Rob Atras Celebrates ‘Breakthrough Year’ With Maracuja In 2021

Just two live race days remain in 2021 to complete a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit. The NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of New York-based racing personalities to get their reflections on a memorable year.

Canadian-born trainer Rob Atras – with the support of his wife and assistant Brittney -went out on his own in 2019 following a tenure working as an assistant for Robertino Diodoro.

The 36-year-old native of Winnipeg, Manitoba has steadily improved his stock over the course of three seasons, enjoying his best year yet in 2021 [336-70-51-51, $3,942,669] by securing his first graded stakes victory with American Power in the Grade 3 Toboggan in January at the Big A, which was followed in March by Chateau's score in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap. In July, Atras secured his first Grade 1 victory with Maracuja in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course.

How would you describe your 2021 campaign?

Atras: “It's been a breakthrough year in a sense. We upgraded our stock quite a bit and that showed in the results. We won a couple of graded stakes races earlier in the year and capped it off with a Grade 1 win with Maracuja. We have a bigger barn, but we have a lot of quality in our barn as well. Last year we were in the high 30s and now we have close to 50 horses in the barn.”

Every trainer's business model is different – describe yours.

Atras: “We go for quality over quantity and we try to be competitive every time we enter. If a horse can win a race, they're good at any level in my book. We have some good 2-year-olds this year and we've had some owners send us homebreds as well as some bought from the sales – so, we have an all-around stable.

“There's so many things that go into the success. We have really good exercise riders, grooms and hotwalkers in the barn. Our foreman, Rafael Lechuga, has been with us since Day One. It's fun to win any race, just to have everyone smile, celebrate and be happy together. They put a lot of pride into their work.”

What was your favorite win this year?

Atras: “We had a lot of winners and a lot of memorable wins this year. But it's tough to not say Maracuja in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. The whole race was fun. She broke well and then I got to wondering if they were going a little quick. Then seeing her back up [down the backstretch] I was wondering, 'What's going on here, are we out of horse.' But then she starts picking up steam again. In that moment, I was thinking she could at least hit the board, so I felt relieved she wasn't stopping. Down the stretch, I was just thrilled to be in the race, and then for her to get her nose down and beat a filly like Malathaat is just out of this world.

“It was just a real heads up ride by Ricardo Santana, Jr. In a Grade 1 – under that much pressure – to make the decision to drop back like that was pretty impressive.”

What was it like being featured on America's Day At The Races?

Atras: “That was neat. It's a great program and it was cool to be featured on there. My mom and dad watch it, they don't miss a race. We came into the CCA Oaks as underdogs. We were a little disappointed that we couldn't replicate that in her next race in the Alabama, but that's alright.”

As someone who maintains a heavy division in New York all year long, what are the benefits of the New York racing and breeding program.

Atras: “If I had some land, I wish I could have a few mares out of New York. They run for great money and have great incentives for the breeders and owners. I think it's a great program. The quality is there, too. You can see it in the races with deeper fields and this year you get a 3-year-old horse like Americanrevolution to win a Grade 1 [Cigar Mile] against older horses. There's a lot of nice New York-breds here, for sure.”

What are your goals for 2022?

Atras: “Keep winning! We had a great year this year and I'd love to carry that into next year and build on it. I'm also sending a small string to Oaklawn for the winter. Maracuja will be there and hopefully her first start or two will be down there before she comes back to New York. We'll bring a few local horses to run in some of the claiming races and maybe pick up some horses to bring back up to New York in the spring.”

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Firenze Fire Looks to Stay Hot in Nerud

Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) has scored half of his 14 lifetime victories at Belmont and looks to add to that Saturday as the favorite in the GII John A. Nerud S., a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint S. Victorious in this event last year in his second start for the Kelly Breen barn, the Mr. Amore Stable homebred was off the board in his next two attempts in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and GI Forego S. at Saratoga. Returning to winning ways back at Belmont in the GII Vosburgh Invitational S. in September, the bay checked in third in the Breeders' Cup in November and closed out 2020 with a close second in Gulfstream's GIII Mr. Prospector S. Making his 2021 bow at Belmont, he captured the GIII Runhappy S. May 8 and followed suit in the GII True North S. June 4.

Previously trained by Greg Sacco, MGISW Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) makes his first start for the Todd Pletcher barn here. He hasn't seen the winner's circle since March 2020 when he captured the GIII Tom Fool H. at Aqueduct. Runner-up in the GI Carter H. in April, he failed to fire when seventh in the GI Churchill Downs S. last time May 1.

