| Progeny Summaries and Articles for Atticus |
| This page last updated: May 7, 2008 |
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05/04/2008: Atticus Kristy Adds New Page to Long Story Seven-year-old Atticus Kristy added another page to his remarkable racing history Friday when he finished third in the $100,000 Aegon Turf Sprint Stakes at Churchill Downs, a Grade 3 event. That increased to $589,492 the career earnings of the gelded son of Atticus, but that's just part of his story, a tale of durability and a long climb up the quality ladder. Once third in two starts at 2, he showed promise at 3 with three wins in his first four starts--maiden special weight and allowances--but couldn't find the winner's circle again until midway through his 4-year-old season. He had slipped into the claiming ranks before he could score his second victory--for a $40,000 price, in his 16th career start. He made it three wins in a row, for $50,000 claiming and in an allowance, and never again saw a claiming race. He took another allowance race in his next start, then embarked on a challenging new career as a stakes-class horse. From that time, almost three years ago, he's run in two allowance races, one handicap--and 24 stakes races. The 27th race of that lengthy string was Friday's Egon Turf Sprint, the 12th added-money race in which he's won or placed. It was the second time that he'd run third in the Egon. Those races are two of six graded events in which he's won or placed. Now, still going strong in his sixth season of racing, his record looks like this: 45 starts, 10 wins, eight seconds, 11 thirds, and earnings of $589,492. He finished only two lengths back of the winner in Friday's race, but after entering the stretch in fifth place he had to close fast to gain third. Atticus Kristy is owned by Centaur Farms, Inc., and Dan Lynch. He was bred in Kentucky by Centaur Farms, Inc. Atticus, a world-record setter at one mile and sire of 18 stakes horses, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--May 4. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Campaigning again after a lengthy layoff, 6-year-old Atticus Kristy showed that he's regaining form with a near-miss third-place finish in the $100,000-added Woodford Stakes Thursday at Keeneland. The Atticus gelding's first race after an 11-month vacation wasn't promising, but Thursday's second effort showed the level of performance that he consistently produced before losing form and retiring to the sidelines. He finished sixth and then 10th in stakes races last October and November, uncharacteristic for a performer who'd been off the board only once in 21 previous races, and he went to the sidelines. But in the Woodford he recovered his lost ability and produced a late run under jockey Robby Albarado, missing victory by only a head and three-quarters of a length after being bumped at the start of the 5 1/2-furlong turf race. He's now won three stakes--one of them Grade 3--and placed in seven others, two of those graded, and has earnings of $552,672 in 38 starts over five seasons. His record shows 10 wins, seven seconds, and nine thirds. Bred in Kentucky by Centaur Farms, Inc., he's owned by his breeder in partnership with Dan Lynch and is trained by Merrill Scherer. Atticus Kristy is one of 18 stakes horses sired by Atticus, a world-record setter at one mile, who stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--October 20. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Stepping up into added-money company for the first time, Full of Run became the 18th stakes horse sired by Atticus when he took second place in the $125,000 Halton Stakes Monday at Woodbine. The lightly-raced 3-year-old, unraced at 2, was making only his sixth career start and came into the race as a winner only in maiden company. But he'd run a good second in an allowance turf race last month in his first effort around two turns and used that as a springboard into the one-mile Halton on the grass. He showed that he belonged at that level, racing close to the leaders into the final turn and briefly taking the lead entering the stretch. He yielded to the close surge of the winner and wound up second in the field of nine, beaten only two lengths. With one win, two seconds, a third and a fourth in six starts, Full of Run has already earned $80,517. Bred in Ontario by Patrick Lawley-Wakelin and Mark R. Frostad, he's owned by Bar None Ranches Ltd. and trained by David Bell. He was ridden in Monday's race by Justin Stein. Atticus, a world record-setter at one mile and sire of 18 stakes horses, including Grade 1 winner High Fly, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--September 5. