Lord Langfuhr closed from well back to pass dueling frontrunners in midstretch to win the 26th running of the $84,000 Alex M. Robb at Aqueduct on Friday. "Whenever you are that far back with those kind of horses, sometimes they just don't get going," said winning trainer Jimmy Jerkens. "When I saw him go into the far turn and catch the last horse in that pack like that, I knew he was going to get something."Rogue Agent took the early lead in the 10-horse field of statebreds and set modest fractions of :24 1/5, :48 and 1:12. Halo Malone shadowed Rogue Agent around the two turns and took a short lead at the top of the stretch. Lord Langfuhr, however, relaxed in ninth place and closed against the slow pace. He had more than enough to pass both second-place Rogue Agent and third-place Halo Malone to win the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:44 3/5.Ridden by Jorge Chavez, Lord Langfuhr earned and returned $6.30, $3.90 and $3.10. Rogue Agent paid $7.80 and $6.60 and
Halo Malone was $7.70 to show.Lord Langfuhr, a 4-year-old by Langfuhr , out of Palace Lady (His Majesty) - earned $50,400 for owner-breeder Howard T. Whitbred and Christine C. Brennan. He is now 7-5-2 from 20 starts with earnings of $264,868."I thought he would be a little closer today," Chavez said. "At the five-eighths pole I had to start riding him. Down the stretch he really exploded. I was hoping I would get there in time."Bred by Howard T. Whitbread and owned by Whitbread with Christine C. Broman, Lord Langfuhr has won seven of 20 starts, with second- or third-place finishes.
(Chart, Equibase)