Next Year’s Fad
Two articles are out today about Tim Ritchey’s unusual training regimen for Afleet Alex: The colt is sometimes sent out twice in the morning, once to jog and another time to gallop. “They [horses] are athletes and they have to be fit,” Ritchey said. “You cannot baby them.” (Blood-Horse)
Ritchey got the idea from his days in steeplechasing, where the horses are given more daily exercise than are typical racehorses. Another former steeplechaser, trainer Barclay Tagg, approves of what Ritchey’s doing: “If it suits the horse, he’s doing the right thing, and it obviously suits the horse,” said Tagg. “It’s a type of interval training. You get them a lot fitter that way, and these horses need the ultimate fitness for something like the Triple Crown races. They’re very grueling.” (Daily Racing Form)
This seems like another good reason to love Afleet Alex as a top Derby contender. And if he does win the Derby, I’d be willing to bet that a lot other trainers come up with a similar program for their hot prospects next year, replacing this year’s fashion for long layoffs and lots of rest.
Related: Afleet Alex officially worked five furlongs in :59 at Churchill this morning, but Steve Haskin clocked him in :58.6. That wasn’t all Haskin saw:
