"Afleet Alex just ran by Giacomo like he was standing still " that just encapsules how lucky Giacomo really got in the Derby. Afleet Alex was on a different level
Jock was a 50-1 shot in the Derby. "The luckiest horse wins the Derby, the fastest horse wins the Preakness, but the BEST horse wins the Belmont". Alex was 2 and 3. A much better horse than giacomo.
Afleet Alex...what an animal! There are GREAT horses who ve come along and who done the unthinkable but alex? He will always have a special place in my heart...
Funny that so many people in these comments are saying Afleet Alex is their favorite horse. There are so many great horses but the 2005 Preakness victory was incredible, then follow that with this great win in the Belmont. This horse was definitely fun to watch. What a horse. And yes, one of my favorites too.
This horse only ran 12 times and was getting better with each race..Afleet Alex had a chance to really become one of the "Great Ones"..What a POWERFUL animal..if he didnt get injured i can definitely see him crushing field after field..this race alone was eye popping
Great race but Afleet didn't break Big Reds record time. Secretariat is the Goat until some horse comes along and breaks his record times in all 3 races of the TC
@@boswindle9050 did you ever lose at anything in your life? Secretariat was races 21 times in times in 16 months which averages out to a little over 1 time a month! He was raced two times on 9 days rest! Don't you think he probably got tired once in awhile and lost some races because of it? Every human, horse, dog, cat, etc etc has their bad days. Do the best NFL, NBA, NHL teams ever lose? Did Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus ever lose a golf tournament? They are the best golfers of all time but they lost a lot! As you know Secretariat won the TC and set records in all three and that will never be broken. He also holds other records as you know and he has the highest Beyer speed ever at 139. Instead of blabbing your mouth and saying nothing why don't you say who the GOAT is and give reason's! I don't want to hear that it is FL who only raced 6 times in 18 months! Secretariat raced more in 5 weeks then Flightline did in 1 year! Secretariat and MOW are the greatest horse's ever.
@@brucerobbins6528 should have. So then ....Point Given should have. Smarty Jones. Alysheba, Sunday Silence, California Chrome, etc.... all "should have"? I agree. Afleet Alex was much much better than Giacamo. But that doesn't me "he should have won". Based on your rationale, there should never be any upsets in horse racing.
yeah, Alex was a one run horse. Stayed at the back of the pack for most of the race, saving his energy for the final turn. You must have great "turn of foot" , that is the ability to accelerate on a dime, and Alex had it. Most Belmonts go to the front runner, but Jeremy Rose rode him perfectly, and that, with his stamina and turn of foot, and toughness just made the other horses ask why they even bothered to come out. Giacomo was stupidly overrated that year.Alex's pre-Derby races were all won easily. It was a good year for horses, but Alex was the best.
I was so disappointed when they retired him. I think the consensus was that the injury was a result of his Preakness mishap. He was such an explosive runner, and such a big-hearted, fun little horse to watch.
I am going to look for these. I remember Little Current but not all that well. Closers are spine-tinglers. And swooping the field in a Classic is a rich experience to watch. Still get the bumps when watching past races on youtube, thank God for it.
LOVED his horse, one of the GREAT ones! he had the speed, the determination and the heart. One of the best to never win the triple crown. If i win the lottery he's the first thoroughbred stud i'd buy lol
Just watched this again, for the umpteenth time. Alex' performance will always stand out in my memory as one of the great moments in racing. The only fly in this ointment was Tom Durkin's call, where he: Unashamedly fawned over Giacomo throughout the race, to the extent that I though he was going to contemplate suicide when Alex blew by Giacomo. He stacked the fractions on top of one another, instead of keeping up, he stumbled over names and always seemed to be a step behind in his call, noting that Rose hadn't moved Alex and that he was coming on, in the same sentence! I have heard Durkin call innumerable races since and he's competent, but I cannot erase the image he created this day.
Afleet Alex made his move while he was speaking is why it came out like that, when he started the gap was not shrinking and Giacomo was making his move
Point Given and Afleet Alex, those are two horses that I scratch my head over them not winning the Triple Crown but the derby is so tough with 20 horses.
