Yonkers: American Courage looks to stay NY Strong in Springfield final

Sunshine Meadows is known as the winter home of some of the sport's biggest connections. When it is spoken of generally people look towards trainer Tony Alagna's expensive group of yearlings and talk about seven-figure horses looking to make a splash in the coming season.

Rarely is the name Travis Alexander mentioned as a potential source of pacing power. That may change abruptly as we continue to believe our eyes after watching American Courage in action the past two weeks. The son of American Ideal, a homebred, is the logical favorite for Monday's $104,250 MGM Springfield Stakes final at Yonkers, a race he may use to catapult onto the national stage.

"It's very exciting," said Alexander on the way to Ohio to pick up a few horses. "I don't think we've scratched the surface yet."

What American Courage has done is win two straight races by open lengths and do so in a manner that suggests quickness and extreme speed.

Take his July 30 debut at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono for example. Driver Matt Kakaley kept him in reserve early and then began a move to the outside passing the half. "A horse came out underneath him and he actually struck the tire," said Alexander about the incident that for a split second may have been catastrophic. "He just missed one step and then Matt stepped on the gas and got around everybody quickly."

A 1:54 1/5 debut is not earth-shattering in this era, but nonetheless it was more than enough.

Last Monday (7/6), American Courage and Kakaley got more experience at Yonkers and the result was nearly as impressive as his Pocono triumph. "Matt was set to move him and then had to wait for his cover," said Alexander. American Courage was a professional and marched to the front when asked before pacing a 56-second final half while in complete control.

American Courage is a product of the $60,000 Lexington Select 2015 yearling purchase Nota Fool Bluechip's first foal. For Alexander, that was an extraordinary amount to spend, but there was enough pedigree to suggest the Art Major-sired filly would pan out.

Nota Fool Bluechip is a full sister to a pair of millionaires in Feel Like A Fool ($1.2) and Fool Me Once ($1.1), as well as the 1:49 2/5 performer K Ryan Blue Chip. Injured as a 2-year-old for Alexander, she was brought back as a 3-year-old and took a 1:55 2/5 mark.

Alexander recalls the how and why he became interested in Nota Fool Bluechip. "My wife was very friendly with the late-Mark Austin's wife. He trained Fool Me Once and pushed us to look at this filly," said Alexander.

American Courage is the first foal from the mare owned by Fiddler's Creek Stable. "They (owners) let me make all of the breeding decisions," said Alexander of the call to breed to American Ideal, a New York-based stallion.

While American Courage is not the biggest horse on the racetrack, what is unique about him as that he tends to look smaller for the way he carries his head during the race. "He likes to go with his head down and I think that's great. When I was with Bob McIntosh he had Western Shooter and mostly all of Bob's horses went with their heads like that," said Alexander.

While the MGM Springfield managed to fit perfectly on the colt’s schedule after the shutdown, races were moved, helping Alexander set up a better schedule. "He'll be able to go in the first leg of the New York Sire Stakes on July 22 at Saratoga," said Alexander. "I'm lucky to have Matt (Kakaley) drive the horse. He knows it's a long season."

Alexander gave credit to veteran horseman Doug Miller, who helped develop American Courage for him in Florida. "Doug's just an outstanding horseman," Alexander said.

While Alexander trains mostly a racehorse stable, American Courage is the type of horse that can make you reach for the stars. "We've nominated him to the Metro," said Alexander of the sport's richest juvenile event. That's a tall order for the most expensive yearlings and even some homebreds, but there's plenty in American Courage's pedigree to suggest he’ll belong in that class. His brother Feel Like A Fool finished second in the 2010 Metro final and his other brother Fool Me Once was also a finalist in 2012, finishing behind Captaintreacherous in the mile.