chapter to this year’s
Triple Crown with a resounding seven-length decision in Saturday’s $1 million
Belmont S. (G1), utilizing a dynamic rally to blow past his rivals leaving the
far turn and open a sizable advantage into the stretch. Jockey Jeremy Rose
could’ve named the final margin as Afleet Alex toyed with the rest of the
11-horse field to the
finish line, and the Tim Ritchey-trained colt finished the 137th edition of the
1 1/2-mile classic in 2:28 3/5 over the fast track.
Afleet Alex, who overcame near disaster at the top of the stretch to win the
Preakness S. (G1) going away, wound up dominating the final two legs of this year’s Triple
Crown and his authoritative wins beg the question — what happened in the
Kentucky Derby (G1) when he finished third? His name will be added to a roster
of outstanding horses like Point Given, Riva Ridge, Damascus and Native Dancer
who captured the “Test of Champions” but could collect only two of the three Triple Crown events.
“He moved like a freight train, he’s an amazing athlete,” Ritchey said of the
three-year-old standout. “All I kept saying was ‘Be patient, be patient.
Wait, wait, wait.’ He just exploded.”
The early pace was hot as Pinpoint (Peaks and Valleys) went right to the lead
from his inside post and set fractions of :24 2/5 and :48 3/5 while under
pressure from A. P. Arrow (A.P. Indy) and Southern Africa (Cape Town). Afleet
Alex lagged near the back of the pack as the field made its way down the
backstretch, with Pinpoint still maintaining a slim advantage through
three-quarters in 1:12 4/5 and a mile in 1:38, but the pace had taken its toll
as the pacesetter suddenly faded nearing the end of the far turn. Afleet Alex
was still far back entering the final bend with Rose sitting chilly in the
saddle, but the pair began to pick it up along the inside as they rounded the
sweeping turn.
Afleet Alex advanced so fast that he seemed to be moving at twice the speed
of his competitors, and he did it with a grace and nimbleness that is easy to
admire. The smallish colt put the Belmont away in a matter of seconds and opened
a six-length edge through 10 furlongs in 2:04 1/5. He finished the last
quarter-mile in :24 2/5 — the fastest final quarter-mile since Arts and Letters
in 1969.
“He was the best horse,” Rose explained. “I knew that if I didn’t do
something stupid, I was going to win this race. He’s just that good.”
Sent off the near 6-5 favorite, Afleet Alex paid $4.30, $3.60 and $3 and
keyed the $44 exacta with Andromeda’s Hero (Fusaichi Pegasus), who closed from
far back to take second at 11-1 and returned $8.20 and $5.80. It was another 6
3/4 lengths to maiden Nolan’s Cat (Catienus), who trailed the entire field in
the early stages and was carried extremely wide into the stretch at 20-1. Show
was good for $7.20, and the trifecta $1,249. Indy Storm (A.P. Indy), another
late runner, completed the $14,219 superfecta (9-7-1-10) and was followed under
the wire by A. P. Arrow, Chekhov (Pulpit), Giacomo (Holy Bull), Southern Africa,
Watchmon (Maria’s Mon), Reverberate (Thunder Gulch) and Pinpoint.
Bred in Florida by John Martin Silvertand, Afleet Alex was purchased for
$75,000 last year at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. He opened his juvenile
campaign with maiden and allowance wins at Delaware Park before annexing the
Sanford S. (G2) and Hopeful S. (G1) at Saratoga. The bay colt suffered his first
defeat when finishing a close second in the Champagne S. (G1) and wrapped up his
2004 season with a narrow runner-up placing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
Afleet Alex easily captured his sophomore bow going six furlongs, but a lung
infection resulted in the only off-the-board finish in his career next time out
in the Rebel S. (G3). He quickly recovered to take the Arkansas Derby (G2) and
offered a strong rally to reach contention in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby
before weakening slightly in the final sixteenth of a mile. His 4 3/4-length
Preakness win will be remembered as one of the greatest performances by a
Thoroughbred ever due to the trouble he overcame.
Afleet Alex has now earned $2,765,800 from a 12-8-2-1 line. He is the third
registered foal from the winning Maggy Hawk (Hawkster), who is also the dam of
stakes winner and multiple Grade 2-placed Unforgettable Max. The five-year-old
is a full brother to Afleet Alex, whose 11-year-old dam has also produced a
yearling filly named John’s Diamond (Tour d’Or) and a 2005 filly by Quiet
American.
“He should be a Triple Crown winner,” Rose said. “He’s one of the best we’ll
see in a long time.”