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus's talented 3-year-old son Can't Beat It concluded a banner year with a two-length victory in the $100,000 Pete Axthelm Stakes Saturday at Calder Race Course. Following a 2-year-old season that produced little indication of things to come, Can't Beat It has won three stakes races and earned $238,800 in eight starts as a 3-year-old, increasing his career bankroll to $267,960. In his freshman year, Can't Beat It won once in six starts, requiring four races to break his maiden and earning $29,160. But in the new year, he moved quickly upward, competing in stakes races in eight of his nine 2006 starts. He started once in allowance company, winning that one and moving three weeks later to his first stakes victory. In addition to the Axthelm, he's won the Grade 3 Calder Derby and the Hallandale Beach Stakes, the latter at Gulfstream Park. Can't Beat It, sent off as the favorite in the race, gave his supporters concern early in the Axthelm, racing 10th in the 11-horse field after a half-mile in the 7 1/2-furlong event. Then jockey Eddie Castro swung him around the turn, hitting the stretch eight wide, and he moved steadily forward to hit the wire two lengths in front. Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Live Oak Plantation, Can't Beat It is trained by Martin Wolfson. Atticus, a world-record-setting miler who earned $1,205,933, is the sire of 16 stakes horses. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--January 1. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus welcomed his seventh stakes winner Saturday when 3-year-old Fiery Dancer scored a wire-to-wire victory in the $74,250 Pago Hop Stakes at the reconstructed Fair Grounds. It was the first stakes win for the Kentucky-bred, who had run second earlier this year in the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs. His record now shows four wins, two seconds, and two thirds in 14 starts for earnings of $169,494. He's won allowance races at Keeneland and Churchill Downs. In the one-mile Pago Hop, he took the lead out of the gate and stayed in front to the finish while under pressure all the way, finally prevailing by a neck in what the official chart called "a game effort." Fiery Dancer was bred by his owner, Centaur Farms, Inc., and is trained by Merrill Scherer. Atticus, sire of 16 stakes horses and earners of more than $7,000,000, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif. --November 28. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Already a stakes winner, Atticus's 3-year-old son Can't Beat It moved up a level Saturday at Calder Race Course and became a graded stakes winner with a comfortable victory in the $200,000 Calder Derby. With his triumph in the Grade 3 event at 1 1/8 miles on the turf, Can't Beat It became his sire's fourth graded stakes winner, joining High Fly ($927,300), Atticus Kristy ($539,606), and Petite Speciale ($258,541) at that elite level. Co-favorite in the field of 11, Can't Beat It raced in mid-pack to the stretch, where jockey Rene Douglas took him to the lead, and he pulled away to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Can't Beat It came close to gaining graded credentials when he finished second in the Grade 2 American Derby on July 22 at Arlington Park, but he was disqualified and placed 14th. He earlier had won the ungraded Holland Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Live Oak Plantation, Can't Beat It is trained by Martin Wolfson. He's earned $207,960 in 13 starts at 2 and 3. Atticus, sire of 16 stakes horses, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--October 16. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus Kristy has added another victory to his long string of stakes successes. The consistent 5-year-old son of Atticus took the lead out of the gate and led unchallenged all the way to the wire to capture the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes Tuesday at Kentucky Downs. Atticus Kristy has won three stakes races and placed in seven others over four seasons of racing, but, most remarkably, he has been off the board only once in his last 21 starts, a stretch that included 13 stakes races. He won seven of the 21, ran second in six, and was third in five. He was unplaced in only three races, finishing fourth in two and fifth in the other. The Kentucky-bred's stakes wins include the Grade 3 Shakertown Handicap at Churchill Downs. He's amassed $539,606 in earnings, $477,886 of it at 4 and 5. Ridden by Jesus Castanon in the Turf Dash, he lengthened his lead steadily through the stretch to finish in front by 2 1/2 lengths. He was favored to win, and he did. Atticus Kristy is owned by his breeder, Centaur Farms, Inc., in partnership with Dan Lynch. He's trained by Merrill Scherer. Atticus, sire of 16 stakes horses and earners of more than $7,000,000, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--September 30. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus's durable 5-year-old son Atticus Kristy broke past the $400,000 level in career earnings and narrowly missed gaining his second graded stakes victory with a second-place finish Sunday in the $200,000 Scotts Highlander Stakes at Woodbine. Under jockey Robby Albarado, Atticus Kristy moved strongly in the stretch of the Grade 3 event and missed by just a half-length while gaining on the leader. It was his eighth placing in an added-money event and his fourth such finish in his past four races. In those four races, he's won one Grade 3 race and placed in two others at Keeneland, Churchill Downs and now Woodbine. His earnings now total $427,606 in 32 starts over four seasons. He's won nine races and placed in 14 others, finishing on the board in 27 of those 32 efforts. Atticus Kristy was bred in Kentucky by his owner, Centaur Farms, Inc., and is trained by Merrill Scherer. Atticus, a Grade 1 winner of $1,205,933, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 27. