Afleet Alex doesn't want to stop running

The Belmont on Saturday was exciting and fun. Jeremy Rose held Alex back just long enough to make me nervous. I was just telling the boys that when Jeremy told him go he would go and the other horses would look like they weren't moving when Jeremy gave him the signal and he slipped over to the side and took off running like pistons and that was that.

He had to go wide around the final turn but he'd saved ground and energy by hugging the rail and laying back for the beginning of the race.

When the race was over he was still full of interest and bounce. He looked like he could do it again and do it faster than the first time. His ears were forward and he was just super happy looking.

I talked about Alex and his blog in my column this week. I was wondering if he was going to keep on writing kid friendly blog posts after he was put out to stud. How exactly would he do that?

Hey kids, a really cute chick came to the farm today just so I could meet her!! In a year or so we're going to have a baby!! It will look a lot like me and run like the wind. And guess what!?! After her there will be 39 more just like her! W00t!

But I read that Alex is going to keep racing. I am really pleased about this. I understand the economics of retiring a three year old. You can start raking in the big stud fees right away and if you keep racing him you run the risk of something happening to lower his value, like losing some races or God forbid an injury racing.

Thoroughbred racing in America today is in bad shape. Where I live people go to Delaware Downs but not to see the horses, it's to play the slots. The ponies don't get respect.

We need a horse athlete that grabs the public attention and gives us something to look up to and admire. Remember Seabiscuit? Remember how his race train was thronged and the worse shape the country was in the more popular he was? People need someone bigger than life who has heart and courage and if that someone is a horse then so be it.

A horse isn't going to get arrested for rape or drug abuse. A happy, healthy horse doing what he loves to do is a wonderful role model for kids everywhere. And if he happens to donate to charity and write cute little blog entries all the better. Let's all welcome him to the ranks of clean honest heroes who overcome adversity.