Argentine Star Cima de Areco Set for U.S. Debut

Undefeated, heroine of the 2024 Gran Premio Enrique Acebal (G1), is set to run next Thursday in a one-mile turf conditions race at Keeneland

Cima de Areco at the finish, capturing the Enrique Acebal/ JUAN I. BOZZELLO

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).- The time has come for another of Argentina’s—and South America’s—brightest prospects to make her U.S. debut. Undefeated Cima de Areco is set to break her stateside bow next Thursday at Keeneland.

The Cima de Triomphe filly will contest the eighth race on the card, a demanding $130,000 allowance over one mile on the turf. Of the 16 entries (four also listed as alternates), she will be the only one not to receive Lasix.

Trained by H. Graham Motion for Japanese owners Hironaga Hashimoto and Yuki Hashimoto, the chestnut filly will break from the tricky gate one and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, a regular among the leading riders at this beautiful track.

Cima de Areco hasn’t raced since winning the Gran Premio Enrique Acebal (G1) at San Isidro on November 2, 2024, a performance that confirmed the promise she had shown earlier with victory in the Clásico Federico de Alvear (G2)under Juan Saldivia’s care.

Bred at Haras San Lorenzo de Areco, the filly has been training for some time at Fair Hill, Motion’s U.S. base, though always lightly, in line with her trainer’s style. In her most recent work over the synthetic track, she covered 1,000 meters in 1:02.80 just a week ago.

Her rivals include a strong field, beginning with Malleymoo (English Channel), trained by Chad Brown and set to be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., who will look to recapture her Penn Oaks (L) form.

Cheetah Lady (Quality Road), fresh off a win at Kentucky Downs, is another to watch, while Make the Boys Wink(More Than Ready), who finished third in the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, will be handled by Ignacio Correas (h.).

Cairo Street (Cairo Prince) arrives with three straight wins at Colonial Downs, and others bringing potential threats include Foreseen (Uncle Mo), Reagan's Flame (Flameaway), Maxisuperfly (Optimizer), and Queen Judith (Empire Maker).

It promises to be a competitive debut for the Argentine filly as she takes her first steps on U.S. soil.