Cash is King LLC’s AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) put on a dazzling show in
Saturday’s $1 million
Arkansas Derby (G2), regaining any lost luster from a
last-place finish in the Rebel S. (G3) with a resounding eight-length triumph at
Oaklawn Park. The Tim Ritchey-trained three-year-old stalked the early pace in
midpack before mounting a challenge on the far turn and quickly advanced four
wide under jockey Jeremy Rose to reach the lead straightening for home. He
finished in tremendous fashion, covering the last eighth of mile in :11 4/5
while on cruise control, to complete the 1 1/8-mile event in 1:48 4/5 over the
fast track.
Winner of the Hopeful S. (G1) and runner-up in both the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile (G1) and Champagne S. (G1) last season, Afleet Alex entered his
sophomore campaign as one of the leading Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders and
easily captured his seasonal bow in the Mountain Valley S. at Oaklawn. Favored
at 3-5 in the Rebel, the bay colt was compromised by a lung infection that
afternoon, but he quickly recovered and was a completely different horse
Saturday, dominating his nine rivals as the near 5-2 favorite.
“It’s very satisfying to silence the doubters,” said Ritchey, referring to
skeptics who believed a lung infection was just a convenient excuse. “Winning
solves everything. Now, it’s on to Kentucky.”
He paid $6.80, $4.60 and $3.80. Flower Alley (Distorted Humor), who raced
close to the pace throughout as the 7-2 third choice but was not able to go with
the winner in the stretch drive, took second by three parts of a length and
returned $5.20 and $4 while capping the $36 exacta. Andromeda’s Hero (Fusaichi
Pegasus) got up in the final jumps for third, a neck better than Real Dandy
(Yankee Victor), and gave back $6. The 6-5-2 trifecta totaled $283.20.
Greater Good (Intidab), the 5-2 second choice, finished three lengths farther
back in fifth and was followed by Canteen (Fusaichi Pegasus), Rush Bay (Cozzene),
Wild Desert (Wild Rush), Cat Shaker (Catienus) and Batson Challenge (Ide).
Afleet Alex could contend for favoritism in the Kentucky
Derby (G1) three weeks from now. The new millionaire, who also annexed the Sanford
S. (G2) at two, increased his career earnings to $1,315,800 from a 9-6-2-0 mark.
Bred by John Martin Silvertand, the Florida-bred sold for $75,000 as a
juvenile at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale and is out of the winning Hawkster
mare Maggy Hawk, which makes him a full brother to stakes winner and multiple
Grade 2-placed Unforgettable Max. Afleet Alex also has a two-year-old
half-sister named John’s Diamond (Tour d’Or) and a 2005 half-sister by Quiet
American.