Jeremy Rose did not give him a good ride in the Derby you are right on there. He saved him in the Preakness from a disaster and had a great ride in the Belmont. But you are right the Derby trip was a bad one for Rose.
alex was a great race horse.. one of my favs.. i remember how before this race they were doubting him.. he showed them!.. i also like how nolans cat came in 3rd.. after being 10 off... in last place :)
I agree with you about Nolan's Cat. A late strider like Concern or Mine That Bird.I saw Nolan's Cat in person at Presque Isle Downs in PA. He won his race with that patented late kick.
Such a great racehorse camera angle in Ky Derby I initially thought he had won that , then the to the knees amazing Preakness, and finally closing from ten out and cruising home in a Belmont romp. Great champion .
Afleet Alex would have won the Kentucky Derby but jockey Jeremy Rose dropped him to the inside for the stretch run and the rail was absolutely not the place to be that day. I was there that day and he would have won if he had stayed in the middle of the track. In an interview that was in the Daily Racing Form a few days after the race , Jeremy Rose admitted that the move to the inside cost him the win in the Kentucky Derby . I was on him in all 3 Triple Crown Races and he won 2 of them but should have been a Triple Crown winner! That Preakness win was amazing when he stumbled so badly that he almost went to his knees but recovered to win was simply a miracle. I've never seen anything that amazing for a horse to overcome what happened to him that day and still WIN!
He had Big Brown's maiden win, was suspended in 2008 for six months, rode Ben's Cat, but hasn't been in too many big races lately. He did get his 2000th win recently. He also rode Havre de Grace early on.
Had they made the point system for the Derby a decade earlier, Afleet Alex was Triple Crown winner for sure. Walls of stopping horses in front of him compromised his move on three occasions. Those sprinter types who would absolutely stop after 7f are no longer allowed in the Derby.
What a litle superhorse! Jeremy Rose did a fantastic job in this race and the Preakness. Did Afleet Alex retire because of problems he suffered from the near collision at the Preakness?
He is definitely the greatest horse to win 2/3 of the Crown. And yes, I have seen Curlin, and Smarty Jones, and Big Brown, and they were all great horses, but Alfeet Alex is right with them. He is easily my favorite racehorse of the decade, and I think an argument can be made for him being the greatest of the decade, too.
Preakness/Belmont double ...What a spectacular show this horse put on...Only a few horses in history were moving as fast as this horse in the Belmont stretch...So much potential this horse had...Really wish he could have had a longer career cause he was about to put on a show and win some more big races
That move at the 1/4 pole proved beyond a shadow of a doubt who the champion horse was. That was electric the way he just opened up like the rest had pulled out parachutes.
We've seen alot of close calls to the Triple Crown recently....Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic, Smarty Jones etc. But I think out of all them, I think Afleet Alex is the one that I can really say with 100% belief should have won the Crown.
"And Afleet Alex just ran right BY Giacomo like he was standing STILL!" What a great call, and what a beast of a horse. Should have won the Triple Crown.
@Kostly When I checked into it a little more I agree that they may be too closely linked - damn!!! Now I'm excited at the mere thought of AA and Rachel Alexandra - sadly it remains only a thought. Maybe Zenny and City Zip?
Why 'Alex' was retired (From Wiki) : "The colt's fall campaign was derailed when he was found in late July 2005 to have a hairline fracture in his left front cannon bone, near the ankle. The fracture was discovered very early, and the prognosis was good for Afleet Alex to return to his previous level of performance. Once fully healed, the colt returned to working for the Breeder's Cup Classic, putting in two bullet works. However, Tim Ritchey decided to take the conservative path with the colt and shelved him for the year. Later in the year, avascular necrosis (the dying of tissue in the bone, creating a brittle patch) was discovered and diagnosed. The necrosis was probably due to an undetected deep bruise sustained when Afleet Alex nearly fell in the Preakness. It is believed the necrosis caused his summer condylar fracture. Tim Ritchey and Cash is King Stable announced the horse's retirement from racing on December 1, 2005.
