Tim Ritchey
Tim Ritchey
Timothy F. "Tim" Ritcheyis an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He is best known as the trainer of Afleet Alex, a 2005 winner of two American Classic Races, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes...
best cup horse interests miss remarkably
The horse is doing very well clinically and has progressed remarkably well ... We feel it is in Alex's best interests to miss the Breeders' Cup races,
closer couple figuring ideal matter prep races ready weekend weeks
There are a couple of races that weekend for us to look at, ... If we can get a prep in, I wouldn't want it to be any closer than two weeks before the Breeders' Cup. The 14th or the 15th would be an ideal scenario. It's just a matter of figuring out if he's ready to do it, and, if so, what race we want to go in.
along bunch definitely further good spots
There are a bunch of different spots that weekend. We're definitely further along than I thought we were, which is good news.
expected far performance surprised
We expected this kind of performance. I wasn't surprised he was that far back, but when he got rolling, it was a lot of fun.
continued develop four plan results seems soon three walk
As soon as we get the results of the X-rays, we can develop a plan for getting him on the track. He has continued to walk three or four times a day and seems to be fine.
anyhow coming morning race
At this point, he's only going out once a morning anyhow because the race is coming up.
starts
We will know more after he starts galloping,
racing return somewhere
I don't know when and where, but he will return to racing somewhere this year.
anticipate fit hours keeping muscle percent point problems putting stress tone walking
I don't anticipate any more problems because it's 99.9 percent healed. He still has a lot of muscle on him. He doesn't have a big belly. That was the point of walking him two hours a day -- keeping him fit and maintaining muscle tone without putting stress on his legs.
book books-and-reading chapters forward health horse return written
I look forward to Alex's return to the races. The book isn't over ... there are still more chapters to be written to this story. As always, the health of the horse is most important.
bigger either forward regress worth
So I think it's worth trying, and if nothing else he'll get a little battle-tested and a little more experienced. He'll either regress or go forward to bigger and better things.
breeze easy few fitness galloping half hours jogging looks maintained racetrack ready starts three turn underneath walking
When we started jogging him, he was ready to turn around then, so we had to go real easy with him. He didn't want to come off the racetrack a few times. He had been walking for two and half to three hours a day, and then we started to jog him, but I'll know more as to how much fitness he's maintained once he starts galloping on his own, and once we get a breeze underneath him. But he looks really good.
arkansas definitely derby force healthy last looked relax stays triple watched work
I watched him work and he looked fantastic. I mean, he's the real deal. As long as he stays healthy and they get him to relax like they did last time, I see him being a force definitely in the Arkansas Derby and probably through the whole Triple Crown.
bet cancer dollar donate entire everybody fortunate juvenile lemonade local maybe move racetrack stand states throughout united
I said before, hopefully, Belmont day, I would move for every racetrack to have a lemonade stand on Belmont day throughout the entire United States and give a dollar to the lemonade stand or their local juvenile cancer fund. And, like I said earlier, everybody who was fortunate enough to bet on this horse, makes a little money, just take $1, donate it to Alex's Lemonade Stand or local juvenile cancer fund, and maybe we can make the world a better place.