Last month in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, a 1 3/8-mile race at Del Mar, Atitlan, trained by Richard Mandella, finished a close second, just a neck behind the winner Test Score. Phil D’Amato’s Atomic Age came in third, half a length further behind, while Mondego, trained by Michael McCarthy, ended up fifth, only a length behind the winner.
All three horses—Atitlan, Atomic Age, and Mondego—are set to compete again in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita, which covers 1 ¼ miles.
Atitlan, a 5-year-old son of The Factor, made a strong late surge from last place among 11 runners under jockey Umberto Rispoli in the Del Mar Handicap, narrowly missing the win in only his second start after a 10 ½-month break. Mandella praised the horse’s performance, saying, “He ran a great race. A winning race. We just hope he gets back to that level. He sure seems like it.”
Owned by John M.B. O’Connor, Atitlan had been trained by John Shirreffs, who passed away in February at age 80, until he was transferred to Mandella. This is Mandella’s first time training a horse for O’Connor, a longtime owner. “They called me after John passed and asked if I’d help out,” Mandella explained. Atitlan is the even-money favorite on the morning line for the John Henry Turf Championship.
Mandella is also entering Sinsel as a longshot in the John Henry, confident the Brazilian-imported G1 winner has potential. Sinsel made his U.S. debut in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on August 22, finishing 10th after a layoff due to being eager and pulling early in the race. Mandella expects Sinsel to improve with the longer distance and the benefit of having his second run back, stating, “We knew the mile was a bit too short for him, but we wanted to get a race in. I didn’t think it was too bad. We have reason to think he’s going to run a pretty good race on Saturday.”
Atomic Age, also making his stakes debut, rallied from mid-pack to finish three-quarters of a length behind the winner at long odds (24-1) in the Del Mar Handicap. This 4-year-old gelding by Justify was making his second start as a gelding, both at Del Mar. Trainer D’Amato noted Atomic Age is improving and believes he still has room to grow, saying, “He probably needs to improve a length or two, but I think he’s got it in him.” Atomic Age will again be ridden by Kazushi Kimura and is the third choice on the morning line at 7-2.
Mondego, a 6-year-old English-bred gelding by Lope de Vega, will start as the second favorite at 3-1. In the Del Mar Handicap, he briefly took the lead mid-stretch before finishing a length behind the winner. McCarthy called his performance “a decent effort,” adding, “The shorter stretch at Del Mar didn’t really agree with him. But he ran well both times down there. It seems like he’s enjoying being back at Santa Anita. The heat at Del Mar was a little hard on him. It seems like he has a bit more life, a little more bounce in his step.”
The John Henry Turf Championship is scheduled as the seventh race on Saturday’s 10-race card, with a post time of 4:10 p.m. PT. The field and riders in post position order are: Mondego (Juan Hernandez, 3-1), Sinsel (Hector Berrios, 15-1), Atomic Age (Kazushi Kimura, 7-2), Balladeer (Julien Leparoux, 20-1), Nitti (Victor Espinoza, 10-1), Flashiest (Armando Ayuso, 20-1), Atitlan (Umberto Rispoli, 1-1), and Twirling Point (Ricky Gonzalez, 15-1).
This article was originally published by Paulick Report on September 25, 2026, in their News section.
Fan Take: This exciting showdown between rising turf talent and seasoned competitors highlights the depth and evolving narratives within horse racing, offering fans a thrilling weekend of close competition. Races like the John Henry Turf Championship not only showcase top equine athletes but also honor the legacies of great trainers and owners, enriching the sport’s heritage and future appeal.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
