some Thoroughbred racehorses that performed poorly after recovering from the same virus.

It was far from the end of the season Alexander had hoped for with the superb son of American Ideal.

"I was calling up to Mohawk on Monday after the race to see if they were going to need eliminations for the Metro," said Alexander. "I worked him a mile in 2:10 over at Mark Ford's, and he came a last quarter in 26 seconds."

When Alexander found out that eliminations were going to be required, he made the immediate decision to put an end to what could have been a perfect season. The colt ended his eight-race campaign with seven wins and more than $180K banked, with one bad race cutting his season a bit short.

"The Metro would have been his last race," said Alexander. "With the way the New York Sire Stakes was scheduled, we didn't keep him eligible to the Breeders Crown this year, but he will be as a 3-year-old."

Satisfied with the physical condition of American Courage, Alexander sent him to Albert Adams's Winterwood Farms in Ohio for some rest and relaxation.

"For a horse it's like paradise on earth," said Alexander.

The colt was on his way to Florida to reconnect with Alexander and some 25 others in his care to begin training towards a 2021 sophomore campaign.

Alexander remains confident that American Courage will come back to be the horse he appeared to be through his seven-race winning streak this year.

"Matt (Kakaley) did a great job of protecting him this year and finished a lot of those races with the earplugs in," said Alexander.

While most of American Courage's wins were by open lengths, he won his last New York Sire Stakes at Yonkers by a half-length.

"I told Matt heading into that race that he might be getting sick and to take it easy with him. That's why he went the 29 second quarters," remarked Alexander.

In the end, American Courage had enough to sprint home but would eventually need to be scratched from a sire stakes leg at Vernon Downs.

There's untapped potential as American Courage ended the year physically healthy, and with the exception of his last race, unchallenged. Alexander never had the chance to tackle stakes horses outside of New York, but he still believes American Courage fits near the top of the 2021 sophomore class.

"We never had a chance to see him go a fast mile. Matt thought that if he popped the earplugs at Tioga he could have paced in 1:50," said Alexander.

As it was, American Courage ended his 2-year-old season with the 1:51 3/5 speed badge from Tioga and will have to wait until next year for a sub-1:50 performance.

"He's eligible to the Breeders Crown and the Cane Pace," said Alexander. We'll pay him into the North America Cup and the Hempt."

With his purse earnings and victories, Alexander won't have the luxury of any easy races when American Courage returns, but said he'd have no issues sending him to the Meadowlands for an overnight before Sire Stakes races commence, likely in May.

Alexander has 14 soon-to-be 2-year-olds in training with one, a filly by the name of Hometown Blues, of note.

"She's named after a Tom Petty song," said Alexander of the full sister to American Courage. "She's a bit bigger than he was."

Whether she'll be as fast is something we'll find out in about six months.