Atitlan captures the Twilight Derby (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
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ARCADIA, Calif.— After twice finishing behind Stay Hot in stakes at Del Mar this summer, Atitlan successfully turned the tables on that rival in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Twilight Derby going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.
Enjoying a ground-saving trip under Hector Berrios, Atitlan burst through a seam at the top of the stretch and gamely held off a late charge from 6-5 favorite Stay Hot to earn his first stakes win for trainer John Shirreffs.
In their two previous matchups, Atitlan was 2 ¾ lengths back of winner Stay Hot when third in the La Jolla Stakes in August at Del Mar; then was beaten1 ¼ lengths by Stay Hot when that pair finished second and third , respectively, in the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 1.
On Saturday, Atitlan (6-1) won by 1 ½ lengths over Stay Hot. It was another neck back to Cathal (8-1) in third.
“He was more comfortable today,” Berrios said of his winning mount. “The pace was slow, but he was going so easy. I asked him to wait, wait. When I had a little hole in the stretch, I moved on him and he responded.”
Curlin’s Kaos (8-1) was the pacesetter, going 24.22, 49.52 and 1:14.15 for six furlongs before fading to fourth. Stay Hot, who was last early under Antonio Fresu, rallied widest of all to get second.
Atitlan’s winning time on firm turf was 1:49.12.
Trainer John Shirreffs noted Atitlan was “a little bit unlucky” in his two stakes tries at Del Mar. In the Del Mar Derby, Atitlan lacked racing room in upper stretch before making a belated rally.
“I think he’s gotten more comfortable with racing,” Shirreffs said. “Things had been building towards a big race.”
This was just the fifth start for Atitlan, a colt by The Factor. He graduated when he was switched to turf for his second start at Del Mar in July. He is now 5: 2-0-2 with $213,500 in earnings for owner John M. B. O’Connor.
Atitlan paid $14.60, $5.00 and $3.40. Stay Hot, trained by Peter Eurton, returned $3.20 and $2.40. Cathal, ridden by Juan Hernandez for trainer John Sadler, paid $3.20.
