Atitlan, a three-time graded stakes winner in the last year, is booked to start in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 30 after missing Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes after kicking a wall.
Trainer John Shirreffs said on Wednesday that Atitlan was jogged “the last few days” after recovering from the incident, which occurred in the days before the $250,500 Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.
“He spread his shoe, and bruised his foot,” Sherriffs said.
Shirreffs said the incident occurred when Atitlan reacted to a loose horse in the stable area.
The $300,000 Del Mar Handicap is run at 1 3/8 miles, a distance Shirreffs said if “perfect” for Atitlan, a 4-year-old colt owned by John O’Connor.
“That’s the race we hope to make,” Shirreffs said. “It’s not like he missed much time.”
The winner of the Del Mar Handicap receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Atitlan has won 4 of 11 starts and earned $426,000. Last October, Atitlan won the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita. This spring, he won consecutive starts on turf at Santa Anita in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles in March and the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on May 3.
In his last start, Atitlan finished fifth by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita on May 26, closing from last of nine in the final half-mile.
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