Flower Alley to run in BC Classic

Poor horse....

The 4-year-old season has been a disappointment for Melnyk Racing Stable's Flower Alley, but the runner-up in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic powered by Dodge (Grade I) will have the opportunity to wipe out a couple of disappointing efforts as he will make another bid for America's richest race in the 23rd renewal of the Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.
The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Distorted Humor galloped 1 ¼-miles over a "fast" surface on Monday at Churchill Downs, just one day after he breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 over the same footing under the historic Twin Spires. Exercise rider Justin Curran was aboard for Sunday's move, which ranked third among 23 works at the distance.
Assistant trainer Mike McCarthy said that Flower Alley, who is coming off of disappointing seventh-place runs at Saratoga behind Invasor in the Whitney (GI) and Premium Tap in the Woodward (GI), is doing well at Pletcher's barn at Churchill Downs, which will host the Breeders' Cup for a record sixth time. While most horses take a day or two off following a breeze, McCarthy said it's not uncommon for Flower Alley to head back to the track on the morning after a serious training move.
"It's normal with him," said McCarthy. "He's a horse that takes a lot of training and carries quite a bit of condition. We're very happy with him. He's a great horse to be around and has a wonderful disposition. He's got a real presence about him."
Flower Alley finished just a length behind eventual "Horse of the Year" Saint Liam in last year's Classic, but did not make his 2006 debut until June 24, when he romped to an easy victory in the Salvator Mile (GIII) at Monmouth Park. His only subsequent efforts came in the losses at Saratoga, both of which saw Flower Alley go off as the post time favorite.
"It's been very frustrating," said McCarthy. "When we got him back in April we thought this was going to be his year. But things didn't quite pan out for him."
But, of course, the memory of those poor efforts could be wiped away by another big effort in the Classic against the likes of Preakness (GI) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) winner Bernardini, West coast superstar Lava Man and European stars George Washington and David Junior.
McCarthy said that Flower Alley would likely continue on a Sunday work schedule, with two breezes scheduled before his run in the Classic.
Flower Alley will bring a career record of 5-3-1 in 13 races with earnings of $2,533,910 into the Classic. His only previous race at Churchill Downs was a ninth-place finish behind Giacomo in the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

This stuns me. These connections aren't the type to run in a race like this without a reason, and off his last two races I don't see one.
The only guess I can hazard is that they found the cause of the bad performances after his last race at some point, and have corrected it.
It doesn't seem like the kind of thing Todd would do without a reason.

Originally Posted by oracle80

This stuns me. These connections aren't the type to run in a race like this without a reason, and off his last two races I don't see one.
The only guess I can hazard is that they found the cause of the bad performances after his last race at some point, and have corrected it.
It doesn't seem like the kind of thing Todd would do without a reason.

I agree 100%. I thought The Clark would be the race next for Flower Alley. But this is a stunner. They must have figured something out with him.

[Danzig]

the article about him and his stud deal said he was pointing to the bcc. so todays announcement doesn't surprise me, altho i was amazed to read the other day that they were still considering it.

if he stinks up the track again, i don't think it could hurt his reputation anymore than it already has been hurt with his two seventh place finishes this year. at least it would be against the best out there if he fails again. it's worth the risk.

I think he has a better chance in the money than George Washington. Let them all come back from the race safe and sound.

[todko]

Originally Posted by Bold Reasoning

I think he has a better chance in the money than George Washington. Let them all come back from the race safe and sound.

George Washington has some solid dirt influences in his pedigree. Stamina too. He's a miler over there but should have no problem getting 10f.

I just hope they give him the big "L" on race. No horse should go through his career without experiencing the wonders of Lasix .

Flower Alley might be a bet for me -- he'll go off at a huge price.

[avance2000]

this is great news. i hope everything works out and ALL of the top contenders are there. i love when a horse like flower alley enters a big race like this and totally screws up betting....especially the exotics. i probably won't bet him at all....but his impressive past form and the decision by his connections scare the hell out of me.
it is stuff like this that makes this such a fun game.

[Seattleallstar]

wow I am shocked! I hope they all know something we dont

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

This doesn't surprise me at all because I suggested this about a month ago. I knew that they were keeping him in training for a reason, and I figured that it wasn't for the Mile or the Clark. However, I did think that they would have announced it a little sooner. They had me thinking that they were pointing the horse to one of the two races that I mentioned above as of late since they waited so long to announce it.

I'm including the horse in my exotics. And yes Seattle, I'm sure that they do know something that we don't.

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

he is a nice horse and dont be suprised of a nice run..todd as mike said must know the horse has a shot at a check and is sound..

