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Afleet Express nips Fly Down by a nose in Travers
The top four remained in virtually the same positions as six furlongs was reached in 1:11 1/5, but the action began to heat up around the far turn as Afleet Express advanced into contention while hugging the rail, Trappe Shot began to tire, and A Little Warm struggled to advance following a wide journey. The only member of the field to make noise from the back was the 6-1 Fly Down, who rushed up with a five-wide move around the far turn. In the stretch, Miner's Reserve, who passed the mile marker in 1:36 3/5, began to retreat as Afleet Express moved off the inside and split the long-time leader and First Dude, who ultimately failed to turn in a significant punch. Fly Down also continued his strong bid and moved alongside Afleet Express in the final yards. The two dueled eyeball-to-eyeball and the result of the 141st Travers came down to a bob of the head, which Afleet Express just narrowly won. "I'm very, very proud of my horse for going through the hole between two horses," Castellano said. "I thought I'd win the race by the eighth pole, but he hung a little bit in the last part of the race, and I give credit to the other horse for finishing very strong. That photo could have gone either way, and I'm very lucky it went my way." Afleet Express paid $16, $7.80 and $4.90, while Fly Down gave back $6.90 and $5.20. First Dude, who previously placed in the Haskell Invitational (G1), Belmont S. (G1), Preakness S. (G1) and Blue Grass S. (G1), settled for minor honors again, 6 3/4 lengths behind Fly Down. He gave back $4.60 at 6-1 after finishing ahead of 47-1 outsider and stone-closer Afleet Again (Afleet Alex). The exacta paid $114.50, the trifecta $970, and the 7-8-4-10 superfecta was worth $14,844. Rounding out the order of finish were A Little Warm, Friend or Foe (Friends Lake), Miner's Reserve, Ice Box (Pulpit), Trappe Shot, Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver (Maria's Mon) and the recent debut winner Admiral Alex (Afleet Alex). Afleet Express captured his career debut over a muddy inner track at Aqueduct in early December. He finished second when making his sophomore debut in a January allowance at Gulfstream Park and earned a freshening following a disappointing fifth against similar rivals a month later. Afleet Express came back from a near three-month layoff in scintillating fashion at Belmont, registering a 113 BRIS Speed rating for a 7 3/4-length allowance score going seven furlongs. Afleet Express next landed the Pegasus S. (G3) at Monmouth Park by 1 3/4 lengths, but finished 2 1/2 lengths behind when third to A Little Warm and Miner's Reserve in the Jim Dandy. His record now stands at 7-4-1-1, $835,140. "This is probably the highlight (of my career), I'd have to say," winning trainer Jimmy Jerkens said. "At Saratoga it seems to be extra special. He probably learned something from his last race (the Jim Dandy)." Bred in Kentucky by McMillan Brothers and James Devaney, Afleet Express was a $245,000 Keeneland January yearling. He's out of the stakes-placed Expanse (Distant View), who is also the dam of multiple stakes winner and 2007 Illinois Derby (G2) runner-up Reporting for Duty (Deputy Commander) as well as a yearling colt by Tiznow. The mare is a half-sibling to Grade 2 victor Eye of the Tiger (American Chance) and stakes-winning heroine Wildwood Flower (Langfuhr). Other notables in this female family include Grade 1 hero Snow Ridge (Tabasco Cat), Grade 2 winner Sweetnorthernsaint (Sweetsouthernsaint) and multiple Grade 3 scorer Fighting Fantasy (Fighting Fit).
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