Alpha, a three-year-old son of Bernardini, went off as the heavy favourite in Aqueduct's G3 Withers Stakes and lived up to his hype with an absolutely dominant victory in the 1700m contest.
On January 7 Alpha won his first black-type event in the Listed Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct, which was only a stepping stone for what came February 4 over the same track. In the G3 Withers, Alpha positioned himself on the outside in fourth about two lengths off the pace. He began to move up coming around the turn and hit the lead at the top of the stretch the cruise with ease to victory.
The son of Bernardini was bred by Darley and is out of Munnaya, a Stakes-winning daughter of Nijinsky II. The colt is a half-brother to Stakes winner and Graded-Placed Mystic Melody, Graded Stakes-placed Lavender Sky, as well as two other black-type runners. Munnaya is a half-sister to Stakes winners/Graded-placed Sheer Reason and Mall Queen and she has a yearling full-brother to Alpha currently.
The exciting Bernardini has witnessed spectacular results in the past week. On January 29 his son Algorithms stayed unbeaten recording an impressive victory in the G3 Holy Bull Stakes, while just one day ago his daughter Gamilati was too good UAE 1000 Guineas.
With nine Graded/Group winners to date and eight G1 horses from his first two crops, Bernardini will be represented by seven yearlings at the forthcoming Inglis Premier yearling sale, highlighted by lot 89, a half-brother to dual G1 winner Divine Madonna.
