Atras looks for first 2021 stakes win in Toboggan

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though tied for sixth in wins as the Aqueduct winter meet nears the halfway point, trainer Rob Atras has mixed emotions about how things are going.

While the 6 wins from 41 starters are fine, the 11 seconds and 9 thirds are frustrating.

“You’re happy they’re running well, you don’t want to complain – seconds are better than thirds and thirds are better than fourths – but it does get a little frustrating when they don’t win,” Atras said. “You just get beat on the wire, or sometimes you don’t get the best trip. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frustrated we weren’t winning more.”

American Power gave Atras his first victory of the winter meet on Dec. 11. Saturday, American Power will seek to give Atras his first stakes win of the season when he runs in the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan Stakes going seven furlongs at Aqueduct.

American Power will bring at two-race winning streak into the Toboggan.

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Atras claimed American Power for $40,000 last July 29 out of a fifth-place finish, and the horse is now owned by Irwin and Sanford Goldfarb and the Estate of Ira Davis. In his first start for Atras, American Power finished fifth in a $40,000 claimer at Saratoga.

Atras removed the blinkers from American Power’s equipment, and the son of Power Broker responded with two wins, a $40,000 claimer on Oct. 12 at Belmont and an optional $80,000 claimer here Dec. 11.

“I wasn’t happy with his first race off the claim,” Atras said. “I don’t think that was a true billing. I always liked the way he trained and I wanted to try something different. He had some good races on his back form with blinkers off.”

American Power showed versatility in his two victories. In October, he won from a stalking position. In December, he went gate to wire under Kendrick Carmouche, who will ride him again Saturday.

American Power drew the outside in the five-horse field of the Toboggan, which will go as race 4 on the nine-race card.

Inside of American Power, from the rail out, is Pete’s Play Call, Drafted, Share the Ride, and Stan the Man.