Afleet Alex scheduled for first work of the year

Afleet Alex is scheduled for his first workout of the year later this week  (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

Hopeful S. (G1) winner AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet), who closed out his
two-year-old campaign with a runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
(G1), is scheduled to have his first work of the season later this week at
Oaklawn Park.

“Alex will go a half-mile with Jeremy Rose up either Wednesday, Thursday or
Friday, depending on the weather…probably Thursday,” trainer Tim Ritchey said
Monday. “He’ll either go early or after the break. Again, it depends on the
weather.”

Afleet Alex, who also captured the Sanford S. (G2) and finished second in the
Champagne S. (G1), has a record of 6-4-2-0 and $680,800 in earnings. The bay is
slated to have just two starts before the May 7 Kentucky Derby (G1).

“We’ll put him on a regular training schedule after this week with the Rebel
(S. [G3] on March 19) and Arkansas Derby ([G2] on April 16) as our goals,”
Ritchey said.

In other news, John McKee returns to the saddle on Wednesday after serving a
suspension and will ride GREATER GOOD (Intidab) in Saturday’s $100,000 Southwest
S. for trainer Bob Holthus. As of Monday, only SILVER HAZE (Silver Deputy),
MUNIFICENCE (Allen’s Prospect) and the California-based SOUTHERN AFRICA (Cape
Town), who has yet to secure flight arrangements, are considered probable for
the one-mile Southwest.

“I know Greater Good will be a short price, but the last I looked, he still
has to get around the racetrack before they give us the check,” Holthus
said.