Three Diamonds Farm’s Atone found room at the head of the lane and powered through the stretch to collar Ivar (BRZ) close to home to win the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Irad Ortiz Jr. settled Atone in fifth early along the inside while long shot One More Bid led the field through the opening stages. Ortiz worked Atone off the rail for daylight at the head of the stretch and set his sights on Ivar who had taken command in the lane. Atone hit his best stride late and edged clear from a stubborn Ivar late to win by three-quarters of a length. Ivar finished second and Kentucky-bred Speaking Scout got up for third.
“It was perfect, every step of the way,” said Ortiz. “I was happy. I was following a live horse, Wit, and then by the three-eighths pole the horse that I had to beat (Ivar) was outside me, so I had to take two or three strides to let him move before I made my move. I waited but at the same time I tipped my way out so when I hit the clear my horse was there. All the credit goes to the horse.”
Bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, Atone is by Into Mischief out of the A.P. Indy mare Captivating Lady. The 6-year-old gelding is trained by Michael Maker, who saddled his charge to a fourth-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Turf last year. Atone, a winner in seven of 23 lifetime starts, became a millionaire with the impressive victory and now boasts career earnings of more than $1.1 million.