Afleet Alex Gears for Comeback at Breeders Cup

Preakness and Belmont Stakes champion, Afleet Alex took, another huge stride in his comeback with a solid half-mile workout Friday at Belmont Park.

With regular rider Jeremy Rose aboard, the 3-year-old breezed a half-mile in 46.02 seconds, the fastest work of 42 horses at the same distance.

Last week, Afleet Alex had his first timed workout -- five furlongs in 59.85 -- since being sidelined with a hairline fracture of his left-front canon bone July 21. The 3-year-old colt had
surgery six days later.

"He hasn't come back completely yet, but he's on his way back,'' trainer Tim Ritchey said. "He's an amazing horse and amazing horses can do amazing things. Everything so far has gone to plan.''

The plan is to get to the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont on Oct. 29. Ritchey most likely will run Afleet Alex in next Friday's seven-furlong Perryville Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. It would be the colt's first race since winning the Belmont on June 11. Afleet Alex won the Preakness despite nearly falling to his knees when bumped by Scrappy T at the top of the stretch.

"The Perryville is an ideal spot,'' Ritchey said. "It's still straight 3-year-olds, it's a graded stakes and seven furlongs will work out well as far as him stretching out to a mile-and-a-quarter after that.''

Afleet Alex has won eight of 12 career starts for earnings of $2,765,800. He is currently at 8/1 odds to win the Breeders Cup Classic race on Bodog Sportsbook.


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