SOARING FREE REPEATS IN HEADLINE SHAKERTOWN p4 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT BY FAX AND FREE BY E-MAIL TO SUBSCRIBERS OF call 732-747-8060. www.thoroughbreddailynews.com SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2005 STRIKE UP THE BAND ALEX RAZOR SHARP IN ARKANSAS Bottom of the ninth, tie game, bases loaded, full Cash is King LLC’s Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet) had count. It’s a do or die situation. Such was the predica- some questions of his own to answer. Could he win a ment facing Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Bandini race going a distance of (Fusaichi Pegasus) in ground? What toll might the yesterday’s GI Toyota recent lung infection take, Blue Grass S. at which resulted in a last-place Keeneland. Coming into finish in the GIII Rebel S. the centerpiece of the three weeks back? Consider spring meeting, the all the naysayers silenced. handsome bay colt had The overflow crowd at just $60,000 in graded Oaklawn Park made the GI Afleet Alex stakes earnings, which Hopeful S. winner the Sunny Taylor/CoadyPhotography Bandini Horsephotos/NTRA demanded a second- 2-1 favorite and the colt re- place finish at a minimum to secure a spot in the Ken- sponded in kind, leveling off impressively down the lane tucky Derby. The $500,000 Keeneland September to record an eight-length victory in the $1-million GII yearling became the latest Louisville Slugger, rallying Arkansas Derby. Arkansas Derby cont. p2 from just off the pace to register a decisive six-length victory over GII Louisiana Derby hero High Limit TURN BACK THE CLOCK (Maria’s Mon). Blue Grass S. cont. p2 Clock Stopper (Gilded Time) earned his first stakes victory in the seven-furlong Perryville S. at Keeneland in Saturday, Keeneland October of 2003. On the board in seven of his eight TOYOTA BLUE GRASS S.-GI, $750,000, KEE, 4-16, stakes tries since, the chestnut 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50, ft. finally picked up black-type win 1--s@#BANDINI, 123, c, 3, by Fusaichi Pegasus number two in the GII Common- 1st Dam: Divine Dixie (SP), by Dixieland Band wealth Breeders’ Cup S. at the 2nd Dam: Hail Atlantis, by Seattle Slew Lexington oval yesterday. “He 3rd Dam: Flippers, by Coastal runs hard every time,” trainer ($500,000 yrl '03 KEESEP). O-Michael B Tabor & Dallas Stewart said. “Today was Derrick Smith; B-Marvin Little Jr, James Iselin & Ron Clock Stopper Horsephotos his day.” The gelding finished McKee (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-J Velazquez; second in the GI Forego H., GII $465,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $564,180. Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and GIII Smile Sprint H. last *First GISW for sophomore sire (by Mr. Prospector). season. Sixth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint, he closed 2--High Limit, 123, c, 3, Maria's Mon--Known out the season with a third in the Nov. 20 GI DeFrancis Romance, by Known Fact. ($145,000 yrl '03 Dash. Commonwealth BC S. cont. p3 KEESEP). O-Gary L & Mary E West; B-Brookfield Farm (KY); T-Robert J Frankel; $150,000. ACE-ING THE GRADED EXAM 3--Closing Argument, 123, c, 3, Successful Appeal-- New York-bred Acey Deucey (Abaginone) was lacking Mrs. Greeley, by Mr. Greeley. ($25,000 yrl '03 for racing room at the eighth pole of yesterday’s GII OBSAUG; $10,000 yrl '03 OBSJAN; $100,000 2yo Comely S., but delivered her one-two punch once she 2004 OBSAPR). O-Philip & Marcia Cohen; B-France & got to the outside, closing gamely for a half-length Irwin J Weiner (FL); T-Kiaran P McLaughlin; $75,000. victory over Seeking the Ante (Seeking the Gold). “I Margins: 6, 3, NK. Odds: 3.00, 2.50, 12.40. knew she was sitting on a big one,” said winning Also Ran: Sun King, Consolidator, Spanish Chestnut, trainer John Morrison, saddling his first graded winner. Mr Sword. Comely S. cont. p4 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 4/17/05 • PAGE 2 of 7 Blue Grass S. cont. Saturday, Oaklawn Park A Quick Study... ARKANSAS DERBY-GII, $1,000,000, OPX, 4-16, 3yo, Bandini was a green sixth in his Nov. 20 debut over 1 1/8m, 1:48 4/5, ft. six furlongs at Aqueduct, but made amends for that 1--AFLEET ALEX, 122, c, 3, by Northern Afleet effort in his three-year-old bow, defeating subsequent 1st Dam: Maggy Hawk, by Hawkster GI Florida Derby runner-up Noble Causeway in a seven- 2nd Dam: Qualique, by *Hawaii furlong maiden at Gulfstream Park Jan. 6. A grandson 3rd Dam: Dorothy Gaylord, by *Sensitivo of Hail Atlantis, the dam of Stormy Atlantic, the son of ($75,000 2yo 2004 FTMMAY). O-Cash Is King LLC, the 2000 Kentucky Derby winner showed he could play Charles J Zacney, et al; B-John Martin Silvertand the two-turn game equally