Horse: Atigun
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Pedigree: By Istan out of a Dynaformer mare (Rimini Road)
Career Record: 9-3-1-0
Career Earnings: $135,253
Notable Races: G1-Arkansas Derby (5th); G2-Rebel Stakes (11th); G2-Kentucky Jockey Club (5th)
2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: Atigun
Can He win The Belmont?
Atigun began his career by racing on the turf and on Polytrack surfaces and struggled to find consistency. Once he made the transition to dirt he became a much better horse, winning three of his next six races. However, all three of those wins came against non-stakes competition and he’s yet to run a race that puts him in the same class as the top contenders in the Belmont.
In terms of pedigree, Atigun’s dam sire, Dynaformer, is a noted stamina influence in American racing and suggests that the mile and a half distance shouldn’t be a huge obstacle to success, at least when compared to the other horses in this field. The problem with Atigun isn’t pedigree or even current form - he’s definitely a horse that’s improved over his last three starts - but simply a matter of class.
In order to have a chance at an upset in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, Atigun is going to need to make a big improvement off of his previous races.
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