Afleet Alex records first work of the season

Afleet Alex owns only 12 recorded workouts during his lifetime (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) In his first workout as a three-year-old, Hopeful S. (G1) winner AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) went four furlongs in :47 over a fast track at Oaklawn Park on Wednesday. The move was the second fastest of 40 works at the distance. The Tim Ritchey trainee worked in company with three-year-old maiden Dancetilludrop (Citidancer), who was timed in :47 4/5. “Alex didn’t do any more than he ever does,” Ritchey said. “He had a lot of miles under him since he got to Oaklawn so he was ready to roll. We just let him use his natural speed. He’s a fast horse.” Afleet Alex, who has not had an official workout since October 25, recorded fractions of :12 1/5, :24 3/5 and :35 4/5, and the bay colt galloped out five furlongs in :59 3/5 and six furlongs in 1:14 4/5 under jockey Jeremy Rose. His gallop-out time for five furlongs was faster than 34 horses who worked the same distance. “I gave my horse a kiss near the eighth-pole and Alex blew by the other horse,” Rose said. “But keep an eye on Dancetilludrop next time he runs. Every horse who Alex works with seems to win his next race.

“We stalked (Dancetilludrop) until the head of the lane, then I dropped
Alex’s head, and let him have some fun. I only let him run from the
sixteenth-pole to the wire.

“I worked him every time at two and he’s an awesome horse. He’s matured a
lot since last fall. He’s put on a lot of muscle tone. He’s bigger and
stronger.”

In six starts last year, Rose had four wins and two seconds aboard Afleet
Alex, but lost the mount to John Velazquez after they finished second in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

“Johnny has been on a lot of nice horses, but this colt will surprise him,”
Rose said. “Someday maybe I’ll get to ride Alex again. But right now I’m happy
to just work him. Most jockeys never get to work a horse like this, much less
ride one like him in a race. He has so many gears. He could have gone in :57 or
:58 this morning if I asked him.”

Ritchey said Afleet Alex will now go on a regular work schedule leading up to
his three-year-old debut in the Rebel S. (G3) on March 19. The 1 1/16-mile event
is expected to include undefeated Remsen S. (G2) winner ROCKPORT HARBOR (Unbridled’s
Song), trained by John Servis, and Grade 2 winner GREATER GOOD (Intidab).

Rockport Harbor is slated for an “easy” mile on Sunday under exercise rider
Bobby Velez.

“A mile in about 1:45 is all that we’re looking for,” Servis said. “There’s
no need to put speed into Rocky at this point. We want to put a distance work
into him. Actually, I wouldn’t even call it a work. We know how fast he can
work. But why rush? He had a nice easy mile before the Remsen and it turned out
OK.”

With both Afleet Alex and Rockport Harbor staying in the barn for Saturday’s
Southwest S., the Bob Holthus-trained Greater Good figures to be odds-on against a short
field. As of Wednesday, the only other confirmed
starters for the one-mile event are the unbeaten MUNIFICENCE (Allen’s Prospect),
SILVER HAZE (Silver Deputy) and MY PARADE (Parade Ground).