FEATURE STALLION
May 24, 2005
Northern Afleet armada
make their way to the forefront
by Jordan Strickler
While Afleet Alex was proving to be
one of the most acrobatic horses in the nation Saturday in the Preakness S.
(G1), his sire NORTHERN AFLEET (Afleet) was able to notch another stakes win for one of
his progeny, and a possible price increase in his stud fee. Out of 90 starters
to date, the 12-year-old has recorded 64 winners, most notably Afleet Alex, who earned his second Grade 1 score and increased his line
to 11-7-2-1 with $2,165,800 in earnings.
The talented Tim Ritchey colt started
his racing career off well, defeating maiden special weight rivals by 11 1/4
lengths in his debut. His next test would be versus allowance company, but posed
no problem for the up-and-coming juvenile, as he defeated that field by 12
lengths. Encouraged by this success, his connections tried to see how he would
swim in the stakes waters, entering him in the Sanford S. (G2). He made the most
of this opportunity and had his picture taken in the winner’s circle, winning
the event by 5 1/4 lengths.
Already undefeated in three career
starts, Afleet Alex would try to make it four in the Hopeful S. (G1), a contest
which slightly resembled the Sanford. Also run at Saratoga, the Hopeful featured
three of the same runners he faced in his prior outing. Similar field, same track,
same result. Only this time he just managed to win by a neck, charging hard down
the stretch to take it at the wire.
His first loss came in his next outing, when the favorite came
just a half-length short of winning the Champagne S. (G1) to Proud Accolade (Yes
It’s True). The bay then saw a mirror result in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile S. (G1).
He opened up his sophomore season as a surprise entry in the Mountain Valley S.
at Oaklawn Park, winning that event, but coming in last in the Rebel S. (G3) due
to a lung infection. Afleet Alex vindicated that loss by winning the Arkansas
Derby (G2) going away, opening eight lengths between him and second-place Flower
Alley (Distorted Humor). Afleet Alex left the gate in the Kentucky Derby (G1) as
the 9-2 second choice, running third by only a length.
While Afleet Alex is certainly the
most successful Northern Afleet progeny so far, he tends to overshadow his
fellow kin, who have also seen great success this year. Saint Afleet won the Palos Verdes H. (G2) at Santa Anita
in his first start of 2005, G P Fleet captured the River City H. (G3) at
Churchill Downs last year and won the Fair Grounds Breeders’ Cup H. in his
second start of this year.
Unforgettable Max, a full brother
to Afleet Alex, won the Shecky Greene S. and
just missed in the General George H. (G2), Discovery H. (G3), Salvator Mile H.
(G2) while placing third in the Tom Fool H. (G2). Also, Ice Wynnd Fire placed second in the Jerome H. (G2)
at Saratoga in 2004. In all, Northern Afleet has sired seven black-type
winners. His progeny have earned more than $6.4 million.
Northern Afleet’s racing
career spanned from 1995 to 1998 where he won three graded stakes events, the San Fernando Breeders’ Cup S.
(G2), San Carlos H. (G2), and San Diego H. (G3). Over this period, Northern Afleet
recorded a mark of 21-5-3-5 with just over $2.1 million in earnings under the
tutelage of David Hofmans.
Northern Afleet stands at Taylor
Made Farm near Nicholasville, Kentucky, for a fee of $12,500 live foal.