Rockport Harbor, Afleet Alex work at Oaklawn Park

Afleet Alex is preparing for his sophomore debut in the Rebel (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) ROCKPORT HARBOR (Unbridled’s Song) and AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) worked over a fast track at Oaklawn Park on Friday in preparation for their three-year-old debuts in the $250,000, 1 1/16-mile Rebel S. (G3) on March 19. Rockport Harbor, who has quickly recovered from a foot bruise that forced him to miss a scheduled one-mile workout on Sunday, drilled seven furlongs in 1:27 2/5. The John Servis trainee was timed in fractions of :11 4/5, :23 3/5, :35 4/5, :48 3/5, 1:01 2/5 and 1:14 before galloping out one mile in 1:41 3/5 under jockey Willie Martinez. “We dodged a bullet, a big bullet,” Servis said. “I am tickled to death with the work. He went a little too fast early, but I loved the way Willie put him to sleep on the turn and picked him up again. He galloped out good and came back fine. We’ll see how he is tomorrow and then play it by ear.” Rockport Harbor won all four of his starts at two and has not raced since winning the nine-furlong Remsen S. (G2) at Aqueduct on November 27. “Rockport Harbor is a very kind horse, but very strong,” Martinez said. “My right arm is numb from trying to hold him. If I had been more aggressive, he would have gone faster, but John didn’t want him to do too much. “I’d call it a nice, strong work, and he should go forward from it. He made me feel like he can run all day. I took a long hold at the three-eighths pole and he switched leads perfectly. He really felt good under me.”

Stewart Elliott is expected to retain the mount aboard Rockport Harbor for
his showdown with Afleet Alex and GREATER GOOD (Intidab) in the Rebel.

Hopeful S. (G1) winner Afleet Alex went to the track right after the
renovation break at 9 a.m. (CST) and worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:13 3/5 under jockey
Jeremy Rose. The move was easily the fastest of seven works at the distance.
Afleet Alex broke off about five lengths behind his four-year-old stablemate
Tisawink (Sky Classic), then blew past that rival midway on the turn. Tisawink
completed the six-furlong distance in 1:16 2/5.

Afleet Alex was clocked in fractions of :12 4/5, :24 1/5, :36 3/5, :49 4/5
and 1:01 3/5 before galloping out seven-eighths in 1:26 2/5, one second faster
than Rockport Harbor’s work.

“Jeremy told me that Alex had plenty of gas left in the tank,” Ritchey said.
“It was a good building work. He started out easy and finished strong. He got
his final quarter in :23 and change, which was fine. He galloped out strong and
wasn’t blowing much. He’s right on schedule.”

Ritchey said the colt will work one mile between races next Friday or
Saturday and that retired Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. will travel from
Florida for the work.

“Since Angel is John Velazquez’s agent, he will be able to go back and tell
Johnny what he needs to know,” Ritchey said.

Rose, Ritchey’s go-to rider, rode Afleet Alex in all six of his starts at
two, but lost the mount to Velazquez.

Afleet Alex, an Eclipse Award finalist, recorded his first workout of the
season (four furlongs in :47) on February 16. The bay has not raced
since finishing a close second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Lone Star
Park on October 30.