Admiral Alex bids to become first horse to win Travers in second start

Admiral Alex bids to become first horse to win Travers in

second start

On Saturday, Leon Blusiewicz will be trying to do what no trainer has done in

the 140 previous runnings of the $1 million Travers S. (G1): win the race with a

horse who's made but one start.

While some lightly-raced horses have won the "Midsummer Derby," no horse has

won the 1 1/4-mile race having made a single start, according to Allan Carter,

historian for the National Museum of Racing.

Still, Blusiewicz, who will send out ADMIRAL ALEX (Afleet Alex) in his bid

for history, has experience in the role of spoiler.

"I've done it before," Blusiewicz said about having his horse graduate from

the maiden ranks into a stakes race. "You've got to know your horse. This horse

is exceptional. He's as sharp as jailhouse coffee. I'm just going to let Kent (Desormeaux)

ride him. He'll be there. The question will be what happens when he carries 126

pounds."

Nearly 30 years ago, Blusiewicz brought Snow Plow, fresh off a maiden win,

into the Selima S. (G1) at Laurel Park, where she defeated the heavily favored

Larida. Some 10 years later, the Baltimore native did the same thing with Tong

Po, who took the Federico Tesio S. (G3) at odds of 31-1 just a fortnight after

his maiden victory.

Blusiewicz will try to duplicate those feats when he sends Admiral Alex out

to face a contentious field of 10 other three-year-olds in the Travers. Admiral

Alex has run just once, posting a one-length maiden win at Saratoga on July 31,

covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 3/5.

Moments after the race, Blusiewicz -- nicknamed "Blue" -- had the Travers

penciled in for the chestnut colt.

"When I brought him here to Saratoga on May 23, I had two races in mind: a

mile and an eighth for the first time and then, if he won the way I thought he

should have won, the Travers," he said. "He's done something that no other horse

(in the race) has done -- he broke his maiden going two turns at a mile and an

eighth. I think that's a pretty good accomplishment for horse."

This will be the third Travers starter for Blusiewicz, whose Lejoli finished

fourth to Runaway Groom in 1982. Tong Po was eased in the 1991 Travers, and the

79-year-old trainer believes Admiral Alex has more to offer than those two

horses.

"The last two times that I went to the Travers, I knew I had no shot of

winning," he said. "I feel this horse has a big shot. He's got a race over the

track. He runs in 1:49 3/5. He's comparable. He'll make a good showing. He's

honest. If he wakes up like I think he will, he can be better yet."

Foaled on April 20, 2007, Admiral Alex is out of the unraced Kingmambo mare

Madam Lagonza, dam of Lexington S. (G3) and Fort Marcy H. (G3) winner Woodlander

(Forestry). Sent to Keeneland's September 2008 yearling sales, he was bought

back by breeder Mike Connelly, sold privately and sent to Blusiewicz to train.

Not long afterward, Blusiewicz became the owner.

On the Travers morning line, Admiral Alex is a 12-1 outsider against the

likes of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner SUPER SAVER (Maria's Mon), Jim Dandy S. (G2)

winner and 7-2 favorite A LITTLE WARM (Stormin Fever), Preakness S. (G1)

runner-up FIRST DUDE (Stephen Got Even), Belmont S. (G1) runner-up FLY DOWN

(Mineshaft) and Florida Derby (G1) winner ICE BOX (Pulpit), who was also second

in the Kentucky Derby.

While Blusiewicz speaks highly of his horse, he knows that the Travers is a

steep hill to climb.

"There are a lot of nice horses in that race -- a lot of seasoned horses," he

said. "But this one has seasoning, too. I put him through everything. I think

he's on the verge where his second and third races are going to be better than

his first. He's an exceptional horse, but he's got to prove it. He has been

training well; that's why I'm putting up the money. That's what makes racing.

All we need is a little luck."