 |
Dateline: 9/05/02
Some of the best turf milers in the world will compete Sunday at Woodbine in the Grade 1 Atto Mile (formerly the Woodbine Mile). With a purse of $1 million (Canadian) guaranteed, the sixth renewal has attracted a fine field of thirteen turf specialists and some of the top jockeys in North America and Europe.
Several of the entrants are hot prospects for the Breeders' Cup Mile in October at Arlington Park.
This year the race will only be televised live on SportsNet in Canada from 4:30pm to 5:30-pm EDT Sunday and will also be part of the ESPN2 broadcast of the Woodward Stakes from 4:00-5:00pm EDT. If you can't get that in your area, you can also watch it live online from Woodbine. Past performances will be available free at Equibase and Glenners will have his picks available Saturday.
Post positions were drawn Thursday and here is this year's field:
Guest drawmaster Toronto Maple Leaf goaltender Ed Belfour and race sponsor John Atto at the post position draw.
In 1999 the race yielded its first Breeders' Cup Mile winner when Silic moved forward off a 5th place finish in the Atto Mile while the first two runnings gave a 2nd place finisher (Geri, 1997) and 3rd place finisher (Labeeb, 1998) and 2000 yielded a 4th place finish by Affirmed Success. The race has quickly become a major prep for the Breeders' Cup Mile despite its short history.
Strut the Stage and Del Mar Show who finished 1-2 in the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico will have a rematch in the Atto Mile.
| Post Pos. | Horse | Wgt | Trainer | Jockey | M/L Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuclear Debate | 121 | Vienna | Stevens | 15-1 |
| 2 | Krieger | 117 | Orseno | Coa | 30-1 |
| 3 | Dumaani Star | 117 | Yu | McAleney | 50-1 |
| 4 | Moon Solitaire | 121 | Cochran | Migliore | 20-1 |
| 5 | Good Journey | 121 | Dollase | Day | 4-1 |
| 6 | Touch of the Blues | 121 | Drysdale | Nakatani | 8-1 |
| 7 | Quiet Resolve | 119 | Frostad | Kabel | 6-1 |
| 8 | Strut the Stage | 121 | Frostad | Albarado | 15-1 |
| 9 | Chopinina | 114 | Fehr | Ramsammy | 30-1 |
| 10 | Autonomy | 117 | Oliver | Husbands | 30-1 |
| 11 | Del Mar Show | 121 | Mott | Bailey | 3-1 |
| 12 | Regal Mister | 117 | Armata | Bahen | 50-1 |
| 13 | Noverre | 121 | bin Suroor | Dettori | 7-2 |
 Quiet Resolve is back for his third try at the Atto Mile. He won in 1999 and was 3rd in 2001. |
Atto Mile and Canadian racing links:
- Atto Mile Special - from Woodbine
- Woodbine Daily Sheet - from Jim Mazur and Jim Bannon
- Atto Mile Special from Equibase with free program, past performances, ChartPlus, and articles
- Glenners' Picks - available Saturday
- Current weather
- Scratches and changes
- Results Chart from Equibase (available late Sunday)
- 2001 Atto Mile coverage won by Numerous Times
- 2000 Atto Mile coverage won by Riviera
- 1999 Atto Mile coverage - won by Quiet Resolve after Hawksley Hill was disqualified
- 1998 Winner - Labeeb, now standing stud at Gainsborough Farm
- 1997 Winner - Geri, now standing stud at Brookside Farm
Photos ©2002 Cindy Pierson Dulay, licensed to About