You can see why Jeremy Rose returned to journeyman status after this. Beating AA with a 10 length lead in the stretch. He was later suspended for whipping the face of another horse a few years after this.
MoW didn't really try. Back then the TC was not the TC we know today. All respect to MoW, of course as I think he is one of the best two racehorses to ever live, but let's not include him in that discussion.
Hmmmmm... keeping it fairly recent: Spectacular Bid Alysheba Point Given Smarty Jones I'll Have Another Were all better than AA to me. I think he was definitely awesome, but I thought those horses were better as 3 y.o.
Mallory: Well, you are going to have arguments from quite a few people. Ever hear of Spectacular Bid? Native Dancer? Kelso? Buckpasser? Forego? I love Alex, too, but there are so many greats who also did not win the TC.
It was obvious from listening to both the Preakness and the Belmont the announcer favored Giacamo........ Even after the miraculous win in the Preakness. One of the greatest horses of all time.
I dearly love Afleet Alex. One of my all-time five favorite horses. But keep his last quarter in context. His overall time of 2:28.75 would still have lost to Secretariat by 23-24 lengths. In fact, AA's time may not be in the top 20 fastest Belmonts. When the pace is slow you have a lot of energy to sprint the last bit. Anyway, he should have won the Triple Crown.
great call by durkin, but charlsie really hits the nail on the head..."what a little super horse"...."and he kinda chirps to him, gets him moving and then it's katie bar the door...he's just gone, he's just gone"...secretariat and forego were always my favorite horses of all time, but alex now has to be right up there also...what a horse
That was the most impressive race. I have ever seen!! He just did it with such ease Amazing..What happend to him in the derby? Seems like he woulda been cinch to win it
Alex should have won the TC easily. He was the best horse of that year of many good horses. Andromeda's Here, Nolan's Cat and other. It was a freak Derby with the "luckiest horse wins". Alex was not lucky. But he showed h imself to be the best even in the pre Derby races.
What a racehorse. What a sire. Get him with Zenyatta first thing after she retires. A SHARP staminized horse and a broodmare with BEASTLY size and a brutal finishing kick. Something VERY good will come from that.
Please take a look at that derby. Afleet Alex closed like a freight train in traffic and Giacomo closed on the outside and in the clear. Of course that is memory and I should take another look myself. I will!
goforwand31 KY Derby's such a crapshoot these days, with that 20 horse mob, doesn't matter even if you're Citation or Secretariat if you get a bad trip, you just can't win it. I've more respect for Preakness/Belmont winners like Point Given and Afleet Alex than for dual Derby/Preakness winners, who run out of steam at a mile and half.
Maya Joffe I agree but I have much respect for O'Neill thinking about the well being of the horse. To make that decision when you have with a potential triple crown winner, dollar signs everywhere and the nation's attention had to be a tough pill to swallow.
that's a BS comment.Jeremy Rose and this horse had a great connection and they won almost every time they rode (except Kderby and maybe one other). But, Johnny V (he is a 1st rate jockey right?) he rode Afleet Alex in the Rebel Stakes and came 6th. You can check it out on equibase
@Kostly I agree that he would've been a TC winner had he not been a victim of a poor trip. That said, who did he beat in any of his races? Scrappy T, Giacomo, Closing Argument, Sun King, Andromeda's Hero? Giacomo was the only other G1 winner of that bunch. Maybe my problem is that while Afleet Alex had the guts to be a legend, he was never given a chance to, a la Smarty Jones. Loved the horse as a fan, but he was the best of a weak group. Pity he wasn't born in 07 - then we'd see what he had
one of the great things about horse racing is that everyone has their opinion about certain horse's greatness, and there is no way to truly find out who's right. i think AA was the best since big red. there is too much luck involved (lousy trips, lousy jocks) to go by just winning races. knowing that only big red ran a faster last 1/4 than alex, speaks volumes. the races i always watch are this one, alex's preakness, zenyatta's '09 cup, and forego's '76 marlboro, man, do i love this sport...
Truly the last great horse that should have won the Triple Crown if not for a bad race in the Derby which he lost by less than a length! Ran all three races in the TC won the last two extremely impressively and didn't seem tired there at the end! Hoping his son Materiality can follow in his daddy"s footsteps and win the Belmont!
