Atitlan bought the proper journey and jockey Hector Berrios bought a tip of the hat from coach John Shirreffs after profitable the Twilight Derby (G2T) Oct. 26 at Santa Anita Park.
Atitlan, a son of The Issue , got here into the race off a third-place end within the Del Mar Derby (G2T), the place he lacked room within the stretch and needed to alter course close to the sixteenth pole to get a transparent run.Atitlan, b, 3/c
The Issue — Armanda (GER), by Acatenango (GER)
Proprietor: John M. B. O’Connor
Breeder: Anastasie Astrid Christiansen-Croy (KY)
Coach: John A. Shirreffs
Jockey: Hector Isaac Berrios
Info offered by Equibase at time of entry.
Pedigree Notes
The Issue stands at Lane’s Finish for $10,000 (2024).
He had no such hassle within the Twilight Derby. Berrios bought the colt out of gate 1 easily, then saved floor across the clubhouse flip and down the backstretch. Heading into the stretch, an inviting hole opened, Atitlan shot by way of willingly and went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
The favourite, Keep Sizzling , took the skin route into the lane, swinging six vast, and chased the winner to the wire. Cathal was third as Atitlan completed the 1 1/8 miles on agency turf in 1:49.12.
Rothschild , final seen ending third within the $2,337,160 Nashville Derby Invitational (G3T) at Kentucky Downs, rated three vast behind the leaders, was poised for a bid on the prime of the lane however didn’t ship, ending next-last of seven beneath Kazushi Kimura.Join BloodHorse Every day
Shirreffs mentioned the journey and the journey made the distinction for Atitlan.
“He is had just a little little bit of site visitors issues in prior races however at present he appeared to calm down very well and Hector was in a position to wait and simply make one massive transfer,” the coach mentioned, including Berrios’ dedication to the mount made an enormous distinction.
“All month lengthy he is come over to work him and each time he is gone in (a minute and one second or a minute or two) and we’re pondering, ‘Ah, I’m wondering if that is ok.’ And he says, ‘Don’t be concerned John, he is doing very properly.’ So it is all labored out nice.
“Some riders are actually sensible about horses and so they do not waste the horse within the morning,” Shirreffs added. “Different riders, I feel they perhaps wish to impress the coach and present that they’ll go quick, which is basically not what you want. Someplace in that stability is simply good.”
Berrios has ridden Atitlan in all his begins apart from the primary.
Atitlan, out of the Acatenango mare Armanda, was bred in Kentucky by Anastasie Astrid Christiansen-Croy. He races for John M. B. O’Connor.
Unraced at 2, he completed seventh in his profession debut, a six-furlong grime dash, at Santa Anita Could 27 after being bumped round initially.
Sherriffs put him on the turf in his subsequent go, a one-mile take a look at at Del Mar, the place he went off at odds of 35-1 and received by a head in a three-way photograph. Requested to go one other sixteenth in his subsequent begin, the La Jolla Handicap Aug. 4 at Del Mar, Atitlan battled for the lead, then drained late to get house third.
He had been working steadily at Santa Anita because the troubled Del Mar Derby effort.
Video: Twilight Derby (G2T)
