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Afleet Alex (born May 9, 2002, in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
) is an American
thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
race horse who, in 2005, won two of America's classic races, the
Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...
and the
Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...
. He is owned by the
Cash Is King "Cash is king" is a colloquial phrase sometimes used in analyzing businesses or investment portfolios. It may refer to the importance of cash flow in the overall fiscal health of a business. In corporate finance, the expression refers to the fact ...
Stable partnership, was trained by Tim Ritchey and ridden by Jeremy Rose. In twelve lifetime starts, Alex won eight times (six times in stakes, three times in G1 stakes), placed twice (both in G1 stakes), and came in third once (in the Kentucky Derby) over 12 starts, for lifetime earnings of $2,765,800.


Background

Bred in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
by John Martin Silvertand, Afleet Alex is out of the winning mare Maggy Hawk and counts multiple Grade 2-placed Unforgettable Max as a full brother. Maggy Hawk is by Hawkster, a world record holder on turf at a mile and a half. His maternal granddam is 1983 Demoiselle Stakes (G1) winner Qualique. Qualique was sired by
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
, a multiple grade one (G1) winner and marathon turf specialist. Also on his dam's side is Sir Gaylord, half-brother to
Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who was the ninth winn ...
, who sired his fourth dam, Gaylord's Touch. Maggy Hawk has three foals of racing age, two runners, two winners and two stakes horses, including Afleet Alex. He was sired by Northern Afleet, a stakes winner from seven furlongs to nine furlongs, who was the son of the 1987
Canadian Horse of the Year The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing. Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, ...
,
Afleet Afleet (1984 - 2014) was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was voted the 1987 Canadian Horse of the Year and Canadian Champion Three-Year-Old Colt. Career Afleet's best season came in 1987 during his three-year-old campaign, in which ...
. Afleet was by the leading sire Mr. Prospector. At the outset, Afleet Alex faced adversity: his mother became ill 24 hours after his birth and could no longer nurse him. She did supply him with
colostrum Colostrum (, of unknown origin) is the first form of milk produced by the mammary glands of humans and other mammals immediately following delivery of the newborn. Animal colostrum may be called beestings, the traditional word from Old English ...
(mother's first milk that is rich in antibodies and nutrients). Silvertrand's daughter Lauren (then nine) fed the colt from a Coors Light bottle the day after his mother became ill. He continued bottle feeding for twelve days until a nurse mare could be found. He was originally sold at auction as a yearling for $150,000. A year later the owner sold him in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May two-year-olds in training sale for $75,000. Afleet Alex was named after his sire, Northern Afleet, and after the son of the principal owner (Chuck Zacney), who was named Alex. In part because three children of the ownership syndicate were named Alex or Alexandra,
Alex's Lemonade Stand Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (previously known as Alex's Lemonade Stand and currently abbreviated as ALSF) is an American pediatric cancer charity founded by Alexandra "Alex" Scott (January 18, 1996 – August 1, 2004), who lived in Connecticu ...
became the ownership group's charity, to which they donated a portion of the colt's winnings. Alex's Lemonade Stand was named for Alex Scott, a girl who started to raise money for pediatric cancer research prior to her own cancer death in 2004 at the age of eight. When John Silvertand was himself diagnosed with colon cancer, the managing partner of the Afleet Alex ownership syndicate, Chuck Zacney, made the announcement public, with the consent of Alex Scott's parents, and they encouraged racetracks to host Alex's Lemonade Stand fundraising efforts during race meets, which came to include the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Considered an ugly duckling as a youngster, Afleet Alex turned into a handsome bay stallion who reached at maturity. While he has a commanding presence, Gainesway's sales director Michael Hermon has described him as being "like a big Labrador."


Racing career


2004: two-year-old season

As a two-year-old, Afleet Alex broke his maiden by 11 1/4 lengths on June 26, and then won an allowance race by a dozen lengths on July 12. He then won the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga on July 29 by lengths in stakes record time. "This horse is a beast," said jockey Jeremy Rose. "He's classy enough to sit off the speed and take off. I really didn't have to do much with him, other than keep him out of trouble. I've been on decent horses before, but this one is special because of the way he runs. He is so athletic and professional. He does everything you ask him, whether it is in a workout or a race. It seems he has an unlimited amount of gears; that's why I think he can easily go longer." He then won the G1 Hopeful Stakes, finished second in the G1 Champagne Stakes and the G1 Breeders Cup Juvenile.