And those of you saying he was "beating" Alex with the whip, watch the damn replay. He hits him maybe 6 times. He even holds back one or two whips. You think Jeremy Rose doesn't give a shit about this horse? This horse probably saved his life and whatever was left of his career in the Preakness. Of course he cares about this horse. No casual fan would know who J-Rose is without Alex.
"Afleet Alex just ran by Giacomo like he was standing still!!"- I love that! This is my favorite Belmont besides Secretariat's. I love Afleet Alex!!
+Whirlaway Well, those two and Rags to Riches. The way she faced down Curlin was spectacular.
Not old enough to remember Risen Star?
Seattle Slew for me
he took off like he had a rocket up his ass, jesus
@@charlesstich1821 Risen star by 15, by 18 he looks just like his Daddy..
I’ve watched this a jillion times. Inspirational 🎉 🏇🏿 thanks 😊
alex was my favorite horse ever... such heart.. he gave his all in these races!
The energy from that horse was incredible, one of the greatest of all time!
The absolute cream of that crop - and it was a sin that he didn't win the TC. He was such an exciting horse to watch!!
Alex is still a beautiful horse even today. He’s my favorite!!
"Afleet Alex just ran by Giacomo like he was standing still " that just encapsules how lucky Giacomo really got in the Derby. Afleet Alex was on a different level
Jock was a 50-1 shot in the Derby. "The luckiest horse wins the Derby, the fastest horse wins the Preakness, but the BEST horse wins the Belmont". Alex was 2 and 3. A much better horse than giacomo.
A great Horse
Giacomo was a horrible fluke......!
Giacomi was a lucky pig
Afleet Alex...what an animal! There are GREAT horses who ve come along and who done the unthinkable but alex? He will always have a special place in my heart...
kadir1982 Honor Code's win yesterday reminds me of Afleet Alex, same muscular sprint.
He was the greatest!
Rush 2112 my way
.net e finding my way Rush
Afleet Alex is my favorite of all time. Jeremy said the horse was 3C worthy, the jockey wasn't. said he moved too soon in the derby....still love him.
interesting
Funny that so many people in these comments are saying Afleet Alex is their favorite horse. There are so many great horses but the 2005 Preakness victory was incredible, then follow that with this great win in the Belmont. This horse was definitely fun to watch. What a horse. And yes, one of my favorites too.
Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex have a special place in many people's hearts. Alex's Lemonade Stand plays a part in the love for Afleet Alex.
The Derby is all about the trip and the Belmont all about the talent
This horse only ran 12 times and was getting better with each race..Afleet Alex had a chance to really become one of the "Great Ones"..What a POWERFUL animal..if he didnt get injured i can definitely see him crushing field after field..this race alone was eye popping
I've watched this like 50 times and I get goosebumps evertime. Greatest horse ever!
I had the privilege of watching Secretariat win the Triple Crown. He may be the greatest horse ever, but Afleet Alex is my favorite horse ever.
Great race but Afleet didn't break Big Reds record time. Secretariat is the Goat until some horse comes along and breaks his record times in all 3 races of the TC
@@CamaroKidd2022 no he isn't?
Tell Onion who chased Big Red down and beat him he is the GOÀT
@@boswindle9050 did you ever lose at anything in your life? Secretariat was races 21 times in times in 16 months which averages out to a little over 1 time a month! He was raced two times on 9 days rest! Don't you think he probably got tired once in awhile and lost some races because of it?
Every human, horse, dog, cat, etc etc has their bad days. Do the best NFL, NBA, NHL teams ever lose? Did Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus ever lose a golf tournament? They are the best golfers of all time but they lost a lot!
As you know Secretariat won the TC and set records in all three and that will never be broken. He also holds other records as you know and he has the highest Beyer speed ever at 139.
Instead of blabbing your mouth and saying nothing why don't you say who the GOAT is and give reason's! I don't want to hear that it is FL who only raced 6 times in 18 months! Secretariat raced more in 5 weeks then Flightline did in 1 year! Secretariat and MOW are the greatest horse's ever.
