2005 PREAKNESS STAKES

© 2005 HORSEPHOTOS/NTRA

Afleet Alex is victorious after some dramatic moments at the top of the stretch in the 130th running of the Preakness Stakes.

AFLEET ALEX STRONG IN DRAMATIC PREAKNESS

THE PREAKNESS STAKES OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAY 21, 2005

PREAKNESS STAKES (130TH RUNNING)

$1,000,000 GRADE I

PIMLICO RACECOURSE, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

FOR THREE YEAR OLDS

ONE AND THREE-SIXTEENTHS MILES

MAIN TRACK: FAST

AFLEET ALEX

Winner

130th Preakness Stakes

Jockey: Jeremy Rose

Trainer: Timothy F. Ritchey

Owners: Cash Is King Stable, LLC

Three Year Old Chestnut Colt - May 9, 2002

Bred by John Martin Silvertand (FL)

Northern Afleet - Maggy Hawk , by Hawkster

OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH

  23.17, 46.07, 1:10.72, 1:36.04, 1:55.04

Scratched Horses: None

AFLEET ALEX FLEET FOOTED IN COURAGEOUS PREAKNESS WIN

May 21, 2005

Preakness Stakes

Pimlico Racecourse: Baltimore, Maryland

Too often in the sporting world today we hear the word courageous used to describe an athlete battling in the heat of competition.  Webster's dictionary defines the word courageous as, "the quality or state of mind or spirit enabling one to face danger or hardship with confidence and resolution."  For the better part of two weeks now we have heard about how Afleet Alex was to be the postime favorite to win the 130th Preakness Stakes this day.  How the "home track" advantage and the sharp turns the field would face in the Preakness would set up for his running style and so on.  What people did not talk about was his aggressive running style in the far turn of his races or his undeniable spirit to run his race every time he steps on the track.  As we came to find out none of these qualities would compare to his courageous run to the finish of the Preakness on this third Saturday in May 2005.

As the race was unfolding in the far turn nobody in the stands could believe, just as the surprise in race caller Tom Durkin's voice, that Scrappy T would be on the lead turning for home.  But as incredible as that was, what was more incredible is the way Afleet Alex just ran by what seemed like the entire field in just a matter of strides heading into the lane like he was shot out of a cannon.  His incredible turn of foot at this point in every one of his races is one of the consistencies that makes him a great horse.  And then with one left handed crack of the whip by Ramon Dominguez to Scrappy T it happened.  Scrappy T drifted to the right into the path of the oncoming rocket like move of Afleet Alex sending Alex to his knees as the 100,000 plus people in attendance and the millions watching at home held their collective breaths for what seemed like an eternity but was really only for a few seconds in time.  What happened next was one of the most incredible things many in the game have ever seen.  Most animals would have stumbled to regain their feet just to finish the race and avoid injury.  Not Afleet Alex. Looking like a scene from one of the races at the bush tracks in the movie Seabiscuit, with his jockey hanging out of the saddle, the three-year-old Northern Afleet colt picked himself up in the middle of the track and just ran away from the field in one of the most remarkable race performances of recent times.  This is truly stuff legends are made of.  The crowd still stunned by the events of the turn for home were now euphorically cheering the leader to the wire solidifying the talk of how good this colt really is.  It is not often that we see favorites rise to the occasion when the chips are down or adversity peers its ugly head.  In today's sporting age of excuses there seems to be built in mulligans of sorts for events such as this one.  But for Afleet Alex and his seemingly fearless rider, Jeremy Rose, excuses are for those who have no courage.  The will to persevere and be victorious in the face of adversity sets these battery mates apart from any other combination of horse and rider currently running in the three year old division.  This was an historic performance that will be remembered around Old Hill Top for a long time.

In the aftermath of the second leg of this series we need to address the lack of respect for the Derby winner as well.  Giacomo ran a respectable third in this race confirming his quality that the naysayer's said he lacked following what many seemed was a shocking victory in Kentucky.  Call the Derby what you will: slow, pace driven, over populated, take your pick.  The simple fact of the matter is he won the race and if it was slow there were still 19 horses behind him that ran even slower.  There is a saying around the racetrack that time only matters when you are in prison.  Get to the wire first and they call you the winner, and that is why they race on the track and not on paper.

With that said there will be no Triple Crown victor this year and that is sad.  Visa had put up that money for many years without being able to give it away and now their sponsorship has come to a conclusion for this series. The series will probably be lacking some cohesion for the next few years as the tracks involved have seemed to go on their own paths most likely driven by NYRA's desire to raise capital in the wake of all their corruption.  Nevertheless, Visa has been good for the game and the only thing they could have done better would have been to carry over each years Visa bonus until we got a Triple Crown winner.  Now that would have been a ratings coup for one of the networks to eventually have the Triple Crown winner get a bonus of $20 million or more.  Oh, to dream the dream.  See you at Belmont for the conclusion of the series.

For the recap of the race see below.

After the break High Limit went to the lead and led the field through the opening three-quarters of a mile in 1:10.72, a half-length in front of Scrappy T and Going Wild as the field made its way into the far turn.  Galloping Grocer was another half-length back in fourth as Greeley's Galaxy was moving into fifth after a slow start.  Afleet Alex was in seventh and on the move following Greeley's Galaxy on the fence saving ground as the field made its way through the turn.  Scrappy T was now on the lead as the field was getting ready to enter the stretch and in and instant Afleet Alex had moved quickly into second getting ready to make a move to the outside entering the lane.  The rider for Scrappy T hit the colt left handed and the colt bolted to the right into the oncoming path  of Afleet Alex on the outside.  Afleet Alex clipped heels with the leader and went to his knees before quickly recovering.  Afleet Alex then angled inside of Scrappy T and surged to command a furlong out drawing clear under steady right handed pressure to secure the victory by four and three-quarter lengths in a final time of 1:55.04 to win the 130th running of the Preakness Stakes.  Scrappy T, after the strange incident on the final turn, was taken in hand late while clearly second best finishing five lengths in front of third place finisher Giacomo. Afleet Alex is a three-year-old bay colt owned by Cash Is King Stable, LLC, trained by Timothy F. Ritchey and was ridden by Jeremy Rose.