2005: three-year-old season

Afleet Alex started his three-year-old campaign by winning the listed Mountain Valley Stakes at
Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, formerly Oaklawn Park Race Track, is an American thoroughbred racetrack and casino in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to "The Racing Festival of the South", a four-day series of races that concludes with the ...
in a fast time of 1:09.52 for six furlongs. He then finished out of the money for the only time in his career in the Rebel Stakes under jockey John R. Velazquez, and was later found to be suffering from a lung infection. He returned to win the G2
Arkansas Derby The Arkansas Derby is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. In 2004, t ...
by a record eight lengths under his regular jockey, Jeremy Rose. Rose hit his colt five times—"and I only did that because it was a million-dollar race, not because he needed it." Coming off two strong wins and discarding his Rebel Stakes mishap, Afleet Alex was one of the favorites for the
Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...
, run May 7, 2005. In the race, he finished third by less than a length to Giacomo, who was a 50–1 longshot. Rose later said that he had not given the horse the best ride of his life. Two weeks later, Afleet Alex won the second leg of the
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, often shortened to Triple Crown, is a series of horse racing, horse races for Thoroughbreds, often restricted to three-year-olds. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse races i ...
, the
Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...
at
Pimlico Pimlico () is a district in Central London, in the City of Westminster, built as a southern extension to neighbouring Belgravia. It is known for its garden squares and distinctive Regency architecture. Pimlico is demarcated to the north by Lon ...
, leaving Giacomo third. In his Preakness victory, Scrappy T, who was in the lead, swung out at the top of the stretch as a result of an aggressive smack of his jockey Ramon Dominguez's whip. The horse veered into Afleet Alex's path just as he was making his move, and they clipped heels. Afleet Alex stumbled so badly that Jeremy Rose was thrown far over his neck. The horse nearly went to his knees, and his nose came within an inch of the dirt. However, he recovered and regained his momentum, drawing away from Scrappy T for a 4 length victory. "I think my heart stopped," Rose said. "I have no idea how I stayed on. I was basically hanging on in fear." He finished the mile and three-sixteenth distance of the Preakness in 1:55, the fastest Preakness of the past eight years, turning in one of the fastest final three-sixteenths in Preakness history. On June 11, Afleet Alex rated behind the pace for a mile, then "exploded" past Giacomo and the rest of the field in the final turn at
Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...
to win the
Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...
by seven lengths. He ran the fastest final quarter (:24) in that race since
Arts and Letters Arts and letters is a historical and traditional term for arts and literature, implying a comprehensive appreciation or study of visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts or literature. The concept is similar to the liberal arts and has been ...
in 1969. He became the 18th horse to lose the Derby but win the Preakness and Belmont. "We expected this kind of performance," Ritchey said. "I wasn't surprised he was that far back, but when he got rolling, it was a lot of fun." Rose said, "I knew that if I didn't do something stupid, I was going to win this race. He's just that good." When The Blood-Horse checked back over 40 years, there was no record found of any horse other than Alex having won the Belmont Stakes and a six-furlong stakes (the Mountain Valley) in the same year. The colt's fall campaign was derailed when he was found in late July 2005 to have a hairline fracture in his left front cannon bone, near the ankle. The fracture was discovered very early, and the prognosis was good for Afleet Alex to return to his previous level of performance. Once fully healed, the colt returned to working for the Breeder's Cup Classic, putting in two bullet works. However, Tim Ritchey decided to take the conservative path with the colt and shelved him for the year. Later in the year, avascular necrosis (the dying of tissue in the bone, creating a brittle patch) was discovered and diagnosed. The necrosis was probably due to an undetected deep bruise sustained when Afleet Alex nearly fell in the Preakness. It is believed the necrosis caused his summer condylar fracture. Tim Ritchey and Cash is King Stable announced the horse's retirement from racing on December 1, 2005.


Awards and assessment

Afleet Alex was runner-up for the 2004 Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Colt or Gelding award and won the Florida Two-Year-Old Champion Male that year. In the 2005 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Afleet Alex was the World's Top Ranked Three-Year-Old Intermediate Distance Horse. He was ninth place overall, with a rating of 124 for his Preakness, sharing that spot with Deep Impact (2005 Japanese Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year), Bago (2004 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner and 2004 Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Male), Leroidesanimaux (2005 U.S. Champion Turf Male), and Starcraft on that ranking sheet, not far behind the top ranked horse and three-year-old. He was the 2005 Florida Champion Three-Year-Old Male and Horse of the Year. In January 2006, he also won the
Eclipse Award The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division. The trophy is made by a few small selected A ...
for 2005 Champion Three-Year-Old Male and finished second to
Saint Liam Saint Liam (April 13, 2000 – August 22, 2006) was an American thoroughbred racehorse who was voted 2005 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year honors after winning the Donn Handicap, Stephen Foster, Woodward Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic. He died ...
in the
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...
balloting. His victory in the 2005 Preakness Stakes was voted the
National Thoroughbred Racing Association The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) is a broad-based coalition of American horse racing interests consisting of leading thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with incr ...
"Moment of the Year." Cash Is King Stable received a special Eclipse Award for its contributions to Alex's Lemonade Stand.


Stud career

Afleet Alex entered stud in 2006 at Gainesway Farm in
Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...
for an initial fee of $40,000. He has sired seven grade 1 winners, including: * Texas Red (
Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...
) * Materiality (
Florida Derby The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Saturd ...
) * Sharla Rae (
Del Mar Oaks The Del Mar Oaks is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid August at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Open to three-year-old fillies, it is contested at a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on the tur ...
) * Afleet Express (
Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds accor ...
) * Iotapa ( Vanity Handicap) * Afleet Again ( Breeders' Cup Marathon) * Dublin ( Hopeful Stakes) Afleet Alex has sired other graded stakes winners such as: * Called To Serve (
Discovery Handicap The Discovery Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the latter part of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A Listed event open to three-year-old horses, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one a ...
) * Dancing Afleet ( Delaware Oaks) * Harissa ( Barbara Fritchie Handicap) *La Gran Bailadora ( Kentucky Cup Distaff) Internationally, Afleet Alex has sired Puerto Rico Champion Imported Colt and Gr.I winner Advier, Puerto Rico Gr.II winner Cuqui's Love, and the Japanese stakes winning mare Better Sweet. Afleet Alex is the damsire (maternal grandfather) of 2019 Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston, through his graded stakes winning daughter La Gran Bailadora. Afleet Alex was retired from stallion duties on January 31, 2022. He will continue to reside at Gainesway Farm.


Pedigree


Notes and references


External links


Alex Scott's Lemonade Stand
*
Profile of Afleet Alex at Hello Race Fans
{{Belmont Stakes Winners Racehorses bred in Florida Racehorses trained in the United States Eclipse Award winners Belmont Stakes winners Preakness Stakes winners 2002 racehorse births American Grade 1 Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 5-g