Alpha Turns in First Breeze for Travers

Updated: Friday, August 10, 2012 11:34 AM
Posted: Thursday, August 9, 2012 3:44 PM

Photo: Coglianese Photos

Alpha

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin adjusted the training schedule for Jim Dandy (gr. II) winner Alpha Aug. 9, sending the Godolphin runner through his first post-victory move since taking the July 28 3-year-old event at Saratoga Race Course.

The son of Bernardini began the tune-up process for the Aug. 25 Travers Stakes (gr. I) with a four- furlong breeze in :48.33 on the main track.

"He worked great, and we moved it up because of the weather," McLaughlin said. "It looks like rain is coming for the next couple of days and we didn't want to risk it. Next week we'll have a window of about four days. He'll work next Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, depending on weather."

Godolphin's horses have the option of training over the Tapeta surface at Greentree Training Center immediately adjacent to the track, but McLaughlin said he'll train Alpha exclusively on dirt.

"Back there It's Tricky and Questing (GB) can work, but we don't want to work him," said McLaughlin. "He's done real well on the dirt."

Alpha, bred in Kentucky by Darley, is out of the Nijinsky II mare Munnaya. He came back from a 12th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) to take the Jim Dandy in powerful front-running style. His four other wins from eight starts include back-to-back victories in the Count Fleet Stakes and Withers Stakes (gr. III) at the beginning of the year.

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