Atreides returns a winner in Aventura
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Stonestreet Stables LLC's Atreides rode a perfect three-race win streak into the Grade 2 Indiana Derby last out on October 4, but exited that 1 1/16-mile contest with his first loss. On Sunday, the dark bay sophomore got back to his winning ways with a romping 4 1/2-length score in the $50,000 Gulfstream Park to move his record to 5-4-0-0. Atreides didn't have an easy time in his return, squeezed by rivals at the start before settling into stride beneath regular rider Edgard Zayas, who was replaced by Joel Rosario in the Indiana Derby. Back in the irons for this engagement, Zayas allowed Atreides to track the pacesetting Dudeman through splits of :24 2/5, :47 4/5 and 1:12 before moving up to challenge the leader. The duo battled it out for a brief time in the lane before Atreides asserted his class and pulled away to finish a mile on the fast dirt in 1:37 1/5. "He had a tough break. They squeezed him pretty bad at the start," Zayas stated. "After that, he just doesn't like to get dirt in the face, so I just took him out of there and got him in the clear. Once he's in the clear he just keeps rolling.
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"I knew I had (Dudeman). Once I asked him he responded, so I just was waiting
for the stretch to let him go."
Atreides romped in his initial three starts, all at Gulfstream Park. He broke
his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths on July 12, scored a three-length optional
claiming victory on August 10 and returned just 20 days after that one to take
his stakes debut in the Monarchos by 17 lengths. With the Aventura added to his
scorecard, the Medaglia d'Oro colt has racked up $120,176 in career earnings.
"I think he's as good as he was. He just needed this race," Zayas said. "He
hadn't run since Indiana and those trips are pretty tough for the horses. He
came out of it good and for the next race, he's going to keep getting better and
better."
That next race is likely to come in the Grade 3, $150,000 Hal's Hope Stakes
at Gulfstream on January 10, according to trainer Marty Wolfson. The horseman had said before the Aventura that he drew a line
through Atreides past performance line in the Indiana Derby.
"I just thought he would have showed something there. For him to sit back in
sixth when they run a half in :48, we were very disappointed in the race," Wolfson
remarked.
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