Afleet Alex To Miss Travers at Saratoga

By GREG MELIKOV, HorsesWild Contributing Writer

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Afleet Alex won't race in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on Aug. 7 because of an ankle injury that required surgery on Wednesday.

Trainer Tim Ritchey noticed something wrong with the 3-year-old's left front ankle in his stall at Belmont Park and X-rays taken Tuesday showed a shadow. It turned out to be a condylar fracture.

"It's a relatively common type of fracture in thoroughbred horses," Dr. Patricia Hogan, who preformed the 35-minute operation at a New Jersey clinic, told Bloodhorse.com.

'It occurs in the bottom of the cannon bone at the level of the fetlock joint. In Alex's case it was caught very early before it had the opportunity to progress into a more significant injury. His prognosis for returning to racing at his elite level is excellent without a doubt.'

While the son of Northern Fleet will also miss the Travers on Aug. 28 at Saratoga, Ritchey expects him to return in the fall. "As always, the health of the horse is most important. I believe he will overcome this bump in the road."

Chuck Zacney, managing partner for the owners, said, "We appreciate that Tim knows Alex so well and that he detected it so early. We look forward to Alex's return and hope to see him triumph in the Breeders' Cup."

2005 Saratoga Stakes Races Schedule

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Saratoga Season 2005 Opening Day on July 27th

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The long wait for the 2005 Saratoga Racing Opening Day is over. The world's most prestigious racing meet opens its 36-day events on Wednesday, July 27th at the Saratoga Race Course and will run six days a week through September 5th, Labor Day.


This year Saratoga Race Course will offer 45 stakes, 30 of which are graded and 13 of which are Grade 1 races, featuring nearly the all the best trainers, horses and jockeys in the racing world. Total stakes purses will exceed $10 million.

Afleet Alex, Triple Crown's top 3-year-old and winner of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, returns to the scene for the Grade 1, $1 million Travers, the "Mid-Summer Derby" for three-year-olds at a mile and a quarter on August 27th. His presence is expected to bolster ticket sales and horse betting odds.

Thus, officials predict another strong season for Saratoga. Historically NYRA's cash cow, the average daily on-track handle last year was $3.2 million, while attendance averaged about 27,000 a day, both tops in the nation.

Meanwhile, trainer and Saratoga regular Nick Zito wil be inducted Aug. 8 into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame just down the street from the track. His Derby beated horse, Bellamy Road, will be running at the seven furlong King's Bishop. While Andromeda's Hero will see action at the $500,000 Jim Dandy along with Todd Pletcher's Flower Alley.

2005 Saratoga Stakes Races Schedule

Other Saratoga Season 2005 Race Track Info:

Dates: Wednesday, July 28 through Monday / Labor Day, September 6. Dark Tuesdays (36 Racing Days)

Post Times: First post time is 1pm daily, except:
Traver’s Day, August 28, at 12:30 pm

Gates Open: Weekdays at 11 am, weekends at 10:30 pm, except:
Traver's Day, August 28, at 7am

General Admission: $3. Clubhouse admission is $5 - Children 12 & under are FREE when accompanied by an adult

There are 45 stakes races on the meet schedule, 30 of which are graded and 13 of which are Grade 1 events, all totaling $9.895 million. Eight stakes races have been added, each with a $65,000 purse, that will run on weekdays during the Spa meet. On every Saturday this season, except on September 4, fans will also be treated to at least two graded stakes races.

For the 2005 Saratoga SHOWdown, one horse is selected on each of the 36 race days of the meet to finish first, second, or third. Those successful on day 1 move on to day 2, and so on, until a winner is determined. Entry fee is $10. All entry fees will be returned as prizes to the contestants who finish in the Top 10.

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Saratoga 2005 Horse Racing Season Has $10M in Stakes

By GREG MELIKOV, HorsesWild Contributing writer

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Historic Saratoga Race Course in New York will offer more than $10 million worth of stakes races during its 137th meeting that begins Wednesday July 27.

Forty-five stakes races will be staged during the 36-day meeting. What track holds at least one stakes contest on each racing day? There's more: on five afternoons there will be at least two stakes.

In addition, Saratoga is staging 30 graded stakes, including an amazing 13 Grade 1 events. For this reason, top trainers, jockeys and horses in the country make the trip to Saratoga - huge purses and top notch thoroughbred racing action.

"As a fan, I have always been excited about Saratoga," says Charles Hayward, named last fall president/CEO of the New York Racing Association.

"The NYRA has made great, positive strides, including our implementation of a security barn system and a recent increase in our claiming purses. We have a terrific season planned, highlighted by the top racing that Saratoga fans have rightfully come to expect."

