Alpha to go 2 in 2 for the new season in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct
The newly turned 3-year-old colt, Alpha started his march towards the Derby in winning style, going all out in the Count Fleet Stakes at the Big A in his seasonal debut, after being stretched out in distance for the first time in his career to 1 mile 70 yards in his last start.
Alpha is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Godolphin Racing, and the Bernardini colt managed a single victory in his juvenile season out of 3 starts.
Winning his maiden at seven furlongs at Saratoga on 3 September, 2011, Alpha covered the distance, coupled with Andy Garcia, in 1 minute and 23.97 seconds.
Stepping up straight away after breaking his maiden, Alpha got pointed towards the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, over at a mile on 8 October, 2011, where he was outrun by Union Rags in the stretch, and finished a commendable second.
The biggest disappointment for Alpha was the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at about 1 1/16 miles, where he finished a non threatening 11th to Hansen once again, who has been tormenting the eventual derby prospects throughout their juvenile season by staying undefeated.
The Kentucky bred out of mare Munnaya by Nijinsky II, Alpha in his latest start despite some gate trouble, finished on top of the pile in the Count Fleet Stakes, and most importantly, started his sophomore season with a win.
He might turn in a workout ahead of his second start of the season, and that would be in the Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes at Belmont Park.
“We’re not going to breeze from the gate, but maybe we’ll stand in there [Saturday], breeze Sunday or Monday and then one more time probably in the gate before the race,” Magnuson said. “He was great the other day, but you’ve got to keep doing it. You can’t just go once.”
The Withers Stakes will be run over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on 4 February, 2012, at the Aqueduct race course on dirt, and the race will be exclusive for 3-year-old males.
Alpha will have to run down these eight participants to show that he is the real deal for the Triple Crown.
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