Godolphin Racing’s Alpha may be 15-1 on the morning line for the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I), but his connections believe he can outrun those odds if he moves forward from his last start in the Oct. 8 Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park.
Alpha, a Bernardini colt bred by Darley, won his debut impressively at Saratoga Sept. 3, and was the 2-1 second choice behind Union Rags in the Champagne. Alpha didn’t have the best of starts in the Champagne but rallied from last to finish second, 5 1/4 lengths behind Union Rags.
Chadds Ford Stable’s Union Rags, by Dixie Union, is three-for-three thus far and the 2-1 morning-line choice for the Nov. 5 Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles. Like Alpha he will make his first start around two turns.
“He didn’t break well, and having him that far back was something we obviously didn’t want to happen,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said of Alpha’s race in the Champagne. “I hope he breaks better and is a lot closer. I really think he’ll improve off the Champagne.
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