Atitlan, Atomic Age headline field for G2 John Henry Turf

Atitlan battles for the win. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)

Santa Anita Park Press

ARCADIA, CA — Atitlan and Atomic Age, who were both beaten less than a length in last month’s GII Del Mar Mile Handicap, lead a field of eight older horses set to go in the Grade II, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Atitlan, trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, rallied from last under Umberto Rispoli in the 1 3/8-mile Del Mar Handicap and came up a neck short of winner Test Score on Aug. 29. It was Atitlan’s second start after a nearly 11-month layoff and second outing for Mandella after previously being trained by the late John Shirreffs.

A 5-year-old horse by The Factor, Atitlan’s biggest career win came at Santa Anita going 1 ¼ miles on turf in last year’s GII Charles Whittingham Stakes. He is owned by John M. O’Connor and has a record of 14: 4-1-4 with $528,000 in earnings. Rispoli will again ride Atitlan.

Atomic Age, trained by Phil D’Amato, was making his stakes debut in the Del Mar Handicap. With Kazushi Kimura aboard, the 4-year-old gelding by Justify found himself in eighth after the opening mile, but rallied in the stretch and led near the sixteenth pole before being overhauled. He was beaten just three-quarters of a length at odds of 24-1. It was Atomic Age’s third start for D’Amato after previously being based in the east with trainer Chad Brown. Owned by James E. Downey, Atomic Age is 7: 2-0-2 with $146,465 in earnings. Kimura again has the call on Atomic Age.

Mondego also exits the Del Mar Handicap. Trained by Michael McCarthy for owner Cheyenne Stables, Mondego rallied and led with a furlong remaining in the Del Mar Handicap before being out finished to cross the wire in fifth, beaten one length. In May at Santa Anita, Mondego earned his biggest victory when prevailing in this year’s edition of the Whittingham. He’ll be ridden by Juan Hernandez for the first time in the John Henry.

The John Henry Turf Championship is one of five stakes set to go Saturday at Santa Anita. The others on the program are the GI Goodwood Stakes, an automatic qualifier for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic; GII City of Hope Mile, an automatic qualifier for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile; GII Eddie D Stakes and GIII John C. Harris Stakes.

THE GRADE II JOHN HENRY TURF CHAMPIONSHIP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Mondego—Juan Hernandez—126
2. Sinsel—Hector Berrios—122
3. Atomic Age—Kazushi Kimura—122
4. Balladeer—Julien Leparoux—122
5. Nitti—Victor Espinoza—122
6. Flashiest—Armando Ayuso—122
7. Atitlan—Umberto Rispoli—122
8. Twirling Point—Ricardo Gonzalez—122

First post Saturday is 1 p.m. PT.