Atone gives Maker another reason to smile with Pegasus World Cup Turf victory
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Famously expressionless – even after winning a major race – trainer Mike Maker managed a big grin Saturday shortly after his latest stable star, Atone, raced past Ivar in the final yards of the Grade 1, $981,400 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park.
“I’d been bragging on this horse for quite some time, and until lately he hadn’t really come through,” Maker said after winning the Pegasus Turf for the second time in its brief history. “So winning a race like this is very rewarding.”
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Atone got a terrific ride from Irad Ortiz Jr. Situated just to the inside of Ivar while both were in mid-pack of a field of 12 older horses, Ortiz subtly angled out in the final turn of the 1 1/8-mile race, following a bold looping move by Ivar. Down the stretch, as Ivar powered past the tiring front-runners, Atone also was moving with great stealth. The final 70 yards came down to those two, with Atone prevailing by a three-quarters of a length.
“I had to let [Ivar] go on before I made my move,” said Ortiz, who on Thursday night in Palm Beach was honored with his fourth Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in the last five years. “I wait, but at the same time, I tip my way out without shaking [the reins]. When I was in the clear, my horse was right there.”
Ivar, the 7-2 second choice under Javier Castellano, ran very well in a hard-luck defeat. The Brazilian-bred 7-year-old had nothing but daylight in front of him when passing the eighth pole, only to come up just a bit short.
Speaking Scout was along late to be third third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Ivar and a neck ahead of the lone female in the field, Lady Speightspeare, who was making her final career start. Then came One More Bid, King Cause, Master Piece, Wit, Good Governance, Hurricane Dream, Decorated Invader, and, finally, the 7-2 favorite, City Man, who appeared to struggle from the opening strides.
Atone, a 6-year-old gelding, paid $9.60 after being bet down – surely due in no small part to Ortiz’s enduring popularity – from his 12-1 morning line to third wagering choice. He finished in 1:46.19 over firm going. He earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure.
Atone is owned by the Three Diamonds Farm of Kirk and Jordan Wycoff. He was coming off a major wakeup effort, having won a Nov. 10 turf allowance at Aqueduct with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.
“We knew he was really coming around,” said Maker, referring to several bullet works over the Gulfstream main track leading into this race. “He ran to his training, thankfully.”
Atone, by Into Mischief, was bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, for whom he raced with modest results until being acquired by Three Diamonds and turned over to Maker in the summer of 2021. Since then, he has won four of 14 starts, with this initial stakes victory nearly doubling his career bankroll to $1,179,146.
The win was the fourth of the 13-race program for Ortiz and the third for Maker. The other turf stakes for older horses on the card, the Grade 3 McKnight, resulted in a 1-2-3 sweep by Maker horses, led by Red Knight.
This was the fifth running of the Pegasus Turf. Maker won the 2020 renewal for owner Michael Hui with Zulu Alpha, an 11-1 shot.
The $2 exacta (3-10) paid $41.80, the $1 trifecta (3-10-7) returned $295.90, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-10-7-6) was worth $162.27.
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