Alpha might go to the Belmont Stakes after a disappointing end to his Derby dream
Kiaran P. McLaughlin trained 3-year-old colt, Alpha, has been pretty good on the Derby trail, but the Godolphin Racing’s bay colt fell away badly in the biggest test of his racing career when he finished 12th to winner, I’ll Have Another, in a field of 20, but what he managed to do well is to stay healthy through that gruelling test to have another shot at a Triple Crown leg.
With the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes not in the picture, Alpha is being getting readied for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on 9 June, 2012.
Art Magnuson assistant trainer to Kiaran McLaughlin confirmed the news when Alpha arrived at the Belmont track on 11 May, 2012.
“He’s sound, he’s happy, no problems--he came out of the Derby great,” Magnuson of the Bernardini http://www.equineline.com/dotReportProductSelectionDisplay.cfm?horse_name=Bernardini&YOB=2003&breed_type=TB&horse_type=I&ASCID=1443262colt. “There’s no pressure or anything. If he’s fine and doing well, we’d look at the Belmont. It’s something Simon Crisford (Godolphin racing manager) has mentioned. It’s definitely a possibility.”
Bred in Kentucky by Darley, Alpha as a juvenile raced thrice – and after breaking his maiden at first asking, the Bernardini colt at Belmont Park finished second to winner Union Rags in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, who downed the 1 mile distance in 1 minute and 35.55 seconds.
His last race of the 2011 season was the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall at Churchill Downs, against a good part of ‘to be’ Kentucky Derby field, Alpha faltered again as he finished 11th to winner Hansen.
Out of Nijinsky II mare Munnaya, Alpha started off his 2012 campaign at Aqueduct racetrack on a winning note, and landed the Count Fleet Stakes at about 1 mile and 70 yards under jockey Ramon Dominguez for the first time.
It was time to claim a graded stakes race for this talented colt, as Ramon Dominguez guided Alpha to a win in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes also at Aqueduct racetrack, and with the objective to win the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, Alpha couldn’t handle the undefeated Gemologist, and finished second in the 1 1/8 mile event.
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