@@CamaroKidd2022 so time isn't everything?
Overall I think Slew is a better IMO. He had the better career which makes him better...that's my point
What a horse he is! He should have one the Triple Crown for sure!!
Giacomo beat two horses in the Derby. Closiung Argument and Alex. No more than a length. Yes, Alex should have won the TC!!!
@@brucerobbins6528 Could have. Not should have.
@@YouDontKnow-that No, should have. He was a much better horse than Giacomo annd proved it on the track!!!!
@@brucerobbins6528 should have. So then ....Point Given should have. Smarty Jones. Alysheba, Sunday Silence, California Chrome, etc.... all "should have"? I agree. Afleet Alex was much much better than Giacamo. But that doesn't me "he should have won". Based on your rationale, there should never be any upsets in horse racing.
@@YouDontKnow-thatno..... Should have!
VERY underrated horse. Tremendous talent.
The announcer's "And Afleet Alex runs by Giacamo as if he were standing still!" has to rank up there as one of the best lines ever!
True!
Afleet Alex should have been disqualified. Only race horses are allowed to run in the Belmont. He was a rocket ship.
ScotchIrishTarheel I was going to get mad, then I got happy.
ScotchIrishTarheel ha
yeah, Alex was a one run horse. Stayed at the back of the pack for most of the race, saving his energy for the final turn. You must have great "turn of foot" , that is the ability to accelerate on a dime, and Alex had it. Most Belmonts go to the front runner, but Jeremy Rose rode him perfectly, and that, with his stamina and turn of foot, and toughness just made the other horses ask why they even bothered to come out.
Giacomo was stupidly overrated that year.Alex's pre-Derby races were all won easily. It was a good year for horses, but Alex was the best.
Lol! My favorite race horse ever.
I loved Afleet Alex ans so did Jeremy Rose..
I was so disappointed when they retired him. I think the consensus was that the injury was a result of his Preakness mishap. He was such an explosive runner, and such a big-hearted, fun little horse to watch.
I just love this little horse with all my heart!
I am going to look for these. I remember Little Current but not all that well. Closers are spine-tinglers. And swooping the field in a Classic is a rich experience to watch. Still get the bumps when watching past races on youtube, thank God for it.
afleet alex was so amazing! i wish he could have ran in the Breeders Cup Classic, i know he would have won it.
You don't know.
What a horse. One of my top 3 favorite horses. Should've won the Triple Crown.
Oh God..enough with the "garbage fields, weak crops" We get that every year!!!! Say what you will but this horse was an athlete.
Proving he deserved to be a Triple Crown winner but for that horrible misfortune in the slop at Churchill.
Awesome to watch even years after!
LOVED his horse, one of the GREAT ones! he had the speed, the determination and the heart. One of the best to never win the triple crown. If i win the lottery he's the first thoroughbred stud i'd buy lol
My favorite Horse
The rare reverse Triple Crown miss (Win Preakness and Belmont, Lose Derby) instead of what we're used to
Chris Kreager Hansel did that in 91
Sam M, as did Secretariat's boy, Risen Star.
You go Alex! You are the man!
Just watched this again, for the umpteenth time. Alex' performance will always stand out in my memory as one of the great moments in racing. The only fly in this ointment was Tom Durkin's call, where he: Unashamedly fawned over Giacomo throughout the race, to the extent that I though he was going to contemplate suicide when Alex blew by Giacomo. He stacked the fractions on top of one another, instead of keeping up, he stumbled over names and always seemed to be a step behind in his call, noting that Rose hadn't moved Alex and that he was coming on, in the same sentence! I have heard Durkin call innumerable races since and he's competent, but I cannot erase the image he created this day.
Afleet Alex made his move while he was speaking is why it came out like that, when he started the gap was not shrinking and Giacomo was making his move
Point Given and Afleet Alex, those are two horses that I scratch my head over them not winning the Triple Crown but the derby is so tough with 20 horses.
i think his rider didnt give him a good ride in the derby.. i feel alex could have won the triple crown.
