Sir Alfred James romps by 6 1/4 lengths in Holiday Cheer Stakes
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Sir Alfred James recorded his first stakes victory in emphatic style Saturday night at Turfway Park, rolling by 6 1/4 lengths in the $100,000 Holiday Cheer Stakes while missing the track mark for six furlongs by .50 of a second.
Breaking alertly from the rail in the field of 10 4-year-olds and up under John McKee, favored Sir Alfred James opened a 1 1/2-length lead through an opening quarter-mile in 21.77 seconds. He continued on to get the half-mile in 44.80 seconds while still clear on the front end. McKee shook his mount up in the stretch and Sir Alfred James continued to draw clear through the lane.
After the winner came Souper Highvoltage, who held off Here Mi Song by a head to hold second.
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Sir Alfred James finished the six furlongs on the Tapeta track, which was installed prior to Turfway's 2020-21 meeting, in 1:08.53. This was the gelding's first start on a synthetic surface. The Turfway record for the distance is 1:08.03, established by Fatal Bullet in September 2008 in the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Sprint, contested on the previous synthetic surface, Polytrack.
Sir Alfred James paid $6.60 to win.
Sir Alfred James, a 6-year-old Munnings gelding trained by Al Stall Jr., showed stakes ability with a third in the Aristides Stakes last May at Churchill Downs, and then a second in the Good Lord Stakes in July at Ellis Park. After a brief freshening, he won an allowance race in September at Churchill Downs by 5 3/4 lengths and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103. He was claimed for $62,500 out of that effort by trainer Norman Cash.
Sir Alfred James went in the Grade 2 Phoenix Stakes in October at Keeneland for his new barn and finished fifth, then was third by a neck in the Bet On Sunshine at Churchill Downs. He went on to score another allowance win at Churchill; was sixth in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct; and then was third, beaten less than a length, in a December allowance at Oaklawn Park.