Quarter Crack May Delay Alke's Return

Edited from Calder reports
Kenneth English and Alan Braun's Alke, runner-up in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) in his last start, is entered to run in the $500,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (gr. III) on the ÐSummit of Speed" card at Calder Race Course on Saturday, but his return to the races may be put on hold due to the development of a quarter crack, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.

"Everything was going perfectly until this happened," said Pletcher on Monday morning, the day entries for the Summit were made. "We'll patch it in the next day or two and see how he is. I went ahead and entered him but if he's not a hundred percent, he won't come."

The lightly raced 4-year-old son of Grand Slam established himself as a top sprinter last fall when he won the first of four in a row before his second place finish in the six furlong Dubai sprint. He defeated reigning Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Cajun Beat in the Deputy Minister Handicap (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park in February and again in Dubai.

"We were fortunate to have finished in front of Cajun Beat and I think he'll return to being that caliber of horse," Pletcher said. "We wanted to give him plenty of time after Dubai because he runs well fresh. We were looking for a significant race and we chose this one."

Pletcher saddled Texas Glitter to win the 2001 Calder Turf Sprint as part of the Summit of Speed card.

Pletcher will be represented by other runners on the card, including Harmony Lodge for the Princess Rooney (gr. II), Forest Danger in the Carry Back, Frenchglen in the Azalea Breeder's Cup Stakes, and Bishop Court Hill.