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Trezene, bred in Kentucky but firmly established in France, continued his fruitful 4-year-old season Friday with a third-place finish in the $63,075 Prix du Carrousel at Saint-Cloud. It was the first stakes placing for Trezene as he became the 15th stakes horse sired by Atticus, the holder of the world record for one mile. Trezene's stakes effort was considerably farther than one mile. At 3,100 meters, it was about a sixteenth short of a full two miles. At 4 this year, Trezene has won two allowance races, each by six lengths, and placed in a stakes race in four starts. Unraced at 2, he won a maiden race and an allowance race last year at 3. His earnings now total $79,599 in 11 starts. He's raced only in France. Atticus, sire of Florida Derby winner High Fly ($927,300) and 14 other stakes horses, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 19. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus Kristy just keeps getting better with age. The durable 5-year-old son of Atticus boosted his 2006 earnings to $111,508 and his career bankroll to $392,006 with a close-up second-place finish in the $70,000-added Texas Glitter Handicap Saturday at Churchill Downs. Atticus Kristy was poised to take the lead from the front-runner as the field neared the finish when a late closer flashed into the lead, leaving him in second place at the wire, just a half-length back of the winner. The Kentucky-bred, who had never raced in a stakes race until last September, now has won or placed in seven of them in his last 11 starts, including three graded events. In six starts as a 5-year-old, he's won a Grade 3 stake and run second in an ungraded stake, third in a Grade 3, and fourth in two ungraded ones. In between, he's won an allowance race. He's owned by his breeder, Centaur Farms, Inc., in partnership with Dan Lynch and is trained by Merrill Scherer. His rider in the Texas Glitter was Robby Albarado. Atticus, sire of 14 stakes horses and earners of more than $6,400,000, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--June 5. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) A powerful rally carried Can't Beat It from seventh place to first to give the son of Atticus his first stakes victory Sunday in the $60,000 Hallandale Beach Sakes at Gulfstream Park. Jockey Eddie Castro rated Can't Beat It well off the pace in the early stages of the 1 1/16-mile event, racing eighth and then seventh in the 12-horse field but moved him up swiftly on the turn for home and entered the stretch in second place, two and a half lengths behind the leader. The 3-year-old persevered and moved steadily through the stretch to win by a length and three quarters. It was the first stakes win for Can't Beat It in his ninth career start. He tuned up for the Hallandale Beach with an allowance win at Gulfstream Park on January 20 at the same distance. He's won three races, run second once, and finished third twice for earnings of $87,960. Can't Beat It is the 13th stakes horse sired by Atticus--six stakes winners and seven stakes-placed winners. He was bred in Kentucky by his owner, Live Oak Plantation, and is trained by Martin D. Wolfson. Atticus, a Grade 1 stakes winner of $1,205,933, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--February 14. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) A late run from back in the pack narrowly missed for Palaestra Saturday at Calder Race Course, and she settled for a second-place finish in the $40,000 Charon Stakes, beaten just a half-length. The 4-year-old daughter of Atticus moved up to stakes company belatedly, but she's shown that she belongs there. In her first stakes start, in September at Monmouth Park, she finished second in the Lighthouse Stakes. After stopping off at Keeneland to run third in an allowance race, she scored her second blacktype finish in two tries in Saturday's race. Palaestra was fifth in the field of eight turning for home in the 1 1/16-mile race, but jockey Jorge Chavez moved her up to third in the stretch then into second, and she was gaining on the winner at the finish. Her earnings now total $124,965 in 15 starts. She's never run in a claiming race. The Kentucky-bred is owned by Robert N. Clay, who bred her in partnership with the Albert G. Clay 1990 Revocable Trust. She's trained by John Kimmel. Palaestra's sire, Atticus, set a world record for one mile on his way to earning $1,200,120. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--December 13. