Atomica nukes Portmore

GARY SUBRATIE’S ATOMICA annihilated the opposition in yesterday’s Portmore Guineas prep, registering a twelve-and-a-quarter length victory, rendering the fillies’ mile classic a mere formality come June 4.

Now unbeaten in four starts, the Nuclear Wayne-Honkeytonkville chestnut speedster wasted no time in tackling PRNCSSHOOTINGSTAR, racing as a team past the dummy rail, before taking charge with Dane Dawkins.

ATOMICA, who had given her backers quite a scare, acting up and falling while being loaded into the gate, cruised into the lane at prohibitive odds of 1-2, before sprinting clear to clock a decent 1:32.3 for seven and a half furlongs.

The Oakridge Farms-owned filly’s devastating turn of foot when asked to run by Dawkins, a six-furlong split of 1:11.1, left rivals floundering, including Anthony Nunes’ NEFERTARI, who had excited the clockers last Sunday morning, albeit doing so on a fast track.

Despite improving after leaving the gate slowly for her third consecutive race, NEFERTARI’s best showing was straightening third before flattening in a three-way photo for the minors, finishing fourth behind runner-up OUR ANGEL and third-place SILENT MISSION.

Nunes’ second runner in the nine-horse field, GOLDEN WATTLE, Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes winner and runner-up to ATOMICA in last month’s Thornbird Stakes, could only manage fifth, leaving a blot on her chances against ATOMICA in the Guineas at a mile.

DAWKINS DOMINANCE

Dawkins dominated the 11-race card, ATOMICA being his third of four winners, which edged him into the lead past champion jockey Anthony Thomas in their battle atop the riders’ standings.

Starting the day on 28 winners to Thomas’ 31, Dawkins first struck astride 2-1 chance HIGH DIPLOMACY, making all in the fourth event for $750,000 claimers, turning back BLOOD FIRE at seven and a half furlongs.

Dawkins similarly repelled 1-2 favourite SHE’S FANTASTIC in the eighth event at six furlongs, using Ian Parsard’s MILA’S ALL THAT to keep the speedster honest in a backstretch duel before pulling away inside the final furlong and a half.

Parsard’s MAHOGANY provided Dawkins with back-to-back armchair rides after booting home ATOMICA, hopping to the front shortly after the start to blitz overnight-allowance rivals with speed, clocking 1:11.1 for six furlongs in an out-of-class performance.

Racing continues this afternoon with a nine-race card featuring the Kingston 2000 Guineas prep for colts and geldings.