Alpha Retired to Sequel Stallions

Godolphin’s Alpha (Bernardini–Munnaya, by Nijinsky II), a two-time Grade I winner, has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2015 at Becky Thomas’ Sequel Stallions in New York. A stud fee will be determined at a later date. 

A six-length debut winner and runner-up to future Classic winner Union Rags (Dixie Union) in the GI Champagne S. at two, Alpha won the Count Fleet S. and GIII Withers S. in early 2012 ahead of a narrow defeat at the hands of then-unbeaten Gemologist (Tiznow) in the GI Wood Memorial S. The homebred returned from a three-month summer vacation to register a front-running success in the GII Jim Dandy S. before overcoming a wide trip to share the victory in the GI Travers S., a race won by his sire in 2006. Alpha went on to record the second Grade I of his career at Saratoga last summer, registering a head defeat of Flat Out (Flatter) in the Woodward S. and earning a 109 Beyer Speed Figure in the process. He retires with earnings of $1,815,667 in a career which saw him defeat 13 Grade I winners, including horses that won the Kentucky Derby, GI Haskell S., GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and GI Stephen Foster H. 

Charlie Boden, Head of Sales at Darley in America said, “No other stallion son of Bernardini has won more Grade Ones and with a physical and pedigree to match, we have no doubt he will thrive in New York. He has a better race record than Tapit, and we certainly hope he will be as good.” On standing him in New York, Boden commented, “We are committed to New York and they have the best regional breeding program in the U.S. Our stallions have received great support there and Alpha has the record to suit.”