Horse Racing's video: 2004 Hopeful Stakes

Afleet Alex had to work harder than in his previous three starts, but he remained unbeaten Saturday with a victory in the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga. The race didn't go as most handicappers would have thought, but the top two choices still ended up finishing one-two. Devils Disciple had the rail and speed and was running over a sloppy Saratoga track that had favored speed. However, he didn't take the lead until they had run four furlongs in the seven-furlong race over a sealed racetrack. It was Winning Expression that had the lead as they ran a quarter in :22, with Devils Disciple to his inside and Storm Surge in third. As they ran a half mile in :44.79, Jeremy Rose had Afleet Alex sitting in fourth behind Devils Disciple, Winning Expression, and Flamenco. In his previous start, a win at Saratoga in the six-furlong Sanford Stakes (gr. II), Afleet Alex circled the field in the turn. In the Hopeful, he was wide and about three lengths from the lead when they straightened away for home.