Pedigree

Atoned's pedigree is a tale of contrasts, with stamina on the top and speed to burn on the bottom. The dark bay is from the first crop of Repent, who was a leading light on the 2002 Kentucky Derby (G1) trail before being sidelined by injury. The winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) and a rallying runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Repent opened his three-year-old campaign with scores in the Risen Star S. (G3) and Louisiana Derby (G2) in his trademark, late-running style. He was shelved after finishing a distant second in the Illinois Derby (G2) and did not return to action until the Travers S. (G1) more than four months later. In that 1 1/4-mile test at Saratoga, Repent launched a stirring charge and fell just a half-length short, turning in arguably the finest effort of his career, albeit in defeat. Repent is himself a son of Louis Quatorze, who rebounded from a dismal 16th in the 1996 Kentucky Derby to win the Preakness S. (G1) in sparkling style, and just missed by a nose in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). With such a profile, Repent will likely transmit his staying capacity to his progeny. Two of his other classic hopefuls, Crown of Thorns and Check It Twice, captured 1 1/16-mile stakes, but unfortunately, both suffered injuries before they faced sterner distance tests.

Atoned's hopes of lasting the Kentucky Derby distance rest largely upon the influence of his sire, for his dam, Amidst, is passing on pure speed. Unplaced in her lone start, Amidst has produced a total of eight winners, and except for Atoned, they were all one-dimensional sprinters. Most of them toiled in lower-end races, with the only useful performer among them being the thrice stakes-placed Major Wager (Valid Wager), a close third in the 6 1/2-furlong Astarita S. (G2). Interestingly, Major Wager is herself the dam of the brilliantly fast three-year-old J Be K (Silver Deputy). Amidst is by the successful stallion Icecapade, a Grade 2-winning half-brother to the legendary Ruffian. Icecapade was a sprinter-miler, and one of his top sons, Clever Trick, has also been a factor on the speedy side of the ledger. Yet, it must be noted that Icecapade has sired several outstanding performers who stayed the classic distance, including Canadian Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Izvestia, Canadian champion grass horse Kingsbridge, and inaugural Breeders' Cup Classic hero Wild Again. Icecapade also ranks as the broodmare sire of Hall of Famer and Horse of the Year Lady's Secret (Secretariat), who garnered the 1986 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at its old distance of 1 1/4 miles.

Amidst is a half-sister to the minor stakes victor and multiple Grade 3-placed Gracious Ghost (Relaunch), whose upper limit was 1 1/16 miles. They were produced by Ambo, a two-time stakes winner sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Ambo was in turn a daughter of the remarkably versatile Olden Times, who captured the historic Metropolitan H. at a mile, as well as the 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano H. Atoned's immediate family appears to have inherited the speed of Olden Times, not his ability to carry it over a route of ground. By adding the distance-loving Repent to the equation, however, Atoned stands a reasonable chance of staying the classic trip.