ARCADIA, Calif. – Atitlan, a two-time graded stakes winner on turf earlier this year, is out of training because of an injury. The setback takes the 4-year-old colt out of consideration for Saturday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.
“He has a little injury and it will prevent him from racing,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “He’ll go to Kentucky and he’ll get a little rest. It could be four-week thing or it could be two months."
Owned by John O’Connor, Atitlan would have been a leading contender in the $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship, run at 1 1/4 miles. Atitlan won consecutive stakes in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes in March and the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes in May. In his last start, Atitlan was third by a neck to Gold Phoenix in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 30.
Gold Phoenix, who has won the last four runnings of the Del Mar Handicap, leads the expected field for the John Henry Turf Championship. The race will not have a large field. Stay Hot and Mondego, second and fifth in the Del Mar Handicap, and Rastaman Vibe, who was claimed for $50,000 on Sept. 7 at Del Mar, are among the other likely runners.
Shirreffs will have two runners in important stakes on Saturday.
Beyond Brilliant is a leading contender in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. A 7-year-old horse, Beyond Brilliant finished third by a length in the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf Aug. 30 at Del Mar, closing from 10th of 11 at 47-1. The narrow loss was Beyond Brilliant’s best result in three starts since returning from a 32-month layoff in July.
Express Train, trained by Shirreffs, is set to run in Saturday’s Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. An 8-year-old, Express Train finished third by a length in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 23 at Del Mar.
The winner of the Goodwood receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Other probable runners in the Goodwood Stakes include Ultimate Gamble, who was third in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 30; Full Serrano, winner of the BC Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November; and Nevada Beach, who won the $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles on June 28 in his last start.
Beyond Brilliant and Express Train race for Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stable. On Saturday, their star 3-year-old Baeza won the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing. Baeza, trained by Shirreffs, is scheduled to start in the BC Classic.
The Santa Anita autumn meeting begins with a nine-race program on Friday. Saturday’s program has five stakes, including the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf. The winner of the City of Hope Mile receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Mile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
In 2024, Johannes won the City of Hope Mile and was second in the BC Mile at Del Mar. Johannes leads the prospective field for the $200,000 City of Hope Mile.
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