San Luis Obispo

Atlando lands Obispo

Gary Tanaka's ATLANDO (Ire) (Hernando [Fr]), sent off as the 2-5 favorite as

part of a three-way entry

with King's Drama (Ire) (King's Theatre [Ire]) and Aubonne (Ger) (Monsun), roared home

the winner by three parts of a length in the

San Luis Obispo H. (G2) at Santa Anita on

Sunday. Traveling in sixth under jockey Martin Pedroza, the bay

gelding rated off the pace set by Modern Era (Aus) (Marscay), who carved out splits of :46

3/5, 1:10

4/5 and 1:35 1/5 over the turf course. The Darrell Vienna

trainee then moved into the fourth spot three wide as Modern Era completed 1 1/4

miles in 1:59 3/5. Atlando gained the lead nearing midstretch as the former

leader faded, and he held on for the victory under urging,

completing 1 1/2 miles over the firm grass in 2:23 4/5.

T. H. Approval (With Approval), who had been running one position ahead of Atlando for

most of the trip, settled for second. Atlando's entry-mate,

King's Drama, had been tracking in second at every point of call, but after

briefly getting the lead at the top of the lane, was not

able to keep up with the surging winner and runner-up, eventually winding up in the bronze position.

"There were different instructions the whole week because this horse had

never been a mile and a half," Pedroza said. "Everything changed when I got to

the paddock. Instead of riding closer than normal to the pace, I was told to

just ride him my way, and I did. He's got a helluva kick. I was saving as much

as I could and I really didn't think the distance was going to be a problem."

Atlando and King's Drama gave back $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10, leading $1 exotics

of $2.40 (exacta) and a $12.50 trifecta which included 24-1 Bullistic (Holy

Bull). Clipperdown (Ire) (Green Desert) completed the $35.70 superfecta

(1-6-2-8) while Bouthan (Fr) (Sadler's Wells), Modern Era and Aubonne rounded

out the order of finish. Fantastic Spain (Fantastic Fellow) and Balustrade

(Green Dancer) were scratched from the race.

"It was a beautiful ride," Vienna said. "I thought we might be closer, but I

told Martin (Pedroza) -- forget what I've been telling everybody in the press --

wherever he sits, he's got to relax to get a mile and a half, and he got him

perfectly relaxed. He saved ground and then came around horses with a fresh

horse."

Bred in Ireland by Skymarc Farm, the gelding is out of the Nureyev mare

Atlantic Blue, who is herself a daughter of 1990 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner

Hail Atlantis (Seattle Slew). Atlando's dam is thus a half-sister to multiple

stakes winner and sire Stormy Atlantic. This is the immediate family of Blue

Grass S. (G1) hero Bandini (Fusaichi Pegasus).

A stakes winner in France, where he was also Group 3-placed, Atlando was

posting his second victory in

four U.S. starts. After capturing the Knickerbocker H. (G3) in his first North American

start last October, he came home second

to multiple Grade 2 winner Badge of Silver (Silver Deputy) in the San Gabriel H.

(G2), then just missed the board when fourth in the San Marcos S. (G2) to Grade 1 winner

The Tin Man (Affirmed) last out. This victory improves Atlando's line to

16-6-2-1 with $332,765 in earnings.