Alexander, colt have fight

Travis Alexander won the fight of his life against leukemia nine years ago, and it is that same drive to win that he admires in Western Cyclone, his main contender for the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 15.

The colt is currently ranked second behind 7-5 favorite Jereme's Jet on Bob Heyden's Road to the $1 Meadowlands Pace, a weekly ranking of three-year-olds heading towards the track's signature event.

Western Cyclone will make his first start of the year in the third race on Saturday night, June 3, at the Meadowlands, a $27,500 open for 3 and 4 year olds, and will be driven by Brian Sears. He enters the race with three qualifying miles under his belt.

As a freshman, Western Cyclone earned $310,056 and hit the board in 10 of 11 starts. He was a $35,000 yearling purchase at the Harrisburg Sale by Arlene and Jules Siegel of New Hope, Pennsylvania.

"Cyclone is a big, good-looking colt with tremendous willpower--that's what makes him a good horse," Alexander said. "He wants to race and enjoys his work very much. He's a pleasure to be around in the barn just because he wants to be on the racetrack. In the barn in the morning, if he's not the first one or the second one out of the barn, he gets temperamental. He wants to get out there and do his work."

One of his brightest moments came in the Breeders Crown last November at the Meadowlands. Western Cyclone sprinted home with a final quarter in a 26.4 seconds to defeat divisional champion Jereme's Jet in his Crown elimination. In the $575,400 Breeders Crown Final, Western Cyclone saved ground early and charged home fastest of all to finish second, just a length behind Jereme's Jet.

"It was amazing," Alexander said of the colt's Breeders Crown performance. "I knew the horse could do it, and I knew that he needed a chance. He got his chance in the Breeders Crown. It was a great
feeling."

In addition, Western Cyclone finished third in the $593,032 Governor's Cup at Woodbine and second in the $114,300 Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile.

This season, he is eligible to the Meadowlands Pace and Oliver Wendell Holmes at the Meadowlands and the Little Brown Jug in September at Delaware, Ohio.

After Saturday's race, Alexander plans to ship him to Canada for the North America Cup on June 17 at Woodbine before returning for the Meadowlands Pace.

"I think he can be very good," Alexander added. "I think people have yet to see what I know he could do in the Breeders Crown last year. He's got that kind of talent, he really does. With Brian Sears driving, the possibilities are endless.

"He trained sharp on Saturday morning," he added. "I'm not concerned about (racing against older horses this Saturday). I want Brian [Sears] to race him the final part, to close strong. Then I want to get a speed tightener in him before the North America Cup."

Alexander, 27, has been the private trainer for the Siegel's Fashion Farm since 2004.

He had previously worked as second trainer under Jim Campbell and was given the opportunity to take over the top role when Campbell opened a public stable.

Alexander was born into a racing family in Lansing, Michigan, and had always dreamed of racing at the Meadowlands. He was not going to let leukemia keep him from fulfilling that aspiration.

"I grew up in this business," Alexander said. "I'm fourth generation harness racing, and it's kind of in my blood. Growing up, they never told me this is what I had to do. This is what I got up on Saturday mornings all through school to do and just got right into it. I actually was planning on going to school to become a veterinarian (like his father, Mark) or accountant, and I came down with leukemia and that changed my whole perspective after the things I went through with that.

Alexander endured four months of chemotherapy before undergoing a bone marrow transplant in the spring of 1998. The doctors warned him of the dangers of being at the barn with a compromised immune system; he was back there the day after he was released from the hospital.

"The one thing they said I couldn't do was be with the horses, and that's the one thing I did," Alexander said. "I think the horses actually helped me get better. I told my family I would be out racing at the Meadowlands, they would laugh. It's every young harness person's dream to play at this level. The doctors said I couldn't work with the horses anymore, but here I am. Everything's in remission, no relapses and so far, so good."

Alexander first came to New Jersey six years ago with two horses whom he raced for this uncle, Brent Alexander. He ended up with a job working for Joe Holloway and eventually, Campbell.

He has been blessed with some top pacing talent since he took over the Fashion Farm operation. In addition to Western Cyclone, he is campaigning a pair of three-year-old fillies on the stakes circuit this season: Katies Western, who finished fourth in the $175,000 Miss New Jersey last week, and Eternity's Delight. Both fillies are eligible to the $350,000 estimated Mistletoe Shalee on August 5 at the Meadowlands.

"(Katie's Western) comes from a great pedigree," he said. "The day we put her in the jog cart as a baby, she showed a tremendous gait and actually, too much willingness to go forward. There was never a question that she would be good.

"Eternity's Delight injured herself as a two-year-old while shipping," he added. "I expect good things from her. She has tremendous speed and the willpower to beat any kind of filly."

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