Jeremy Rose did not give him a good ride in the Derby you are right on there. He saved him in the Preakness from a disaster and had a great ride in the Belmont. But you are right the Derby trip was a bad one for Rose.
alex was a great race horse.. one of my favs.. i remember how before this race they were doubting him.. he showed them!.. i also like how nolans cat came in 3rd.. after being 10 off... in last place :)
I agree with you about Nolan's Cat. A late strider like Concern or Mine That Bird.I saw Nolan's Cat in person at Presque Isle Downs in PA. He won his race with that patented late kick.
bnegs521
Nolan's Cat was a maiden too
24 2/5 finals 1/4....He was FLYING!!
My favorite horse of all time
He was around after that. He actually piloted Afleet Alex in the Belmont and was around for a few years later but now has disappeared.
Such a great racehorse camera angle in Ky Derby I initially thought he had won that , then the to the knees amazing Preakness, and finally closing from ten out and cruising home in a Belmont romp. Great champion .
what a kick..dramatic and very impressive...Look how quickly he gapped the field!
Afleet Alex would have won the Kentucky Derby but jockey Jeremy Rose dropped him to the inside for the stretch run and the rail was absolutely not the place to be that day. I was there that day and he would have won if he had stayed in the middle of the track. In an interview that was in the Daily Racing Form a few days after the race , Jeremy Rose admitted that the move to the inside cost him the win in the Kentucky Derby . I was on him in all 3 Triple Crown Races and he won 2 of them but should have been a Triple Crown winner! That Preakness win was amazing when he stumbled so badly that he almost went to his knees but recovered to win was simply a miracle. I've never seen anything that amazing for a horse to overcome what happened to him that day and still WIN!
He had Big Brown's maiden win, was suspended in 2008 for six months, rode Ben's Cat, but hasn't been in too many big races lately. He did get his 2000th win recently. He also rode Havre de Grace early on.
that horse was a BEAST! amazing we need more like him
I always love the Belmont Stakes, it's the best race of the American Triple Crown for me.
He would have smashed the competition in the breeder's cup that year.
Saint Liam would’ve said no.
Had they made the point system for the Derby a decade earlier, Afleet Alex was Triple Crown winner for sure. Walls of stopping horses in front of him compromised his move on three occasions. Those sprinter types who would absolutely stop after 7f are no longer allowed in the Derby.
Should have been a Triple Crown winner! What a horse.
Haggler vs hearns
But he didn't
Uppppsss
So sorry
Most famous kentucky derby winner
GIACOMO
What a litle superhorse! Jeremy Rose did a fantastic job in this race and the Preakness. Did Afleet Alex retire because of problems he suffered from the near collision at the Preakness?
i've watch this video like 10 times and god!!! i love this horse!!!
they oughta mail the eclipse award this afternoon is priceless, make it yesterday, lol , Alex is always gona be my fav, PERIOD
Alex was the best horse that year.
Saint Liam was the best that year.
Love Afleet Alex.Should have been a triple crown winner.
He is definitely the greatest horse to win 2/3 of the Crown. And yes, I have seen Curlin, and Smarty Jones, and Big Brown, and they were all great horses, but Alfeet Alex is right with them. He is easily my favorite racehorse of the decade, and I think an argument can be made for him being the greatest of the decade, too.
One of the greatest rides in Belmont Stakes history.
My man my man , did y'all see that, not too many back to back performances like that in the history of racing, mail it.
Preakness/Belmont double ...What a spectacular show this horse put on...Only a few horses in history were moving as fast as this horse in the Belmont stretch...So much potential this horse had...Really wish he could have had a longer career cause he was about to put on a show and win some more big races
If it wasn't for a bad jockey in the Kentucky derby afleet alex would've won the tc
This was my favorite of all time what a horse!
Spectacular Belmont win. 🏇
That move at the 1/4 pole proved beyond a shadow of a doubt who the champion horse was. That was electric the way he just opened up like the rest had pulled out parachutes.
We've seen alot of close calls to the Triple Crown recently....Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic, Smarty Jones etc. But I think out of all them, I think Afleet Alex is the one that I can really say with 100% belief should have won the Crown.
