| 
"AFLEET
ALEX was taken in hand soon after the start, angled to the inside in the early
stages, saved ground while under wraps between horses entering the first turn,
was unhurried along the backstretch while racing slightly off the rail, launched
a rally in good position leaving the far turn, split rivals while rapidly gaining
on the turn, swung five wide for clear sailing nearing the quarter pole, charged
to the front at the top of the stretch, quickly opened a commanding lead under
right hand urging in upper stretch, extended his lead while being kept to the
task inside the furlong marker then drew off with the rider glancing back while
well in control through the final sixteenth."  The
above quote from the Official Chart of the 137th Belmont Stakes tells it all.
Afleet Alex blew 'em away!
(Afleet
Alex, pictured at the right, ridden by Jeremy Rose, was alone in the stretch and
won by seven lengths.) As
has been widely reported, Afleet Alex' trainer, Timothy F. Ritchey, started his
equestrian career as an eventer who trained with Jack LeGoff, in hopes of making
the 1972 Team for the Munich Olympic Games. (The team that year was Bruce Davidson
on Plain Sailing, Kevin Freeman and Good Mixture, Mike Plumb riding Plain Sailing,
and Jimmy Wofford with Kilkenny. The USET's Team won the Team Silver Medal behind
Great Britain (Mary Gordon-Watson, Richard Meade, the Individual Gold Medalist,
Bridget Parker, and Captain Mark Phillips) and ahead of West Germany.) It
was a real thrill to see Cash is King Stable's Afleet Alex' Belmont. This horse,
by Northern Afleet and out of a Hawkster mare, could be any kind. It has been
announced that he will run in the Haskell, at Monmouth Park on August 7th, and,
if all goes well, in the Travers at Saratoga, on August 27th. We'll know even
more after these two races.  Afleet
Alex was not the only Three Year Old of the Year candidate to run and win at Belmont
last Saturday. Harry J. Aleo's Lost in the Fog, unbeaten in seven starts, this
year at 7 furlongs or less, is already the leading candidate for Sprinter of the
Year. (Lost In The Fog, ridden by Edgar S. Prado, is pictured above at the
left holding off Egg Head, ridden by Richard Migliore, to win his 7th straight
sprint.)
It
is a great pleasure to see the cavernous grandstand at Belmont filled with people
as it will not be again until the Breeders' Cup scheduled to be run there late
this fall. 
(The
Post Parade for the 137th Belmont Stakes
is pictured above.) |
