Saturday, October 1, 2022
HALLANDALE BEACH - Trainer Jose Pinchin and Michael Bernard’s Atomically foiled Lynx’s bid to sweep the 2022 fillies division of the Florida Sires Stakes Saturday at Gulfstream, drawing away to a dominating 6 ¾-length victory in the $400,000 My Dear Girl.
The My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile final for the fillies division of the series for juveniles sired by accredited Florida stallions, co-headlined Saturday’s Sire Stakes program with the $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile finale for the colts and geldings division.
Arindel’s Lynx had devastated her competition in the stretch run of all three of her previous starts, closing strongly to win her debut before trouncing her rivals in the first two legs of the FSS series, the $100,000 Desert Vixen at six furlongs and the $200,000 Susan’s Girl at seven furlongs. Yet, it was Atomically ($7.60) who was the stronger filly in the stretch Saturday while scoring her first stakes victory in her first start in this year’s series.
The daughter of hugely successful first-crop sire Girvin debuted with a third-place finish on Aug. 22 before graduating by seven lengths in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race on Sept. 2. Atomically was racing around two turns for the first time and broke from the No. 9 post position for her stakes debut.
“She was training so good. And her numbers were so good. Her numbers were way above everybody else in the race,” said Pinchin, whose wife Tracy and Bernard bred Atomically. “We weren’t overly concerned about [the post]. The only thing we were concerned about was whether she was seasoned enough, because she only had two runs.”
Lynx got away from the gate cleanly from her No. 2 post but was shuffled back to fifth on the first turn, as Dreaming In Style sprinted for the lead with Time Passage, Dorth Vader and Cajun Tease in pursuit. Atomically advanced along the backstretch on the outside of horses under Edgar Perez to enter contention following a half-mile in :47.90 seconds.
Atomically swept to the lead on the far turn while Lynx got clear to make her run. Although Lynx made a solid run into the stretch, the 4-5 favorite was no match for the Pinchin trainee, who lengthened her advantage to the wire.
“I thought I was in a perfect position and at the half-mile pole I had a lot of horse,” Perez said. “I asked her to run and she went.”
Pinchin had previous success in the series, saddling Three Rules for a sweep of the 2016 colts and geldings division.
Atomically ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.35. Lynx held second under Edgard Zayas, 4 ¼ lengths clear of Dorth Vader.
Scandalous Act (2013) was the last filly to sweep her division of the FSS series. Champion Awesome Feather (2010), Aclassysassylassy (2004) and Nancy’s Glitter (1997) had previously accomplished the feat.
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