A bad jockey in the Kentucky derby
The triple crown winner that never was. He barely lost the Derby. I ❤ Afleet Alex
Risen Star, Smarty Jones, Spectacular Bid, and Afleet Alex should have all been TC winners.
Phillip Ivey All worthy and spectacular horses.
That's Giacomo, the Derby winner from that year. Same owner/trainer/rider combo as Zenyatta.
Love Afleet Alex.
Should of been a triple crown winner
"And Afleet Alex just ran right BY Giacomo like he was standing STILL!" What a great call, and what a beast of a horse. Should have won the Triple Crown.
@Kostly When I checked into it a little more I agree that they may be too closely linked - damn!!! Now I'm excited at the mere thought of AA and Rachel Alexandra - sadly it remains only a thought. Maybe Zenny and City Zip?
Why 'Alex' was retired (From Wiki) : "The colt's fall campaign was derailed when he was found in late July 2005 to have a hairline fracture in his left front cannon bone, near the ankle. The fracture was discovered very early, and the prognosis was good for Afleet Alex to return to his previous level of performance. Once fully healed, the colt returned to working for the Breeder's Cup Classic, putting in two bullet works. However, Tim Ritchey decided to take the conservative path with the colt and shelved him for the year. Later in the year, avascular necrosis (the dying of tissue in the bone, creating a brittle patch) was discovered and diagnosed. The necrosis was probably due to an undetected deep bruise sustained when Afleet Alex nearly fell in the Preakness. It is believed the necrosis caused his summer condylar fracture. Tim Ritchey and Cash is King Stable announced the horse's retirement from racing on December 1, 2005.
You can see why Jeremy Rose returned to journeyman status after this. Beating AA with a 10 length lead in the stretch. He was later suspended for whipping the face of another horse a few years after this.
just kills me that Afleet Alex was retired after this! what a shame!!
yep that was his running style. Nolan's cat was still running two years ago. Saw him in Erie PA came from last to first to win.
The greatest racehorse ever to not of won the Triple Crown. Period.
I meant within the last quarter century but I get what you mean
MoW didn't really try. Back then the TC was not the TC we know today. All respect to MoW, of course as I think he is one of the best two racehorses to ever live, but let's not include him in that discussion.
Hmmmmm... keeping it fairly recent:
Spectacular Bid
Alysheba
Point Given
Smarty Jones
I'll Have Another
Were all better than AA to me. I think he was definitely awesome, but I thought those horses were better as 3 y.o.
Barbaro
Mallory: Well, you are going to have arguments from quite a few people. Ever hear of Spectacular Bid? Native Dancer? Kelso? Buckpasser? Forego? I love Alex, too, but there are so many greats who also did not win the TC.
I wish he had raced longer.. And yes, not winning the Kentucky Derby was frustrating. He certainly was *very* good.
which is the race where he nearly fell over?
All heart ❤️ and guts and talent !! Indeed❤️❤️❤️❤️🏇🏿🌹 0:15
some will have the room, some will make the room. great response. thanks!
It was obvious from listening to both the Preakness and the Belmont the announcer favored Giacamo........ Even after the miraculous win in the Preakness. One of the greatest horses of all time.
pause at 2:47.. left of Alex....is that zenyattas silks??
I dearly love Afleet Alex. One of my all-time five favorite horses. But keep his last quarter in context. His overall time of 2:28.75 would still have lost to Secretariat by 23-24 lengths. In fact, AA's time may not be in the top 20 fastest Belmonts. When the pace is slow you have a lot of energy to sprint the last bit. Anyway, he should have won the Triple Crown.
What happened to Jeremy Rose? No longer on the national scene.
looks like Andromeda's Hero got some of Afleet Alex's energy, the two of them made the rest of the horses look like they were standing still
great call by durkin, but charlsie really hits the nail on the head..."what a little super horse"...."and he kinda chirps to him, gets him moving and then it's katie bar the door...he's just gone, he's just gone"...secretariat and forego were always my favorite horses of all time, but alex now has to be right up there also...what a horse
Afleet Alex is one of favorite racehorses! And he's actually one that had to win for a great cause!