The 2005 Saratoga meeting, which runs through Labor Day, opens with the $150,000 Adirondack Stakes for 2-year-old fillies that was eliminated last year along with the Saratoga Special for juvenile colts and geldings, both at six furlongs.

The reason: to bolster fields for the famous Spinaway and Hopeful races and for juvenile contests at Belmont Park's fall meeting by allowing more time between races.

This year, the Grade 2 Adirondack replaces the Schuylerville as the opening day feature. On the next afternoon, the $150,000 Saratoga Special replaces the Sanford.

Of course, the big day as always is Travers Stakes on Aug. 27. That's because it's 136th running of the $1 million Mid-Summer Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 ¼ miles.

That's the showcase race of the 10th annual Travers Festival, which runs Aug. 20-28 and includes more than 40 fun-filled, charity-oriented events at the track and in the area. Events include street festivals, live music, arts and crafts shows, golf tournaments, contests and galas.

Over the years, quite a few exceptional runners have won the race named for William R. Travers, who with John Hunter and former American heavyweight champion John Morrissey built the track at the popular summer health resort in Saratoga Springs.

It wasn't until the Civil War that entrepreneurs began treating the Sport of Kings as a business - organizing and promoting betting by the general public.

Saratoga's inaugural meeting was in 1864 when America's oldest stakes race was staged - the Travers, named for the first president of Saratoga.

Travers Saturday also features another pair of Grade 1 races: the $200,000 King's Bishop for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs and the $250,000 Hopeful for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs; also the Grade 2, $200,000 Fourstardave Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

2005 Saratoga Stakes Races Schedule

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Afleet Alex Competes for Travers Day at Saratoga

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The 136th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers, the "Mid-Summer Derby" for three-year-olds at a mile and a quarter on Saturday, August 27th will again be the meet's showcase race. Afleet Alex, the leading candidate for both Horse of the Year and the three-year-old championship, is expected to help pack the house that day.

His dramatic and victorious recovery from a near-fall in the Preakness was matched only by his sudden acceleration that delivered him an easy win in the Belmont Stakes.

Travers Day will also include the Grade 1, $250,000 King's Bishop for three-year-olds at seven furlongs and another top player, undefeated Lost in the Fog, is expected here.

Another historic race -- the Grade 1, $250,000 Hopeful for two-year-olds at seven furlongs – will also be run on Travers Day, as will the Grade 2, $200,000 Fourstardave Handicap for three-year-olds and up at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf.

Bolstering the Travers Weekend schedule will be the Spinaway, the filly counterpart of the Hopeful, on Friday, August 26th.

The Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney for three-year-olds and up will be run on Saturday, August 6th, and the Grade 1, $750,000 Alabama, the filly counterpart to the Travers, will be run on Saturday, August 20th.

With defending Horse of the Year Ghostzapper retired, the handicap division is wide open and the Whitney may be the chance for hometown hero Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, to finally win a race at

Saratoga, but he will be tested harshly by horses like Eddington, Limehouse, Saint Liam and his old nemesis, Evening Attire.

Horses like Round Pound, Smuggler, Spun Sugar and Summerly figure for the Alabama.

Turf racing is big at the Spa, and a race like the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational at 10 furlongs on the turf might be a spot for Good Reward to prove that his victory in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day was no fluke.

Older fillies and mares, like champion Ashado, will be on display in races like the Grade 1, $250,000 Go for Wand at nine furlongs on Sunday, July 31st, and the Grade 1, $250,000 Ballerina at seven furlongs on Sunday, August 28th.

2005 Saratoga Stakes Races Schedule

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Saratoga Horse Racing Season 2005

The Saratoga Race Course’s racing season 2005 kicks off July 27th, Wednesday, and ends on Labor Day, Monday, September 5th. Find best deals in horsebetting tips, picks and odds, bet on Del Mar horseracing online at Bodog Racebook!

The most prestigious racing meet in the world, Saratoga Race Course seems to grow both in its significance to racing and in its fan enthusiasm each year. This year will be no different, as Saratoga Race Course will offer 45 stakes, 30 of which are graded and 13 of which are Grade 1 races. Total stakes purses will exceed $10 million.


Top Triple Crown horse, Afleet Alex, returns to the tracks at the 136th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers. The "Mid-Summer Derby" for three-year-olds at a mile and a quarter runs on Saturday, August 27th.

Afleet Alex is also the leading candidate for both Horse of the Year and the three-year-old championship, he's is expected to help pack the house come racing day. His dramatic and victorious recovery from a near-fall in the Preakness was matched only by his sudden acceleration that delivered him an easy win in the Belmont Stakes.

2005 Saratoga Stakes Races Schedule

The Saratoga Horse Racing season 2005, at the Saratoga Park from July 27-September 5. For horsebetting tips, picks, odds and handicapping there's no better place than Horses Wild.

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