American Power (Power Broker) enters off a third-place finish in the True North. He captured the GIII Toboggan S. earlier this term. Also exiting the True North is fourth-place finisher Wicked Trick (Hat Trick {Jpn}), who finished a solid second in the GIII Westchester S. in his prior start May 1.

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Keeneland Catalogs 18 For May Digital Sale

The Keeneland May Digital Sale features an 18-strong catalog as part of Keeneland's Digital Sales Ring and is now available for viewing at keenelanddigital.com.

Among the lots of interest are hip 2, the 6-year-old stallion American Power (Power Broker), winner of three of his last four trips to the post, including a half-length victory in the GIII Toboggan S. at Aqueduct Jan. 30. The chestnut is being pointed to the GII True North S. at Belmont Park June 4. American Power is consigned by Sean S. Perl Bloodstock.

Three-year-old filly Frozay All Day (Frosted) sells through Taylor Made as hip 8. A daughter of SW & GSP Skipalute (Midnight Lute), the bay hails from the female family of GISW Come Dancing (Malibu Moon) and SP Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality), the dam of Eclipse Award winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) from the same sire line.

To create an account in the Digital Sales Ring, visit portal.keeneland.com. Buyers have the option of direct bidding, allowing one to bid manually or by max bidding, whereby the sales software will bid on behalf of the bidder as he or she is outbid up to a maximum.

Online bidding for the May Digital Sale opens at 10 a.m. ET May 25 and will begin to close that day at 2 p.m.

The post Keeneland Catalogs 18 For May Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Atras Looking To Maintain Hot Streak With Chateau, Maracuja In Aqueduct Stakes

Trainer Rob Atras boasts a 20-9-3-2 record at Aqueduct racetrack in March and he hopes to parlay such prosperity into April with likely stakes contenders Chateau and Maracuja for next Saturday's stakes-laden Wood Memorial Day program at the Ozone Park, N.Y., track.

“We've had a good March, I don't want it to end,” Atras said.

Atras, 37, saddled Michael Dubb's Chateau to a win in the Grade 3 Tom Fool last out on March 6 at the Big A and will take the next step up for Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap at seven furlongs.

The 6-year-old son of Flat Out broke alertly, commanded swift fractions up front, and was never in doubt in the stretch running home a 3 ½-length winner in the Tom Fool. The win produced a career-best 100 Beyer.

Chateau is in the best form of his 33-race career having finished in the money in his last six starts while boasting a 9-5-2-2 record over the Big A main track.

Having never won past 6 ½-furlongs, Atras said there is some concern with the extra furlong.

“He deserves a shot. His last race was a big performance,” Atras said. “We know he loves Aqueduct and seems to relish that surface. Obviously, there are distance questions but only time will tell with him.”

Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja also will step up to the plate for Atras in the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle, a 100-40-20-10 qualifier for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

Third time was the charm for the daughter of third-crop sire Honor Code, who broke her maiden by 3 3/4-lengths on February 21 at Aqueduct over a good track. Trailing the compact field early on as the 4-5 favorite, Maracuja made a four-wide move approaching the top of the stretch and took command nearing the eighth-pole en route to a maiden victory.

Atras also expressed distance concerns with Maracuja, who will be running two turns for the first time in the nine-furlong Gazelle.

“She acts like two turns shouldn't be an issue but it's a big ask going from six and a half furlongs to a mile and an eighth and stepping up to a big race like this,” Atras said. “She's continued to train forwardly, and I think we're going to give it a shot. It's a really big step up. She's a nice filly and she won really professional last time. I would have liked to have had a prep going a mile or something heading into a two-turn race like the Gazelle.”

Atras said he would wait until after the Gazelle to determine the path that Maracuja would go down.

“She is really just race to race with her right now, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. She's just learning things and putting it together,” Atras said.

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche retains the mount on both Chateau and Maracuja.

On Saturday, Atras enjoyed a victory with American Power in the seven-furlong Caixa Eletronica on New York Claiming Championship Day. The 6-year-old Power Broker chestnut battled with fellow stakes-winner Pete's Play Call but ultimately got the better of his foe, securing the win by one length.

Prior to Saturday's victory, American Power gave Atras his first graded stakes win in the Grade 3 Toboggan on January 30 at the Big A.

“He came out of his race really good. He ate everything up and jogged sound this morning, so everything is going well,” Atras said.

Atras said he would continue to space American Power's races out.

“He seems to do better with some space in between races so I'm not sure what we'll look at yet,” Atras said. “We'll mostly just go over him the next few days and then speak to [co-owner] Sandy Goldfarb and see which direction we'll go. I don't think he needs that much time, but with how everything worked out this ended up being the race that we pointed for.”

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