Noverre draws outside in Atto 13 enter $1 million race

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Noverre, the lone European representative and a leading candidate for Sunday's Grade 1 Atto Mile, got the worst of the draw here Thursday and will break from the outside post in the field of 13.

The Atto Mile, a $1 million turf race for 3-year-olds and upward, features eight invaders and five local runners.

Owned by Godolphin and based in England with trainer Saaed bin Suroor, Noverre will be ridden by Frankie Dettori and is Daily Racing Form's morning-line second choice at 7-2.

"I suppose it's not ideal, being in the outside gate," said assistant trainer Ross Campbell, who arrived here with Noverre Tuesday evening. "But he's a hold-up horse, and there should be plenty of pace in the race, so it's not a major problem."

Exercise rider Gerry Moylan was pleased with the way Noverre handled his initial exposure to the E.P. Taylor turf course when he galloped 1 1/4 miles Thursday morning.

"It's a good, even surface with a nice cushion of grass," said Moylan. "It's on the fast side of good, but safe. It's fine for him, that ground."

Del Mar Show, DRF's 5-2 favorite, will start from post 11 under jockey Jerry Bailey. Leana Willaford will be deputizing as Del Mar Show's trainer because her boss, Bill Mott, is serving a suspension.

Good Journey, the morning-line third choice at 4-1, drew post 5 and will be ridden by Pat Day.

"We're really happy," said assistant trainer Aimee Dollase, after putting in a call to her her father, trainer Wally Dollase, who was in California.

"It's perfect for his style. He shouldn't lose too much ground, and Pat can do what he wants with him."

Quiet Resolve and Strut the Stage, who both are owned by Sam-Son Farm and trained here by Mark Frostad but will race as separate betting interests, drew post 7 and 8, respectively.

"It's perfect," said Frostad. "Not too far out and not too far in."

Quiet Resolve, who has been pegged as the 6-1 fourth choice, won the 1999 Atto Mile via disqualification and finished a close third in the race last year. He will be ridden by Todd Kabel and Strut the Stage by Robby Albarado.

The field, in post order with riders, will be Nuclear Debate (Gary Stevens), Krieger (Eibar Coa), Dumaani Star (Jim McAleney), Moon Solitaire (Richard Migliore), Good Journey, Touch of the Blues (Corey Nakatani), Quiet Resolve, Strut the Stage, Chopinina (Emile Ramsammy), Autonomy (Patrick Husbands), Del Mar Show, Regal Mister (Steven Bahen), and Noverre.

The race will be run at approximately 5:12 p.m. Eastern.