He was sired by the 1860 Derby winner Thormanby, a direct descendant of the Byerley Turk, out of the mare Hurricane, who had won the 1000 Guineas for Lord Falmouth in 1862.

[5] Atlantic's performances established him as a colt of some ability, but he appeared to be some way below the best of his generation and was not considered to be one of the major contenders for the following year's Classics.

[6] Atlantic began his three-year-old season at the Newmarket Craven meeting in April, where he claimed two more prizes without racing when he was allowed to walk over in two Sweepstakes.

Ridden by the seventeen-year-old Fred Archer, Atlantic disputed the lead from the start and with two furlongs to travel only Reverberation and Ecossais remained as challengers.

The favourite was the first of the three to weaken and after "a most exciting set-to"[7] Atlantic prevailed by a neck from the fast-finishing Reverberation with Ecossais third and the rest of the field well beaten.

[9] In the race Atlantic was settled behind the leaders, but although he made progress in the straight he was unable to reach the front and finished third, beaten two lengths and a neck by George Frederick and Couronne de Fer.

[13] At the end of 1874, Atlantic was sold to Baron Arthur de Schickler and exported to France where he was based at his new owner's Chateau Martinvast stud, near Cherbourg.