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Alpha seeks success on the Derby trail as he takes on the Count Fleet field

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Alpha seeks success on the Derby trail as he takes on the Count Fleet field
The $150,000 Count Fleet is one of the races leading up to the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World New York City Casino Memorial on 7 April, 2012, and it gives conditioners the opportunity to boost the future of their newly turned sophomore colts, bringing them a step closer to the $1 million race.
The race will give every opportunity to trainers and owners to map out a Triple Crown trail, depending upon the performances their runners display in these races.
The Resorts World New York City Casino Memorial counts as the New York’s traditional prep for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, and if a particular colt does well in this race, then it means the connections have one hand on the Kentucky Derby trophy.
The 3-year-old colt, Alpha, is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Godolphin Racing and the newly turned 3-year-old colt is pointed towards the $150,000 Count Fleet, to be held at Aqueduct, over a distance of 1 mile and 70 yards on dirt on 7 January, 2012.
The race has reeled in seven newly turned 3-year-old colts and geldings, who will fancy to run in the Aqueduct’s Grade 3, $200,000 Withers at about 1 1/16 miles, followed by Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes, which is also run over a distance of 1 1/16 miles.
"I think a $150,000 race puts you on the map, and this is a race that can be a stepping stone," said Art Magnuson, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, whose Alpha is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the 37th running of the Count Fleet. "We do think about the future with Alpha, and hope he's a Derby-type horse."
The Kentucky bred son of Bernardini, out of mare Munnaya by Nijinsky II, Alpha broke his maiden as a juvenile at first asking on 3 September, 2011, at Saratoga where he won by six lengths.
Alpha came close to winning the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, but Union Rags edged past the rampant colt to win the race fair and square on 8 October, 2011, going over a distance of a mile.
Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was a disappointment for Alpha, as he finished a dismal 11th to winner, Hansen, on 5 November, 2011, at Churchill Downs over a distance of 1 1/16 miles.

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