After rating in seventh early and then in sixth well into the final turn of the $101,500 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) March 22 at Santa Anita Park, Atitlan unleashed a blazing move to surge past horses entering the stretch on his way to a clear victory.
Looking for his first graded or group stakes win, Divin Propos opened a couple of lengths in early stretch on his seven rivals in Saturday's 1 1/2-mile turf race for 4-year-olds and older, but Atitlan sustained his rally through the stretch, surged past Divin Propos near the eighth pole, and posted a two-length win.
Campaigned by John M. B. O'Connor and trained by John Shirreffs, Atitlan added a second graded stakes win to his record as the 4-year-old son of The Factor won last year's 1 1/8-mile Twilight Derby (G2T) in October on the Santa Anita turf.
Winning jockey Hector Berrios delivered a smart ride as Atitlan completed the race in 2:24.73. He was followed home by three horses trained by Phil D'Amato in Divin Propos, Gold Phoenix, and 6-5 favorite Easter.
Atitlan was bred in Kentucky by Anastasie Astrid Christiansen-Croy. She's out of the German-bred mare Armanda, a daughter of four-time leading German sire Acatenango, who also is a two-time leading broodmare sire in his home country.