effectively, leading from (FL); T-Timothy F Ritchey; J-J Rose; $600,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 9-6-2-0, $1,315,800. *Full to gate to wire in a nine-length allowance victory Feb. 5. Unforgettable Max, SW & MGSP, $340,904. Tested for class in his latest effort, Bandini found him- 2--Flower Alley, 122, c, 3, Distorted Humor--Princess self chasing High Fly throughout the Mar. 5 GII Foun- Olivia, by Lycius. ($50,000 wlng '02 KEENOV; tain of Youth S. The Zito trainee got first run that after- $165,000 yrl '03 KEESEP). O-Melnyk Racing Stables noon and looked an easy winner, but the Todd Pletcher Inc; B-George Brunacini & Bona Terra Farms (KY); pupil closed well in the final furlong to miss by 3/4 of a T-Todd A Pletcher; $200,000. length. Bandini was to make his next stop on the Triple 3--Andromeda's Hero, 122, c, 3, Fusaichi Pegasus-- Crown trail in the Florida Derby, but a minor foot bruise Marozia, by Storm Bird. ($310,000 yrl '03 KEESEP). forced a change in plans. O-Robert V Lapenta; B-Barnett Enterprises (KY); T-Nicholas P Zito; $100,000. Welcome to the Bluegrass... Margins: 8, 3/4, NK. Odds: 2.40, 3.90, 10.70. Away alertly from the outside box, Bandini settled Also Ran: Real Dandy, Greater Good, Canteen, Rush into a stalking trip, tracking pacesetter Spanish Chest- Bay, Wild Desert, Cat Shaker, Batson Challenge. nut (Horse Chestnut {SAf}) and High Limit from a three- Afleet Alex won four-in-a-row to begin his career, wide position. Poised to pounce on the frontrunners including the GII Sanford S. and the GI Hopeful S. Sec- rounding the far turn, the colt responded to a strong ond to Proud Accolade in the GI Champagne S., he fell ride from John Velazquez, struck the front once heads just short in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, going down were turned for home and quickened nicely clear with by a half-length to Wilko to close the year. After pass- one right-handed slap of the whip. High Limit stayed on ing this track’s Southwest S., the bay was a surprise for second while GIII Holy Bull S. winner Closing Argu- entrant in the Mar. 5 Mountain ment (Successful Appeal) closed mildly to round out the Valley S. and turned the six-fur- trifecta. “We broke well and were very comfortable long event into a procession, after that,” the winning rider commented. “He learns winning by 2 3/4 lengths, good from every race and this experience will teach him even for a 106 Beyer. The wheels more. I was more aggressive with him today. I asked came off with a sixth-place finish in the GIII Rebel S. Mar. 19, but him to pick it up more from the half-mile pole and after he was later diagnosed with a that he went right on.” Coady Photography lung infection. The bay trained Click for the brisnet.com chart or the free brisnet.com brilliantly since being treated for that ailment and was catalogue-style pedigree. Click for video. well-backed for this final step on the road to Kentucky. Always within easy striking distance, Afleet Alex rallied Sun King, Consolidator Disappoint... four wide on the far turn, took command leaving the Sun King (Charismatic), atop many a Derby Top 10, three-eighths pole and finished full of run. “He ran the was forced to endure a wide trip and could do no better race I knew he could run,” commented trainer Tim than fourth, beaten nine lengths. “We didn’t break bad Ritchey. “He was extremely relaxed and moved when and I had to go a little wide, but he just didn’t have it we wanted him to.” Now it’s on to Churchill. “I started today,” his jockey Edgar Prado said. Consolidator thinking about the Derby when he won the Sanford and (Storm Cat), expected to fight out the early fractions, the Hopeful,” Ritchey admitted. Click for the was surprisingly taken back off the pace and never brisnet.com chart or the free brisnet.com catalogue- factored, finishing four lengths behind Sun King in fifth. style pedigree. Click for video. www.barretts.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 4/17/05 • PAGE 3 of 7 Saturday, Santa Anita Saturday, Keeneland SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO INVITATIONAL H.-GII, COMMONWEALTH BREEDERS' CUP S.-GII, $424,900, $250,000, SAX, 4-16, 4yo/up, a1 3/4mT, 2:45, fm. KEE, 4-16, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:22, ft. 1--@#T. H. APPROVAL, 115, c, 4, by With Approval 1--@CLOCK STOPPER, 118, g, 5, by Gilded Time 1st Dam: Potrichal (Arg) (G1SW-Arg, GSP-US), by Potrillazo (Arg) 1st Dam: Great Fun, by Farma Way 2nd Dam: Chaldee (Arg), by Banner Sport 2nd Dam: Spritzer, by Portsmouth 3rd Dam: Gevar (Arg), by Right of Way (GB) 3rd Dam: Champagne Carol, by Bold Lark O/B-Tadahiro Hotehama (KY); T-Eduardo Inda; J-R R ($42,000 yrl '01 KEEJAN; $110,000 yrl '01 Douglas; $150,000.