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) In her first venture into stakes company, 4-year-old Eximius (GB) became Atticus's 12th stakes horse Monday with a third-place finish in the $47,000 Prix Tantieme--across the ocean at the Fontainebleau race course in France. Although she was foaled in Great Britain, Eximius has raced only in France, winning two allowance races at Fontanebleau and another at Compiegne in compiling a record of four wins and one third in 10 starts that have netted her earnings of $57,397. The Prix Tantieme attracted a field of 14 runners for the 1 1/4-mile event on the turf. Atticus, who still holds the world record for one mile, has sired 88 winners, including Grade 1 winner High Fly ($927,300), recently retired to stud. Atticus, a millionaire son of Nureyev, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--November 30. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) The fifth time was the charm for Atticus Kristy Sunday at Churchill Downs as the 4-year-old son of Atticus scored a come-from-behind victory in the $70,800-added Cherokee Run Handicap. Atticus Kristy moved up to stakes company for the first time on September 5 and since then has seen nothing but added-money competition--five straight races. After finishing fifth in the first of the five, he earned black type with two second-place finishes in a row and then took third in the Grade 2 Nearctic Handicap October 23 at Woodbine. But he still wasn't a stakes winner, a problem that he took care of in the Cherokee Run with a powerful stretch run after racing ninth in the field of 11 in the early stages of the five-furlong event on the turf. He entered the stretch in fourth position and seized the lead in the final sixteenth, edging away to win by three-quarters of a length. The win, his seventh in 24 starts, increased his career earnings to $278,441. Atticus Kristy was bred in Kentucky by his owner, Centaur Farms, Inc. He's trained by Merrill Scherer. Atticus Kristy is one of 11 stake horses sired by Atticus, a Grade 1 winner and holder of the world record for one mile. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez.--November 9. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Succeeding in his new life as a stakes horse, Atticus Kristy is coming close to his first blacktype victory, but he's not quite there yet. The 4-year-old son of Atticus got a head in front in the upper stretch in Sunday's $100,000-added Woodford Stakes at Keeneland but couldn't hold on and wound up second, just a neck behind the winner. Two weeks earlier Atticus Kristy earned his first black type with a second-place finish in the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes at Kentucky Downs, beaten just a head. Although he was an allowance winner last year at 3, Atticus Kristy slipped briefly into the claiming ranks earlier this year. But consecutive wins for $40,000 and then $50,000, earned him a promotion, and he responded with an allowance victory in his next start in July. Since then he's operated on a new level, climaxed by second-place finishes in $100,000 stakes in his two most recent outings. With six wins, he's now earned $187,005. Bred in Kentucky by Centaur Farms Inc., Atticus Kristy is owned by his breeder and Dan Lynch. His trainer is Merrill Scherer. Atticus, sire of earners of more than $5,500,000, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--October 11. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus Kristy almost became Atticus's fifth stakes winner Saturday at Kentucky Downs but had to settle for becoming his 11th stakes horse when he was narrowly edged at the wire in the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes. Atticus Kristy moved strongly to take the lead in midstretch but couldn't hold off a late-running challenger and had to settle for second place, just a head back of the winner. It was only the second stakes start and the first stakes placing for the 4-year-old son of Atticus, who increased his career earnings to $164,445 in 21 starts--six wins, three seconds and five thirds. Atticus Kristy has won at a variety of distances ranging from five furlongs to a mile and a sixteenth. He was bred in Kentucky by Centaur Farms, Inc., who owns him in partnership with Dan Lynch. Merrill Scherer is his trainer. Atticus, holder of the world record of 1:31.89 for one mile, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez. Calif.--September 26. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Back in action for the first time since May, Florida Derby winner showed that he's regaining his form with a second-place finish in the $150,000 Grade 2 Jerome Handicap Sunday at Belmont Park. The 3-year-old son of Atticus increased his career earnings to $927,300 in seven career starts with his second graded stakes placing to go with victories in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes. In Sunday's one-mile Jerome, High Fly contested gamely but was unable to overtake the wire-to-wire winner, who finished five lengths in the clear. In addition to his other achievements, High Fly set a new track record for one mile at Gulfstream Park in January in winning the ungraded Aventura Stakes. High Fly is owned by his breeder, Live Oak Stud, and trained by Nick Zito. He's a Kentucky-bred. High Fly is one of ten stakes horses sired by Atticus, the world-record holder at one mile, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--September 13. