Atlantic Convoy, owned by Solomon Sharpe, etched his name in the record books on Saturday, December 7, 2024, winning the second staging of the $3-million Bruceontheloose Sprint over 6 ½ furlongs in a blistering 1:18.4 — a new Stakes Record.

Trained by Patrick Lynch and ridden by Dane Nelson, Atlantic Convoy came from behind runners, splitting horses in deep stretch, and won the Graded Stakes/Open Allowance contest by 6 lengths. Splits were 24.1 x 47.3 x 1:12.1 as Money Market (Dick Cardenas) finished second and Perfect Brew (Victor Sanchez) finished third.

Sharpe, beaming with pride, revealed that Atlantic Convoy’s victory was the culmination of meticulous planning and execution.

“We had a plan, and in 2022, we went to the OBS Sale in Ocala in June and brought five horses. One ran today, Pretty Caroline, she didn’t run well, but we felt good about
Atlantic Convoy,” Sharpe said in a post-race interview.

““We spoke to the trainer a couple of months ago, and we said we’re going to take a route. We want to see how this horse goes around two-turns, and so we’re going to run him in the Jamaica Cup and then we’re going to draw a line.

“I immediately called him after that race and told him that we are going to the Bruceontheloose Sprint next, no matter what. We are going to skip the Mouttet Mile even if we had got it,” Sharpe added.

Sharpe praised the ride of jockey Dane Nelson, who played a pivotal role in Atlantic Convoy’s triumph.

“I was very happy with the ride from Dane Nelson. I spoke with the trainer, and he was very confident in Dane. We thought this horse needed somebody like Dane to ride him, and everything worked as planned,” noted Sharpe.

Sharpe acknowledged a moment of concern during the race but credited Nelson’s expertise for getting Atlantic Convoy back on track.

“I was kind of worried at the three-furlong pole because he took a little check, but being Dane, with how strong he is, it’s not just strong, it’s the rhythm that he has with the horses. He got Atlantic Convoy back in rhythm, he took his spot, and he then came right through,” Sharpe said.

Sharpe reflected on the journey that led to Atlantic Convoy’s historic win. “We wrote a business plan in 2022, and we had to infuse good bloodstock in Jamaica, and that’s what we did when we brought those five horses,” Sharpe stated.