5 reasons why Afleet Alex should be voted Horse of the Year

[DrugSalvastore]

The best horse to race in 2005 was unarguably Ghostzapper, but one win in the Met Mile is obviously not enough for him to defend his crown. I would vote for Afleet Alex myself, but Saint Liam is a lock to win this award. Here's five reasons why I would vote for AA though.

* Afleet Alex drowned Flower Alley by eight lengths in a dazzling win in the Arkansas Derby. Saint Liam's supposedly clinched HOY honors by beating Flower Alley by a length in the Classic.

It's my opinion that Flower Alley wasn't a weak horse in April either. He came into the Ark Derby off a visually impressive (but slow) win in the Spiral Stakes over a subsequent Queen's Plate winner. After running 2nd to Afleet Alex, he put in the most shockingly impressive workout on Derby week, where he humiliated champion filly Ashado while working in tandem with her. Ashado was scratched out of a race on Derby week as a result of the workout. In the Derby, Flower Alley ran a deceptively strong race. He broke slow, was steadied twice, contested a very fast pace from the much deeper rail path, and only managed to get beat 7.5 lengths despite the nightmare trip. I told people that Flower Alley was my Preakness horse after watching the film of the Derby.

* Past precedent suggests AA should win. Charismatic won 2/3rds of the TC races and won HOY over vastly superior older horse Victory Gallop in '99.

* Divisional dominace is very important. Saint Liam ducked Ghostzapper in the Met, was beat by Rock Hard Ten (who went 4-for-4 in Graded Stakes on the season) and was given the aid of two different rabbits to avenge a Whitney loss to Commentator. On the other hand, Afleet Alex cleaned out his division entirely. Oh, and if you don't think division dominance matters, check Favorite Tricks vote over Skip Away in '98 or Azeri's vote over Left Bank in '02.

* Afleet Alex dominated 2/3rds of the Triple Crown series--and had jockey Cornelio Velasquez not been successful in keeping Afleet Alex bottled up in the Derby---it's almost a certainty that he would have won the Triple Crown.

* The Eclipse award voters literally owe Afleet Alex something after last year's 2yo vote. After two big Delaware Park wins, this horse broke Secretariat's stakes record in the six furlong Sanford Stakes, won the Grade 1 Hopeful at seven furlongs, and than suffered two trip induced defeats in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes and the Grade 1 BC Juvenile. He was 6-4-2-0 as a 2yo, and would have been 6-for-6 if not for a pair of genuinely poor Jermey Rose rides. He lost the Eclipse award to TVG hyped Declan's Moon. Who won a pair of Graded Stakes (a GR1 & GR2) in three starts while never leaving California.

If anyone thinks I'm building a case for Afleet Alex because I bet on him this year...and he won me money...they are dead wrong! I was one of the knuckle-heads who doubted this horse would be effective at a classic distance...based on pedigree and the visual images of his zig zag run through the lane in the Hopeful. I didn't bet on AA in any of the three Triple Crown races.

[cj]

I don't see it happening.

I wouldn't say Saint Liam ducked Ghostzapper, this horse has never been a one turn, mile type horse.

Charasmatic won, yes, but Victory Gallop didn't have anywhere near the resume that Saint Liam has. A BC Classic win is huge, and when you have a solid record the rest of the year, it virtually assures a HOY title. I would guess it would take a Triple Crown to top it.

Flower Alley is clearly a much, much better horse now than he was in April. Maybe Afleet Alex is too, but since he didn't run since early June, we'll never know.

You also fail to mention that AA lost to a very sub par Giacomo. Like it or not, the Kentucky Derby counts more than the Preakness or Belmont. If Charasmatic had won the Preakness / Belmont double and not the Derby / Preakness, he would not have been HOY.

He'll be 3yo of the year, and that is what he deserves. Let's not reward horses for racing barely over five months when a better alternative exists.

