Trainer Alfredo Gaitan Dassie and jockey Eduardo Ortega
Pavon were the stars on the Carreras de las Estrellas card, the Argentinean version of the Breeders’ Cup, held
Saturday at the San Isidro Racetrack. The pair won three of the six Group 1
races on the day, including the Gran
Premio Estrellas Classic with Taifas — a real surprise for most of the fans.
The son of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Val Royal, out
of Fitzcarraldo’s mare Sisinia, came from behind in the stretch to beat favored
Girlie by just three parts of a length. Hagrid finished third by a neck.
Owned by Fernando and Jose Santamarina’s Stud Las
Hormigas, Taifas was on hiatus for nearly a year, returning to win an allowance
over this course and distance on May 31.
“The horse really surprise me, but I liked the
way he won his last time out,” Gaitan Dassie said. “I told the owner that the Classic was
a good option with nothing to lose.”
Acertame, who’s owner paid a supplement of 550.000 pesos
(almost $100,000), finished a disappointing 12th.
The Dassie and Pavon team also won the Gran Premio
Estrellas Juvenile with maiden Got Talent. The Stud Haras Cachagua colorbearer
avenged his loss to Gracias Roman a month ago in the Gran Premio Gran Critrium.
Dassie, a specialist with
maidens stepping up to Group 1 company, was the previous trainer of Suggestive
Boy,
who graduated in the Raul y Raul E. Chevalier S. after finishing second in his debut.
Dassie and Pavon teamed up to take the Sprint with
the three-year-old filly She’s Happy. The Haras Futuro homebred beat City Glam by two lengths in the lady finale.
Juhayna all but locked up the champion
two-year-old filly title with her victory in the Group 1 Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile Fillies. She finished a short
neck ahead of stablemate Ultimo Sueno.
Miss Serendipity upset champion La Laguna Azul, who was coming of a five-month layoff, in the Group 1 Gran Premio Estrellas Distaff. Favored Candy Marie, winner in her previous three starts this year, was third.
In the Group 1 Mile, leading rider Pablo Falero tied Peruvian
rider Jacinto Herrera with the most Estrellas wins with 21 when he piloted Johnny Guitar to victory. The Santa
Maria de Araras homebred, who won last year’s Gran Premio Two Thousand Guineas, was much the best through the final strides,
hitting the line 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Sabat Husson. Favored Todo Un Amiguito, who was
making his first start over turf, finished third.
Kir Royal took the
Listed Estrellas Junior Sprint to kick off the estrellas races.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com