INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
MAY 26, 2014
Sir Winsalot books BC Turf berth
by Diego H. Mitagstein, Turf Diario
Warning! If the owners of Sir Winsalot accept the invitation to make the trip
to California to run in the November 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), Argentina will
have enough reasons to have big dreams for him. The four-year-old son of Lasting
Approval offered a virtuoso performance in the
Gran
Premio 25 de Mayo (Arg-G1) at 1 1/2 miles on Sunday at San Isidro Racetrack,
winning by 12 lengths and earning an automatic Breeders’ Cup Challenge berth for
the World Championships at Santa Anita Park.
In just his first start over 1 1/2 miles, Sir Winsalot, the 2.85-1 second
choice, destroyed his nine rivals including the favored Soy Carambolo, a son of
2001 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Val Royal, and last year’s Argentine Horse of the
Year.
“He is a different horse, one of the big ones, and makes everything easy,
either to train or at the time of the competition.” said Brazilian jockey Altair
Domingos, happy as a kid with the victory. “We had confidence before the race,
and he responded as expected. I hope their owners make the decision to travel to
the United States, because they have a horse to dream big.”
Owned by Herman Stambuk of Stud Mirko and trained by Jose Luis Palacios, Sir
Winsalot allowed Don’t Worry to set the pace throughout as both horses separated
themselves from field through the first 1 1/8 miles. Accelerating like a gray
streak at the end of the far turn, Sir Winsalot increased his margin by widening
lengths approaching the wire, finishing in 2:32.36 over a very soft turf course.
Soy Carambolo was a well beaten second, just a short head in front to Damaskino,
who is also trained by Palacios.
Stambuk, the owner, was over the moon in the winner’s circle: “One always
dreams finding a horse as him, and luckily we can now enjoy it. We preferred to
not even talk about the possibility of traveling to the United States before the
race; but now yes it will be time to do it.”
Palacios was impressed with the development of Sir Winsalot.
“We worked to bring him to run at longer distances since his last race and
had no doubt that would be able to accomplish it. Now we are close to the dream
of running a Breeders’ Cup, and, of course, that excites me.”
Bred by Cesar Pasarotti, Sir Winsalot is by Lasting Approval out of Rainbow
Corner’s dam Condicionada, a half sister to Group 1 winner Little Jim (Roar).
Sir Winsalot has won five of his last seven starts and came into the Gran Premio
25 de May with a second place finish by a head in the Gran Premio de Honor (G1)
on April 2 at Palermo at 1 1/4 miles. Sir Winsalot won his season debut in
February, capturing the Clasico Horatio Bustillo (G3) at San Isidro.