Unraced American-bred Atso and a son of Kingmambo has his first crop of two-year-olds racing this season and was credited with a first winner when filly That So Atso made a successful debut over 1200m at Scottsville on Tuesday 3rd April.
Atso may have never seen a racecourse, but he has an attractive pedigree and deserves his opportunity at stud. He is a son of Kingmambo, whose stallion sons include the very successful King’s Best and the more than useful Lemon Drop Kid. Atso is out of the Seattle Slew mare Sea Of Showers, who won four races including the Gr3 Jenny Wiley Stakes. Sea Of Showers in turn is out of Chimes Of Freedom, a dual UK Gr1 winner whose progeny include twice American Gr1 winner Aldebaran, a further American Gr1 winner in Good Journey, and Listed winner Tomisue’s Indy. Atso’s third dam Aviance was a Gr1 winner in Ireland and is the dam of three times American Gr1 winner Denon and the second dam of Spinning World, winner of the Gr1 Irish 2000 Guineas, Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, and Gr1 Prix Jacques le Marois. Aviance is also the ancestress of German Gr1 winner Saddex and of Gr1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe third Sagara.
Now aged seven, Atso was imported in 2008 to stand at the Scott Bros’ Highdown Stud in KZN, where his 2011 fee was published as R6000 live foal.