Suburban to mark return home for Alpha

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Elmont, NY (Sports Network) - Travers Stakes co-winner Alpha will return to action in the United States next Saturday in the $350,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. It will be the 4-year-old's first race this year after two starts in Dubai.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Godolphin Stable, Alpha was 12th and fifth, respectively, in a pair of stakes in Dubai to begin 2013.

"His last race was OK," said McLaughlin. "Better. He looks great. He came back looking great. In the past we've had horses really mature from 3 to 4, whether we gave them time off or didn't give them time off. He's still maturing and looks great."

Last year, the colt finished in a dead heat with Golden Ticket in the Travers at Saratoga. He was sixth as the 7-10 favorite in the Pennsylvania Derby and 12th to Fort Larned in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Alpha has won five of 13 career starts for $1.3 million.

Among the other runners expected to start the 1 1/8-mile Suburban is Flat Out, winner of the last two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Trained by Bill Mott, Flat Out had his four-race win streak at Belmont Park ended with a third-place finish in the Met Mile on Memorial Day.