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Moving into added-money company for the first time, Palaestra became Atticus's tenth stakes horse with a close-up second-place finish in the $60,000 Lighthouse Stakes Saturday at Monmouth Park. After winning two allowance races and running second in another in her last four starts, Palaestra took the step up into stakes company and was rewarded with her first black type. The 4-year-old filly moved her career earnings into six figures with her effort in the Lighthouse, bring her bankroll to $111,365 in 13 starts. In the mile-and-70-yard Lighthouse, Palaestra raced in the middle of the nine-horse pack before mounting her challenge on the turn for home. She overtook the pacesetters but was beaten to the wire by another late closer, who prevailed by a length and a quarter. She was bred in Kentucky by Robert N. Clay, who shares ownership with The Albert G. Clay 1990 Revocable Trust. Her trainer is John C. Kimmel. Atticus, sire of 2005 Florida Derby winner High Fly, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--September 12. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) ARCADIA, Calif. - Even in his wildest expectations, Pablo Suarez could not have envisioned the way Atticus has been received in his debut at stud in California this year. Because of the success of his son High Fly, a Kentucky Derby hopeful who won the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on April 2, Atticus has been booked to 85 mares at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, Calif. The book size is likely to increase to 100 before the breeding season ends. For Suarez, who purchased Atticus from Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky last October, the interest has been a shock. He would have settled for a considerably smaller book. "For a first-year stallion to be doing this, this is great," Suarez said. "We have been very blessed." Atticus was essentially overmatched as a Kentucky stallion. After entering stud in 1998, Atticus sired a few stakes winners and had more than $3 million in progeny earnings. It was not enough to draw attention in the competitive Kentucky market. Resuming the 13-year-old Atticus's career in a regional market such as California seemed like a more sensible approach. With the success of High Fly, who won the Aventura Stakes in January and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 5, the calls have been pouring into Magali Farms. After recently talking with Tom Hudson, the manager of Magali Farms, Suarez said the book is likely to be capped at 100 mares. "Tom said, 'We need to slow down now,' " Suarez said. Suarez, 36, the owner of a pharmaceutical wholesale business, co-owns such stakes winners as Sharp Lisa (Las Virgenes Stakes) and Thor's Echo (WinStar Derby) and was looking to extend his involvement in racing through breeding. Atticus was one of several stallions that Suarez and Hudson considered buying last fall. Atticus won 7 of 18 starts, four stakes, and $1,205,933, racing in Europe and the United States. By Nureyev, Atticus was a Group 3 stakes winner over a mile on turf at Longchamp in France and was second in the French 2000 Guineas in 1995. In the U.S., his career took off. He won the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Classic in 1996 and two major stakes in 1997 - the Grade 1 Oaklawn Handicap and the Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap. In the Arcadia at Santa Anita, he finished a mile on turf in 1:31.89. It remains the course record. At stud, Atticus sired stakes winners in France and the U.S. in his first few crops, but had no standout runners. Still, Suarez felt like he had found the prospect he wanted. "I didn't know much about Atticus," Suarez said. "I started really getting intrigued. I thought it was a perfect opportunity." The deal with Three Chimneys was finalized last October for an undisclosed sum. "I don't think I'm allowed to talk about that," Suarez said of the price. When he arrived in California, Atticus's stud fee was lowered from $5,000 to $4,000. Suarez has sent eight mares to Atticus, including the stakes-placed runners Brocky's Dream and Lady General. The 2005 book has only gotten stronger thanks to the success of High Fly, who has won 5 of 6 starts and $897,300 for owner-breeder Live Oak Plantation. "I feel like he's my horse, too," Suarez said. Barretts May catalog available The Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in training comprises 356 head on May 17. The catalog is currently available on the Internet. Training previews will be held on May 13-14 at Fairplex Park. The first 178 hips in the catalog will be on the track on the 13th, with the remainder on the 14th. (Source: Daily Racing Form) High Fly, a 3-year-old son of Atticus, established himself as the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby Saturday with a victory in the $1,000,000 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. It was the fifth win in six career starts for the lightly-raced colt, whom trainer Nick Zito said will head straight for the Kentucky Derby without racing again. High Fly has earned $897,300 with three stakes wins and a third in another. High Fly went to the post as the favorite in the Florida Derby and gave his supporters little cause to worry as he stayed close to the pace--never worse than second--before taking the lead at the eighth pole and edging away to win by a length and a half over stablemate Noble Causeway, who's also a probable Kentucky Derby starter. High Fly was bred in Kentucky by his owner, Live Oak Stud. Atticus, holder of the world record for one mile, stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, Calif.