Blessed of Glory looks to prove his Lamadrid triumph was no fluke

The daughter of Hat Ninja will look to repeat her recent stakes triumph, though this time she will carry 56 1/2 kilos and face demanding rivals in Filha, Espouse, and other in-form sprinters

Just twelve days after engineering one of the biggest upsets of recent weeks, Blessed of Glory returns to action facing a considerably tougher assignment: proving that her triumph in the Clásico Lamadrid (L) was no fluke. The daughter of Hat Ninja will headline Friday's feature at Hipódromo de San Isidro, the Clásico La Troienne (L-1000 m, turf).

On that afternoon of November 1, the Stud La Francia colorbearer left plenty of observers stunned. Sent off at odds exceeding 40-to-1 and aided by a featherweight impost of 52 kilos, she prevailed by a head over Vendaval Joy(Roman Joy), leaving Group 1 winner Es por Amor (Strategos) just half a length behind in third, with another Group scorer, Camuflaje (Orpen), finishing fourth—a performance of undeniable merit even accounting for her favorable weight pull.

This time around, the test will be altogether different. Conditioned by Juan Pedro Giles and once again partnered by María Eugenia Schneider, Blessed of Glory will carry 56 1/2 kilos—4 1/2 kilos more than in her upset victory. While she returns to the same straight turf course, she will no longer enjoy the same handicap advantage.

Among her five rivals stands Filha (Nashville Texan), who shoulders top weight of 58 1/2 kilos and brings top-tier credentials into the fray. Representing Stud Masama, she arrives off a sharp effort in the Clásico Venezuela (G2) at Palermo, finishing third behind Lissette Island (Lizard Island) by just over three lengths and confirming her ability to hold her own against the division's elite sprinters. The primary question mark surrounding her is how she will handle the turf in her first start on the grass.

Espouse (Il Campione, 56) also commands plenty of respect after finishing a close second, beaten just half a length by Gran Celestial (Il Mercato), in the Handicap Jerry Honor over this very 1000-meter turf course at San Isidro. That effort makes her a serious threat, particularly if she can reproduce that level of form.

Also looking to make her presence felt is Realizada Cat (Hurricane Cat, 55 1/2), fifth just a week ago in the Handicap Sideral, less than four lengths behind Todo Toda (Todo Un Amiguito), signaling a step forward from her prior outings. Finishing fourth in that same contest was Elkara (Il Campione, 54 1/2), who will look to leverage her lighter impost to take a step up in class.

Rounding out the compact field is Lapuli (Le Sortilège, 52 1/2), the lowest-weighted runner in the lineup, who enters off a third-place finish in allowance company and boasts solid credentials over the trip.

With just six runners signed on—yet several contenders armed with convincing claims—the La Troienne promises a fiercely contested dash. Scheduled as the eighth race on the card at 5:30 p.m., the event offers a winner's share of 8,700,000 pesos.