Billion and the easy victory that everyone expected

The son of Galicado prevailed by 8 lengths in the Handicap República de Francia, gifted in the weights

Billion easily cantered through the homestretch / HSI

The "world-class lock" that was Billion in the Handicap República de Francia (2,400 m, dirt), the feature race this Wednesday at San Isidro, played out with very little suspense. Carrying a permissive 58 1/2 kilos, the son of Galicadoprevailed by 8 lengths, making his class and top form felt by his rivals, especially as he dropped back from stakes company following notable results.

Even if he had carried 62 kilos (which arguably should have been assigned to him...), the outcome would have been the same; he was simply on a different level compared to the rest, even though he seemed uncomfortable at certain points.

Dragonet (Treasure Beach, 54) was the usual shaky pacesetter, pulling the strings until the final part of the last turn, where the heavy favorite—paying $1.40—took command to stay. Billion quickly pulled away by several lengths, and the finish was comfortable, just as logic dictated. The time of 2:32.78 was more than acceptable on a loose but consistently firm track.

Trained by Elvio Bortulé for Stud Don Juanca and bred by Haras El Turf—a perennial protagonist in distance races—Billion was guided by jockey Osvaldo Alderete.

This marked the seventh victory in 24 starts for the chestnut, who has now accumulated earnings of 53,078,550 pesos. In terms of stakes success, this was his fifth celebration, adding to his wins in the G3 Coronel Miguel F. Martínez, G3 OSAF, G3 Ayacucho, and Jockey Club del Paraguay, not counting his many graded stakes placings, including at the G1 level.

And he only carried 58 1/2 kilos...