Alpha, who dead-heated for the victory in last year’s Travers, is set to make
his next start in the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Handicap on July 6 at Belmont
Park, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said on Friday.
The Suburban will be Alpha’s first start in North America in 2013. Alpha
raced twice in Dubai earlier this year for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, finishing
last of 12 in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 in February and fifth in the
Godolphin Mile in March.
Since returning to the United States, Alpha has been training in Saratoga
Springs, New York, over the Oklahoma training track and the Greentree Training
Center’s synthetic surface.
“His last race was OK,” McLaughlin said. “Better. He looks great. He came
back looking great. In the past we’ve had horses really mature from three to
four, whether we gave them time off or didn’t give them time off. He’s still
maturing and looks great.”
McLaughlin added that Alpha will breeze on Saturday, be ridden by Irad Ortiz
Jr. in the Suburban, and aim for the Whitney Handicap on August 3 if he emerges
from the Suburban in good form.
Flat Out, whose four-race winning streak at Belmont Park ended with a
third-place finish in the Metropolitan Handicap, will seek to regain his winning
touch in a title defense of the Suburban. Also expected are Easter Gift,
who took the Mountainview Handicap on June 1 at Penn National, Pimlico Special
victor Last Gunfighter, and Percussion, second in the Brooklyn Handicap last
time out.
Three-year-olds looking to get a head start on the second half of the season
will assemble next Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer at 1 1/16 miles.
Likely are Battier, third in the Gygistar overnight stakes last time out; For
Greater Glory, second in an allowance at Churchill Downs on June 2; recent
maiden winner Moreno; Peter Pan runner-up Saint Vigeur, and possibly
Transparent, who beat older horses last time out at Aqueduct.
Older turf horses look to celebrate Independence Day with a bang in
Thursday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Poker. Likely for the one-mile race are Big Screen,
who was disqualified to second in the Jaipur on June 7; Howe Great, most
recently fourth in the Dixie on May 18 at Pimlico; Kingston winner King Kreesa;
Mr. Commons, third in the Maker’s 46 Mile last time out; Street Game, fourth in
the Kingston; and Upgrade, third in the Connaught Cup at Woodbine on May 26.
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