All Eyes on Monsieur Delon on Independence Day

The horse owned by futbol star Nacho Fernández will look to continue his dominance at La Plata against a large and competitive field in the 9 de Julio (G3)

Monsieur Delon heads into the race off back-to-back wins at La Plata / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

LA PLATA.- The Clásico 9 de Julio – Día de la Independencia (G3, 1600m, dirt) shapes up as a terrific race this afternoon at La Plata, with nearly all of the top local milers set to compete for one of the season’s most prestigious trophies.

With only Storm Sound (Hi Happy) missing, the Buenos Aires-based Monsieur Delon (Il Campione) assumes favoritism following two impressive wins at this track as he looks to solidify his standing atop the division. He first captured the Clásico Colombia, then confirmed his form in the Clásico 25 de Mayo de 1810 (G2), narrowly defeating Paraná Miní(Winning Prize) by half a neck.

That rival will be among his toughest challengers again today. After their last meeting, Paraná Miní finished fourth in the Clásico About Today, behind Señor Dan (Señor Candy) and Indy Pro (Indy Point), both of whom return here aiming for major roles.

Paraná Miní will hope to control the pace comfortably, though achieving that scenario appears unlikely. Should the tempo be strong, his chances would diminish, while Monsieur Delon’s prospects would only improve.

Shipping in from San Isidro’s Campo 2, Don Ritual (Daddy Long Legs) enters off a confidence-boosting conditional win over the useful Giant Rimout (Remote). A similar profile belongs to Sabiyano (Fortify), who recently defeated Don Martir (Il Campione) in another northern allowance.

Winning four straight is a significant accomplishment for El Emporio (Il Campione), though his streak included a couple of lengthy breaks. He returned from one such layoff with a seven-length romp over 1300 meters and deserves this step up in class.

Hale Bopp (Equal Stripes) has always carried high expectations but has yet to deliver, while Real Craf(Mastercraftsman) impressed with a strong recent victory and could be an intriguing upset chance.