--April 4. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus's brilliant 3-year-old son High Fly returned impressively to the Kentucky Derby trail with a victory in Saturday's Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. After one-sided victories in his first three career starts, High Fly suffered his first loss in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes on February 5 in his first effort around two turns, but he more than made up for that defeat in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at the same distance--a mile and an eighth. Trainer Nick Zito, who took over the colt's conditioning after the Holy Bull, said that High Fly probably would make his next start in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on April 2, the final Kentucky Derby prep race in the Sunshine State. That race also will be run at 1 1/8 miles. High Fly broke second in the field of nine in Saturday's race and took the lead coming out of the final turn, then fought off a challenge to prevail by three-quarters of a length. "When he broke sharp, that helped us a lot, and I thought he was real impressive the way he hung in there," said Zito. "I was lucky to inherit a good horse, and I have to thank the people who had him before me, especially his previous trainer, Bill White. Fortunately he's fit into our system well." The win increased High Fly's career earnings to $297,300. He was bred in Kentucky by his owner, Live Oak Stud. Atticus, holder of the world record for one mile (1:31.89), stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, CA.--March 7. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) After beginning his career with two sprint wins at Calder Race Course, High Fly blew away 11 rivals in his stakes debut on Saturday, surging to a nine-length win in the $125,000 Aventura Stakes for three-year-olds at Gulfstream Park. The son of Atticus rated just off the pace in the first two-turn start of his career, before collaring Drum Major for the lead at the top of the stretch and drawing away powerfully under jockey Eddie Castro to complete one mile in 1:35.88 over a fast track. Sent away at odds of 3.10-to-1, High Fly remained undefeated in three career starts, with a combined margin of victory of 21 ¼ lengths. “I expected him to run well, but I don’t think anybody could have expected this performance,” trainer Bill White said. “This was a little muscle-flexing. …This was the test to see if he was as good as his numbers indicated. He had never looked a really tough horse in the eye—he still hasn’t—but we’re on the right track. He’s definitely on the [Kentucky Derby (G1)] trail now, so we’ll start looking by planning two or three races ahead and see what our options are.” Drum Major finished second, with Magna Graduate another 1 ¾ lengths back in third. Deputy Indy finished tenth as the 3-to-2 favorite. Bred and owned by Live Oak Plantation, High Fly debuted with a 9 1/4-length win in a six-furlong maiden special weight race on October 9 and followed with a three-length allowance score at 6 ½ furlongs on November 20. The $75,000 winner’s share in the Aventura pushed his career earnings to $100,800. (Source: Thoroughbred Times) Undefeated High Fly dominated a 12-horse field in a nine-length blowout Saturday in the $125,000 Aventura Stakes at Gulfstream Park that left the Atticus colt's connections talking about the Kentucky Derby. Making his first start at two turns, High Fly took charge at the head of the stretch and romped to a nine-length victory that followed a maiden special weight win by 9 1/4 lengths and an allowance score by three lengths, both at Calder Race Course at sprint distances. His trainer, Bill White, was exuberant following the race, saying, "He's definitely on the trail now" for the Kentucky Derby. The colt was bred in Kentucky by his owner, is owned by his breeder, Live Oak Stud. High Fly is one of 68 winners sired by Atticus, holder of the world record for one mile. He stands at Magali Farms, Santa Ynez, CA.--January 10. (Source: The THOROUGHBRED SHOWCASE of the West) Atticus Lady (# 1, 8/1) by Atticus, out of Desert Prowler, finished 1st at Pimlico on Saturday, November 27th, 2004 in Race 4. High Fly (# 2, 4/5) by Atticus, out of Verbasle, finished 1st at Calder Race Course on Saturday, November 20th, 2004 in Race 1. Daffodil Lil (# 4, 20/1) by Atticus, out of Stark Walk, finished 1st at Beulah Park on Sunday, November 14th, 2004 in Race 13. |
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