That was the most impressive race. I have ever seen!! He just did it with such ease
Amazing..What happend to him in the derby?
Seems like he woulda been cinch to win it
Alex should have won the TC easily. He was the best horse of that year of many good horses. Andromeda's Here, Nolan's Cat and other. It was a freak Derby with the "luckiest horse wins". Alex was not lucky. But he showed h imself to be the best even in the pre Derby races.
What a racehorse. What a sire. Get him with Zenyatta first thing after she retires. A SHARP staminized horse and a broodmare with BEASTLY size and a brutal finishing kick. Something VERY good will come from that.
There is no other horse in history that has run as fast as AA did in the last 1/4 mile, except one. Do you know who that horse is?
Please take a look at that derby. Afleet Alex closed like a freight train in traffic and Giacomo closed on the outside and in the clear. Of course that is memory and I should take another look myself. I will!
A fleet Alex is criminally underrated
Man this horse is too good.
The greatest horse of my lifetime. Triple Crown winner if not for a bad placement in the derby.
he should have won the triple crown..
zdlr Yes he should have.
goforwand31 KY Derby's such a crapshoot these days, with that 20 horse mob, doesn't matter even if you're Citation or Secretariat if you get a bad trip, you just can't win it. I've more respect for Preakness/Belmont winners like Point Given and Afleet Alex than for dual Derby/Preakness winners, who run out of steam at a mile and half.
GermanOperaSinger It's a shame we'll never know how I'll Have Another would've done...in the Belmont Stakes.
GermanOperaSinger way too many horses in the Derby!!!
Maya Joffe I agree but I have much respect for O'Neill thinking about the well being of the horse. To make that decision when you have with a potential triple crown winner, dollar signs everywhere and the nation's attention had to be a tough pill to swallow.
that's a BS comment.Jeremy Rose and this horse had a great connection and they won almost every time they rode (except Kderby and maybe one other). But, Johnny V (he is a 1st rate jockey right?) he rode Afleet Alex in the Rebel Stakes and came 6th. You can check it out on equibase
and afleet alex just ran by giacamo like he was standing still!! what a great call.
I love Alex!
I would have liked to have seen Afleet Alex race as a four-year-old. He was a good racehorse and well bred.
What a kick!
@Kostly I agree that he would've been a TC winner had he not been a victim of a poor trip. That said, who did he beat in any of his races? Scrappy T, Giacomo, Closing Argument, Sun King, Andromeda's Hero? Giacomo was the only other G1 winner of that bunch.
Maybe my problem is that while Afleet Alex had the guts to be a legend, he was never given a chance to, a la Smarty Jones. Loved the horse as a fan, but he was the best of a weak group. Pity he wasn't born in 07 - then we'd see what he had
one of the great things about horse racing is that everyone has their opinion about certain horse's greatness, and there is no way to truly find out who's right. i think AA was the best since big red. there is too much luck involved (lousy trips, lousy jocks) to go by just winning races. knowing that only big red ran a faster last 1/4 than alex, speaks volumes. the races i always watch are this one, alex's preakness, zenyatta's '09 cup, and forego's '76 marlboro, man, do i love this sport...
I also liked "Alfeet Alex opening up with a tremendous burst of energy!"
Yeah Alex is siring colts in Kentucky I think. My favorite horse of all time!
Truly the last great horse that should have won the Triple Crown if not for a bad race in the Derby which he lost by less than a length! Ran all three races in the TC won the last two extremely impressively and didn't seem tired there at the end! Hoping his son Materiality can follow in his daddy"s footsteps and win the Belmont!
He has Somethingroyal in the lower part of the distaff pedigree. That's a fun fact, good staying blood for the mile and 1/2.
How does he burst like that in a mile and a half. Looks almost secretariat-esque, if i may
And those of you saying he was "beating" Alex with the whip, watch the damn replay. He hits him maybe 6 times. He even holds back one or two whips. You think Jeremy Rose doesn't give a shit about this horse? This horse probably saved his life and whatever was left of his career in the Preakness. Of course he cares about this horse. No casual fan would know who J-Rose is without Alex.