Alpha ruled out of the Belmont Stakes says McLaughlin
Godolphin Racing’s 3-year-old colt, Alpha, will not be participating in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on 9 June, 2012, at Belmont Park according to his trainer Kiaran P. McLaughlin.
Bred in Kentucky by Darley, McLaughlin said that the Bernardini colt spiked a temperature of 103 degrees on 29 May, 2012, but he is fine now. Spiking such a high fever that close to a massive race has ruled him out of the “Test of the Champion” and the colt will recover fully from the weakness, and look for some other race.
"He was fine by 11 p.m. that evening after treatment, fine yesterday, and he’s fine today, but it’s too high a temperature too close to the race,” McLaughlin said. “It’s unfortunate.”
Alpha has been given two chances to race against the cream of the 3-year-old crop, and both occasions he failed to deliver.
As a juvenile, Alpha finished an unplaced 11th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to winner, Hansen, last fall at Churchill Downs. With Garrett Gomez aboard, Alpha never found any room in the massive field to muster up some pace for the final kill, as he was bogged down by a stream of horses.
That was the end of Garrett Gomez and Alpha’s combination, as Ramon Dominguez took over the colt for his next three starts as a sophomore.
Dominguez guided Alpha to two massive victories in a bid to win the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, when they landed the Count Fleet Stakes over Stephanoatsee in second and Il Villano in third at Aqueduct.
Staying at Aqueduct, Alpha achieved his first graded stakes win in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at about 1 1/16 miles on 4 February, 2012.
In the final prep race for the Grade 1 Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, Alpha succumbed to a perfect trip from the then-unbeaten colt, Gemologist, who claimed the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct ahead of the Derby.
Alpha was given a chance again against top company in the Kentucky Derby, but had a similar trip to what he had in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs and finished a dismal 12th.
Inclusion of Alpha from the Belmont Stakes means that there will be at least a field of 10 horses to go up against, I’ll Have Another in his bid to become the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years.
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