Afleet Alex retired with new injury

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hallandale, FL (Sports Network) - Afleet Alex, winner of this year's Preakness and Belmont Stakes, has been retired because of a new injury. Trainer Tim Ritchey made the announcement Thursday morning at Gulfstream Park.

The three-year-old recently arrived at Gulfstream with the hope he would resume racing early next year. Shortly after his Belmont Stakes victory, Afleet Alex suffered a slight fracture of his left front leg while in training for the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and underwent surgery in July.

He was eventually declared out of the Breeders' Cup Classic but the colt's owners, Cash is King Stable, insisted Afleet Alex would race as a four-year- old. This week Afleet Alex was transported to Gulfstream Park and was to be pointed to the Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita Park in January.

Ritchey did not provide any details of Alex's new injury, or for the horse's future stud career.

Afleet Alex concludes his career with eight wins in 12 starts for earnings of $2,765,800. He finished third in the 2005 Kentucky Derby after winning the Arkansas Derby in April

As a two-year-old the colt won the Sanford and Hopeful Stakes and was second in the Champagne Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenille. He was sent off as the 9-2 second choice in the Run for the Roses to Bellamy Road.

Afleet Alex will be best remembered for his dramatic win in the Preakness, when he nearly fell after clipping heels with Scrappy T coming off the turn for home. Jockey Jeremy Rose and Afleet Alex were able to avoid disaster and win the second jewel of the Triple Crown by almost five lengths.