Lou-Roe Farm Lands Alex's Pal, Successful Appeal's Half-Brother

Alex's Pal, a half-brother to the 2004 leading first-crop sire Successful Appeal  , will stand the 2005 breeding season at Lou Gurino's Lou-Roe Farm near Morriston, Fla. His fee will be $2,500 live foal. Alex's Pal is from the first crop of 2001 leading freshman sire Valid Expectations, who like Successful Appeal, is a son of Valid Appeal.

The 6-year-old Alex's Pal was bred in Florida by Mockingbird Farm. He won six of 19 starts and earned $163,680 in three seasons on the track. Trained by Bruce Levine and owned by Raymond Dweck, Alex's Pal was purchased privately for stud duty and is in the process of being syndicated.

"He's a really big horse, he's 16.2 1/2 hands," said Lou Gurino. "He was fast; able to run three-quarters in 1:09 and one and he won three of his first four starts."

Alex's Pal's first four starts came at Monmouth Park in the summer of 2002. He ran six furlongs in 1:09.32 while winning an allowance race at Philadelphia Park Nov. 18, 2003. He had one win from four starts in 2004.

Alex's Pal is out of the Fortunate Prospect mare Successful Dancer, the dam of Successful Appeal  . A grade II winner at 2, 3, and 4, Successful Appeal was the leading freshman sire of 2004 with $1727,557 in progeny earnings and six stakes winners from a crop of just 37 foals. The son of Valid Appeal stood his first few seasons in Florida, but has been moved to Walmac Farm near Lexington for the 2005 breeding season and his fee has jumped from $6,000 to $25,000.

On the general 2-year-old sire list, Successful Appeal   finished second last year to Storm Cat.

Valid Expectations, the sire of Alex's Pal, was the leading freshman sire in 2001. Standing at Lane's End Texas, Valid Expectations has been the leading sire in the Lone Star state the last two years. He was represented by nine stakes winners in 2004.