The Press and Afleet Alex's Stumble

[aurora]

The press keeps saying that Afleet Alex "fell to his knees". I watched the replay several times and never saw a knee hit the dirt. Stumbled badly, yes, but the replay's I saw didn't show it. Anyone?

[Sam]

The press keeps saying that Afleet Alex "fell to his knees". I watched the replay several times and never saw a knee hit the dirt. Stumbled badly, yes, but the replay's I saw didn't show it. Anyone?

No he didn't go down to his knees, in fact he never even broke stride. There was barely much of a stumble step because he was already on the part of his stride where his front feet would be hitting the ground when his legs came out from under him, planted and pushed him back up.

It just sounds more dramatic and we all know the mainstream press (not knowing if you are reading a trade mag or what) doesn't know shit about horse racing nor do 90% of the people who read about it this morning.

[louis finochio]

The media always hypes the story 100 fold.

[henthorn]

Well, I was impressed with the replays. It was close enough to going down for my taste. A little journalistic interest won't hurt the sport any.

[liberty]

I was at the Preakness and have watched the replays. He definitely broke stride. Take a look at the photograph in Sunday's Washinton Post for a great photo of the stumble. (I suspect that it may win an award for the best racing photo of 2005.)

One can't say enough about Jeremy Rose's effort and Alex's recovery.

[Jean]

Also look at photo on Thoroughbred Times web site, Nose is almost on the ground.

[hdembski]

It doesn't matter if he clipped heels, knees hit the ground or whatever. I have never seen a horse recove from that type of thing and go on to draw off like that to win like he did, what a ride!

[aurora]

I was addressing the press's inaccurate reporting of the incident. I just wanted to be sure that there wasn't a replay that did show him 'go to his knees' 'cause I sure didn't see it.

Yeah, it was a great recovery.

[hdembski]

Has anyone considered this? Alex goes down, does not recover, finishes out of the money. Scrappy T is DQ'd and Giacommo wins!! Tripple crown alive!

[Sam]

Has anyone considered this? Alex goes down, does not recover, finishes out of the money. Scrappy T is DQ'd and Giacommo wins!! Tripple crown alive!

Yeah, a couple of the TVG boys were talking about it shortly after the race.

and people think Giacomo doesn't get any respect now ... he'd be roasted if he was going into the Belmont of a DQ enhanced Preakness placing.

[Green Hills]

Poor boy...let's tell the truth...most of us don't have horses that could even have done what he did...fluke or not...or we would have.

And sadly Giacommo gets even less respect from those whose horses couldn't beat him than he does from those who can and did. Sad state of affairs to not give the poor guy his due.

He won the Derby...how or why doesn't matter...the fastest time is the time that wins...that's the time that counts...right? And he wasn't dead last in the Preakness either...he got a payday...dogmeat he ain't...LOL!!!!

ah well...sorry about my going on about the need of folks to belittle whatever accomplishment DOES happen in favor of only talking about the down side...

Bottom Line...how many folks would turn it down if someone offered to give him to them?

[skeenan]

Having been on a horse who almost went down like that at a canter (and thinking I was about to hit the ground with a horse on top of me), I can't imagine the same thing at a full gallop...

So kudos to both for staying together & prevailing!

[jellac]

I can't recall if it was his jockey or his trainer that said this but I heard he came home with dirt on his nose.....so I think it was a serious stumble -perhaps a bit worse than the photos can capture - though those were horrible enough for me - but it certainly wasn't one that slowed Alex down - WHAT A RIDE!!

[wilf]

To all you naysayers who are having a dig at the press for hyping-up the incident by exclaiming that he fell to his knees when it seems he didnt then I for one will forgive them this time. If Alex wasnt the well balanced athletic horse that he has become and if Jeremy Rose had a high seat in the saddle like Dominguez, the rider who nearly dropped him in the race, then the consequences would have been catastrophic. Picture this............they hit the floor , horse and rider are made mincemeat by several following horses who could not avoid the trouble, more riders are dislodged, the winner is disqualified and the general press get hold of it and racing gets another black eye. Jockeys are the supreme athletes of the sporting world and generally care for each others safety to a fault, they dont run into the stands fighting with the public and take their issues back into the jockeys room to be resolved. The look on Dominguez face said everything after the race as he knew how close to catastrophie his illadvised whip action had brought the races"outcome. The photo on the front page of the racing form was enough evidence to show that horse and rider had gone way past the point of no recovery in any ordinary sense..............it simply was the greatest show of grit, talent , athleticism and will to win that we may ever see. It was a win well deserved and well earned. Nothing else would have been worth a damn........ Go Alex!!!!!!!!