POTENTIAL GREATNESS - Elite Alex

POTENTIAL GREATNESS by J. Keeler Johnson

Very rarely does one witness true greatness. In my years of following horse racing, I have watched many exceptional horses conduct championship seasons, earn millions of dollars, and accomplish extraordinary feats. However, true greatness is very rare, and I believe that, perhaps, Zenyatta is the only truly great horse that I have witnessed over the last seven years or so.

True greatness is rare. But I saw potential greatness this afternoon.

In the seventh race at Oaklawn Park was where this story unfolds. It was a one-mile allowance optional claiming event, hardly the place where potential greatness is usually seen. The favorite was Elite Alex. A son of Afleet Alex out of the Unbridled mare Catch the Moment, he had broken his maiden impressively at Delaware Park on July 3rd, 2010. At the time I made a note of his name, as I was very impressed by his performance.

Then a setback apparently occurred, for the colt did not run again during the remainder of 2010. Still, I continued to keep my eye on him, hoping----no, knowing----that he was a colt with a lot of untapped potential.

Today, in the seventh race at Oaklawn Park, that untapped potential became something more. In less than two minutes, that untapped potential turned into potential greatness right before my eyes as Elite Alex nearly overcame the impossible, running like a truly great champion should.

The colt's troubles began at the start, where he broke terribly. I'm not sure exactly what he did, for he seemed to emerge from the gate well enough. Perhaps he stumbled. But for whatever the reason, he broke very poorly and spotted the field a considerable amount of ground. It appeared as though he was out of the race.

As if that wasn't enough, the frontrunners slowed the pace down. Elite Alex, who was many lengths behind them, would need to turn in a Zenyatta-like performance if he was to have any chance at winning.

Then, before my eyes, he turned in a Zenyatta-like performance.

Slowly at first, then faster, Elite Alex began to inch closer to the pack. However, he was still last as the field approached the far turn.

Then, as the field moved around the far turn, something happened.

He simply exploded.

With acceleration rarely seen, Elite Alex whizzed past horses while racing six wide. One by one he blew past them like they had stopped running. It was reminiscent of his sire's performance in the 2005 Belmont Stakes!

As the field turned for home, the game colt took a narrow lead from Commander and Alternation, the second and fourth choices. Despite all of his troubles, Elite Alex had circled the field in Zenyatta-like fashion and taken the lead!

However, Commander and Alternation weren't about to let him get away. In a valiant attempt to impersonate Switch or Rinterval, they battled back on the inside of Elite Alex. The trio opened up a tremendous lead on the remainder of the field. They were locked together as one; neither giving an inch as the finish approached.

In the final furlong, Elite Alex's blitz on the far turn began to show on him. Ever so narrowly he relented the lead back to Alternation. Commander was right behind them on the rail, but unable to get past the leading pair.

Alternation widened his lead ever so narrowly; perhaps to a head, perhaps to a neck.

Then Elite Alex charged again.

Somehow, the courageous bay colt found something extra, and charged once again at Alternation. Ever so slowly he regained the inches he had lost inside the eighth pole!

I'm not one to scream and holler over a horse race. For the most part, I can watch dramatic stretch drives without saying a single word. This is never intentional; it is merely how I watch horse races. But as Elite Alex unleashed his final, resolute drive, I unconsciously uttered three words:

"Get him, Alex!"

With the finish line approaching rapidly, Elite Alex drew to within a nose of Alternation. In a performance that only the renowned Black Stallion could accomplish, Elite Alex was going to win the race despite a world of trouble.

Unfortunately, at last possible moment before Elite Alex took the lead, the finish line arrived.

The photo showed that Alternation had held on to win by a nose.

Alternation will go down in the record books as the horse that won the seventh at Oaklawn Park on January 15th, 2011. But Elite Alex will go down in the record books as the horse that won the admiration of those who saw him.

Alternation ran a tremendous race as well. He stood his ground throughout the stretch and held of Elite Alex. Commander too, ran a good race, finishing third while beaten only a length.

The final time was not impressive. The colt's record now stands at 2 starts, 1 win, and 1 second. He has earned a total of $30,300.

But for Elite Alex to do what he did proves to me that he has something very special:

Potential greatness.

-Keelerman