Lemonade Girl's Preakness Save

A childhood cancer victim whose fund-raising lemonade stands have raised well over $1 million for research is still working miracles, months after her death, says the jockey of the horse that won the Preakness.

Alexander Scott died in August but, observes The Early Show correspondent Tracy Smith, "in the brief eight years she was alive, (she) accomplished more than many people who see old age."

Little Alex opened her first lemonade stand nearly five years ago, and the movement has taken off. Before her death, she set a donations goal of $5 million for this year.

Her efforts caught the attention of the owners of Afleet Alex, who's not named after Alex Scott, but whose breeder also happens to have been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

During Saturday's Preakness, Afleet Alex somehow kept his balance after being knocked to his knees by Scrappy T at the top of the stretch.

The scene occurred as a full field of 14 3-year-olds turned for home. Scrappy T, ridden by Ramon Dominguez, went wide off the turn as the jockey was whipping left-handed, and the gelding drifted into the path of Afleet Alex, who was just behind.

Afleet Alex's front legs buckled and the colt almost fell, nearly unseating jockey Jeremy Rose as the crowd gasped.

"I thought for sure we were going to have a roll," Rose said.

But Rose managed to stay on as Afleet Alex regained his momentum, neatly cut to the inside and went on to win the second jewel of racing's Triple Crown.

Alex Scott's mom, Liz, told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm Wednesday that, when she saw Rose after the race, "He said to me, 'I think little Alex pulled me and the horse up. I felt like she was with us.' "

"Every time (Afleet Alex) wins, places or shows," Alex's dad, Jay, told Storm, "they make a nice donation to (Alex's) foundation. So the horse has been doing great, it's brought in a lot of money."

Lemonade stands were set up at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.Jay says his family is "doing all right. We take it a day at a time. We feel lucky that we're able to continue in her memory with Alex's lemonade stand. So we're lucky in that sense."

The movement continues to gain momentum, Liz and Jay report.

And Liz says Alex's $5 million goal for this year may well be realized: "Alex was always ambitious with everything, but especially in her fundraising goals. She would set a goal and then she'd exceed it. So we're still hopeful that we're gonna reach that $5 million this year."

Liz added, "Between June 10-12, we're having lemonade stands all over the country. It's our national weekend to kick off the summer of lemonade stands. We just ask people to participate by having stands in their communities to support childhood cancer and sending the money to us and we donate it to hospitals all over country."

People can also buy a children's book Liz wrote called "Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand."

What would Alex think of her legacy? "I think," Liz says, "Alex had a plan, and I think she would be very happy with the way it's working out. I think she'd be thrilled with everything."