[xfile]

Even if Alex returns and wins the Cigar Mile it would be a suprise if Saint Liam didn't get the prize. I like Alex and wish he would win HoY but I just don't think he can. It's always 'what have you done for me lately' in this game.:cool:

[Doc]

Why is it that when a 3-year-old wins one or two legs of the Triple Crown, he is automatically considered a candidate for Horse of the Year? Let's think about what winning a Triple Crown race means - it's against fellow 3-year-olds, it's against mostly sub-par competition (i.e. horses entered so their owners can get dressed up and strut around like they're important) and it happens in the first half of the season. Unless that 3-year-old who triumphs in a Triple Crown races also knocks heads against older horses in the latter part of the season, I am reluctant to give them my vote.

Look at Secretariat - he demolished his fellow 3-year-olds, and gave older horses all they could handle in the Marlboro Cup, etc. He was truly deserving of year-end honors.

Afleet Alex...well, like Smarty Jones last year, he hasn't done enough for me to seriously consider him a Horse of the Year candidate.

[Bobby]

At least AA is still in the mix to run again. That's what I'm thankful for.
Can't believe he's not at stud yet.

No HOY honors. But definitely the star of the 3 yr old crop.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Default.

[DrugSalvastore]

Flower Alley is clearly a much, much better horse now than he was in April. Maybe Afleet Alex is too, but since he didn't run since early June, we'll never know.

I mildly disagree with this.

I think Flower Alley was a MUCH better horse in April than all people seem to think.

It still is obvious that he's a little better since than, any healthy 3yo should develop some from April-to-November---but I really think he was a very underrated horse back than. His race in the Derby was as good as anyones.

As for Afleet Alex, I'm mildly skeptical about how effective he may return from that injury. I would give this horse the rest of the year off--and not try a comeback in the NYRA Mile--but Tim Ritchey has been tough with him all along, and he's got great results with his style of training.

Saint Liam will get Horse of the Year because he won a early season Grade 1 at the expense of Roses In May, a Mid-season Grade 1 in the Stephen Foster, and he capped the season off with a Woodward, Breeders Cup Classic double.

Of the five other top older horses to race this year (Ghostzapper, Rock Hard Ten, Commentator, Roses in May, and Borrego) Saint Liam has a combined record of 3 wins and 3 losses in six head-to-head meetings against these horses, this year. So, it's not like he really dominated his division.

The only chance Afleet Alex really has of getting this award, is a late season sweep of the (Grade 1) Cigar Mile and the (Grade 1) Malibu. I think the chances of that happening are slim and none---and slim is a giant underdog.

[WINMANWIN]

I read today AFLEET ALEX may race again in January. Either in Fla or Calif.
The drama continues.

[toetoe]

DrugS,

1) C'mon, an award for a workout? He's a hell of a horse, period.

2) What does the "vast superiority" of Victory Gallop really have to do with it, after all?

3) A three-year-old MUST rely on domination if he didn't face older.

4) I love Cornelio Velasquez, but did he change the course of history? There's a DC Comics story in there, somewhere.

5) If the voters "owe" AA a title, I'm sure he will get one ... three-year-old of the year.

p.s. Artie Schiller was one HELL of a hit.

[kenwoodallpromos]

How about AA for "Horse Of The 1st Half Of The Year" and another for "Horse Of The 2nd Half Of The Year?LOL!

[DJofSD]

I've never really understood why so much discussion ensues with the HOY moniker. It's much to do about nothing.

As far as I'm concerned, it's just another carry over from years gone by. An excuse for hard boots to disagree with each other and a reason for sports writers to proclaim some superior insight that doesn't really exist. It's just so much "exit polling".

Bla-bla-bla-horse-of-the-year-bla-bla-bla.

DJofSD

[PaceAdvantage]

I've never really understood why so much discussion ensues with the HOY moniker. It's much to do about nothing.

Yeah, but it's kind of fun, and gives us something to argue about between the BC and the start of the Gulfstream meeting....