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by hoovesupsideyourhead

he is a nice horse and dont be suprised of a nice run..todd as mike said must know the horse has a shot at a check and is sound..

DO they pay out to 8th?

Originally Posted by randallscott35

DO they pay out to 8th?

I dunno what the story is here, I really don't.
Todd is not the kind of guy to run a horse where he doesn't belong, even in a big money race. I was kind of surprised when they didn't retire him after the last race he ran.
He trained well up here and there was honestly shock when he ran as poorly as he did.
I guess like I said earlier, perhaps they found something that has been corrected. I notice a gap between his last race and his next workout. Thats usually an indication that a little problem was detected. I'm wondering if he had a problem in his last two races that they didn't detect until after his last race.
If they've fixed it, its not impossible that he could run well here. I don't know about his fitness level, or how much time he actually missed after his last race, but he has to be trining ok for them to make a bold move like this.
I guess we will see when he works down there, I'm sure his works will be highly scrutinized.

[randallscott35]

Mike, as good as Todd is, I really can't see him making a dent here. Maybe 4th? And he'll take more money than he deserves to if you want to back him.

Originally Posted by oracle80

I dunno what the story is here, I really don't.
Todd is not the kind of guy to run a horse where he doesn't belong, even in a big money race. I was kind of surprised when they didn't retire him after the last race he ran.
He trained well up here and there was honestly shock when he ran as poorly as he did.
I guess like I said earlier, perhaps they found something that has been corrected. I notice a gap between his last race and his next workout. Thats usually an indication that a little problem was detected. I'm wondering if he had a problem in his last two races that they didn't detect until after his last race.
If they've fixed it, its not impossible that he could run well here. I don't know about his fitness level, or how much time he actually missed after his last race, but he has to be trining ok for them to make a bold move like this.
I guess we will see when he works down there, I'm sure his works will be highly scrutinized.

The injury that I believe him to have is actually one that is not sustaining and can be fixed for a race or two......I'm not surprised they're trying to get him right, but I really thought they'd go out in the Clark with him, especially with the respect Pletcher has voiced about Bernardini....I think he knows Flower Alley couldn't get good enougth to get close to running with that horse after the way this year has gone for FA...

If I had to wager money on it, I would guess that this is all influenced by the stud farm owners and not Pletcher's or the Melnyk's decision..... bet they wouldb have given the horse an encore in a much more realistis spot like the Clark because they campaign their horses very realsitically on average......the stud farm is probably the influencing factor to this decision...

I'm sure the horse must be doing well (or better at least) or they wouldn't run him at all, but I have to believe taht Pletcher knows he's not wth Bernardini and others right now....

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

if im gonna cover the super with some of the other not up to standerd horses i damn sure will inlcude f.a..he merits the action imo..

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

I really believe that they wouldn't be trying to race this animal in this spot if he didn't have a legitimate chance to at least hit the board. Pletcher is great with spotting his horses, so I have to trust him once again...

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

This doesn't surprise me at all because I suggested this about a month ago. I knew that they were keeping him in training for a reason, and I figured that it wasn't for the Mile or the Clark. However, I did think that they would have announced it a little sooner. They had me thinking that they were pointing the horse to one of the two races that I mentioned above as of late since they waited so long to announce it.

I'm including the horse in my exotics. And yes Seattle, I'm sure that they do know something that we don't.

Really, you said that a month ago, but you said this last week, what changed?

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/sho...ighlight=Clark

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

I know PG. That is why I EXPLAINED IT IN MY POST ABOVE!!! They waited so long to announce which race he was going to point to that I gave up on the fact that I thought that he was going to go to the BCC.

And I did say my reasons a month ago as to why I thought that FA was going to be pointed to the BCC. Several posters can vouch for me on that, although I don't know if I said it on the open forum or through PMs. I think I said it somewhere on the forum though...

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

I know PG. That is why I EXPLAINED IT IN MY POST ABOVE!!! They waited so long to announce which race he was going to point to that I gave up on the fact that I thought that he was going to go to the BCC.

And I did say my reasons a month ago as to why I thought that FA was going to be pointed to the BCC. Several posters can vouch for me on that, although I don't know if I said it on the open forum or through PMs. I think I said it somewhere on the forum though...

But you were so sure last week, and now it's I knew it all along...Can't be both ways...You can only ride one horse....

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

I said that it didn't suprise me and that I knew that they were keeping him in training for a reason. With all of the backlash I received for saying that they were going to run the horse in the Classic, I just quit saying it, and thought, at that point, that the Clark would be the better option instead of the Cigar Mile since the connections of the horse waited so long to say that where they were running.

Don't you have something better to do than to pull up past posts of people...?