Gary Tanaka’s French import ATLANDO (Ire) (Hernando [Fr]) made an impressive
U.S. debut when unleashing a furious last-to-first run to capture the $150,000
Knickerbocker H. (G3) at Belmont on Sunday. Content to sit at the back of the
pack beneath Jerry Bailey, the gelding closed with a fury in completing the nine-furlong grass race in 1:50 4/5 over good going. Sent off at 5-1 odds, the winner
was worth $12.60, $7.20 and $4.80 while topping exotics of $114 (exacta), $856
(trifecta) and $3,646 (superfecta).
Certifiably Crazy (Fit to Fight) led the field through fractions of :25, :50
1/5, 1:14 and 1:39 for the mile, and ran very well to earn the place at 6-1. The
five-year-old, who was 1 1/2 lengths clear of third, paid $5.90 and $5.50 .
Rousing Victory (Victory Gallop) was in good position turning for home but could
not match strides with the top pair, settling for the show at 11-1, and paying
$6.30 in the process. We All Love Aleyna (Nines Wild), the 2-1 favorite,
completed the superfecta.
Battle Chant (Coronado’s Quest) came next and was followed by Request For
Parole (Judge T C), Cottage (Arg) (Ibero [Arg]), Ecclesiastic (Pulpit), Latino
Magic (Ire) (Lion Cavern) and Sir Walter Rahy (Rahy). Saint Stephen (Saint
Ballado) and main-track only entrants Ice Wynnd Fire (Northern Afleet) and
Evening Attire (Black Tie Affair [Ire]) were withdrawn.
The improving Atlando has now won four of his last five starts, with the lone loss
coming as a third in the La Coupe de Maissons-Lafitte (Fr-G3). His lifetime line now stands
at 13-5-1-1 with a bankroll of $203,765.
The winner was bred in Ireland by Skymarc Farm Inc., and produced from the
unraced Atlantic Blue (Nureyev).