Atomic Eclipse Wins Poker Stakes for Second Time

By Nynl Stables on June 10, 2023

The Poker Stakes (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
BEL- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
June 10, 2023

The Poker Stakes got the day started at BEL on Saturday, and we would have a repeat winner of the race as the 2021 Poker Stakes winner, Atomic Eclipse, made it two out of three this year. We dropped the ball in the preview by overlooking that he had won this race two years ago, doing so previously as a member of La Canada Racehorses. In 2023, his victory comes while in the silks of Spankys Barn, who picked up the gelding last year in private sales. Atomic Eclipse was not a part of our picks for the race, but he still went off at odds of close to 7/1 while actually being the third choice on the board even with that price. For Spankys Barn, it is his first win in the Poker Stakes, and that is also true for jockey F Prat. Congratulations to them! The race went in a time of 1:32.23, the second quickest in the race’s history. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :23.05)- From the far outside, Mock Galaxy breaks very well out of the gate for Nakamura Stables, but not quite as quickly as the veteran Xmas Snow would, and it would be the Rock Creek entry with a slight advantage as we head down the backstretch. Both of these horses are able to move to inside pretty quickly. Stalking them, we have a group of three who are heads apart, with the outside horse here, Our Athletes- trained Hawaiian Lord scored as being slightly ahead of the others. Head Under Frock, from Night Rider Stables, and Kings Poker, from Wood Duck Stables, run with him. Booker is next for TwinTowersRacing, and to his inside is the eventual race winner, Atomic Eclipse, for Spankys Barn. Commanding Officer (Winning Link Stables) is within a length on the far outside, then Brevard (Grimley) and Deactivation (Mb Stables) close by. One Eyed Man (Sheffler Stables) sees them all in front of him for now.

(1/2 Mile- :46.19)- Xmas Snow leads the way down the backstretch, holding a length lead over Mock Galaxy. It’s another length to Hawaiian Lord, who prepares to round the turn while running three wide. Battling for fourth are Kings Poker and Head Under Frock, and they are about two lengths from the front. Commanding Officer is next, and another horse who is going to have a wide trip in the turn. In the middle of the field, we have Booker by a neck over Atomic Eclipse, and they are about three and a half lengths from the lead. Brevard and Deactivation are next, with a gap to the trailer, One Eyed Man.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Xmas Snow handles the turn well, but he begins to feel more pressure as we enter the stretch. Mock Galaxy had always been close to him, but now he right alongside and looking a little better at this point in the race. Hawaiian Lord may have been wide but was in good shape as well. Gaining ground, especially in the second half of the turn, was Atomic Eclipse, putting Booker away but also making the move to get by Kings Poker, as well as Commanding Officer, who was still on the outside. Atomic Eclipse was now within a length of the lead and positioned right behind Mock Galaxy. Brevard and Deactivation were lacking response, and One Eyed Man had a lot of work to do.

(Finish- 1:32.23)- Into the stretch, Hawaiian Lord takes the top spot and looks to prevail in the duel between Xmas and Mock Galaxy and get the win. Unfortunately for him, Mock Galaxy was exceptionally courteous and moved down a lane to allow for a clear and wide opening for Atomic Eclipse to come through without breaking stride. Atomic Eclipse knew exactly what to do with this opportunity and came bursting through, and there would be nothing that Hawaiian Lord could do about it. In the end, the 2021 Poker Stakes winner scores his second win the stake, doing so by a length over Hawaiian Lord, and it would be two more lengths to a third-place dead heat between Mock Galaxy and the “I must’ve thought this race was going to be nine or ten furlongs” very late running One Eyed Man. Commanding Officer was in the proximity of this third-place photo as well. Round it out, it’s Xmas Snow, Kings Poker, Head Under Frock, post-time favorite Deactivation, Booker, and Brevard.

About The Winner- Atomic Eclipse, trained by Spankys Barn and ridden to victory by F Prat, is a six-year-old gelding by Orange Eclipse and is out of Atomic Cat. He was bred by Two Hearts One Love in California as a second quarter two-year-old, and was acquired by Spankys Barn, via La Canada Racehorses, for $25.000 in a July 2022 private sale. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his tenth in 37 starts, his fourth stake win, and third graded win. His career earnings are now $840.630.

Horse Name

Owner Name

Jockey

Odds

Fin

Time

SRF

Atomic Eclipse

Spankys Barn

Prat F

6.80

1¹