Back on home turf after competing in Grand Circuit action north of the border, high-profile trotting mare Atlanta made a rare qualifying appearance at The Meadows on Monday, Oct. 4 in preparation for a trip to The Red Mile this weekend.
Driver Dave Palone pulled Atlanta from the pocket at the 1:28 third quarter mark after following the lightly raced three-year-old filly Sweet Hope and sprinted a :26.4 final frame to win by 20 lengths in 1:54.4 over a sloppy track. Four-year-old gelding Laramie and maiden sophomore One Foot In Heaven trailed in second and third.
The Ron Burke trainee finished third behind winner When Dovescry and runner-up Sorella last time out in the $233,000 Armbro Flight Stakes on September 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. She won last year's Allerage Farms Open Trot at The Red Mile.
at The Red Mile. (Amanda Stephens Photo)
Atlanta has won half of her eight starts this season while banking $289,428 for Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant and Howard Taylor. The six-year-old Chapter Seven mare's 2021 victories include the Sebastian K Invitational, Dr. John R. Steele Memorial Trot and the Joie De Vie Trot.
A 29-time career winner, Atlanta has amassed $3,149,038 in lifetime earnings while collecting an O'Brien Award and a pair of Dan Patch Award trophies.