Butterfing and El Emporio, a rivalry with history at Palermo

The winner of the Gran Premio de Honor (G1) arrives with a race under his belt and will seek to regain his top form in the Clásico Irineo Leguisamo (L), where the defending champion and other stakes-caliber rivals promise to make things difficult

The Clásico Irineo Leguisamo (L), carded over 2000 meters on the dirt this Friday at Hipódromo de Palermo,features nine contenders with an added layer of intrigue. A G1 winner and the defending champion headline a deep field.

Butterfing once again commands center stage. Following a layoff of more than five months, the son of Angioloreturned to action in the Clásico Vicente L. Casares (G3), finishing a encouraging second behind Nassau (Forge).With race fitness now restored, the Stud Las Juntas runner looks positioned to approach the form that carried him to victory in the Gran Premio de Honor (G1), having previously placed third in the 2025 Gran Premio Nacional (G1).

Following his triumph in the Honor, the Juan Saldivia trainee finished fourth in the Gran Premio República Argentina (G1) prior to his extended break. Now, with William Pereyra aboard, he will attempt to confirm that his comeback effort provided the necessary springboard to reassert his class.

However, El Emporio is unlikely to grant him an easy trip. The son of Il Campione captured this very event twelve months ago during a formidable streak of six consecutive stakes victories at Palermo, including highlights in the Clásico Haras Argentinos (G3) and the Clásico Otoño (G2). That winning run reached its boundary precisely in the Gran Premio de Honor, where he finished third behind Butterfing, before subsequently running sixth in the República Argentina.

The Humberto Benesperi trainee likewise recently snapped a layoff exceeding five months. His return effort in the Clásico Carlos Gardel (L) fell well short of his finest form, but dismissing his chances based solely on that performance would be a mistake. Partnered with Gonzalo Borda, he will bid for back-to-back victories in the race.

Time to Think (Seahenge) is another contender seeking to rediscover his former spark. His decisive victory in the Clásico Yatasto (G3) in September 2025 hinted at significant upside, though he has struggled to sustain that momentum since. The raw talent remains intact; the question is whether he can bring it back to the track.

Mannarino (Cosmic Trigger) also boasts proven stakes-winning credentials. As a juvenile, he captured the Clásico Coronel Miguel F. Martínez (G3), and earlier this year added the Clásico Alejandro Korn at La Plata. While his recent performances offer little encouragement, he possesses the class to rebound without warning.

Hi Dolfi (Hi Happy), second in the Clásico Crespo (G3) during his 2-year-old campaign and runner-up in September's Clásico Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (L), comes off a below-par fifth-place finish in allowance conditions. Blue Dollar (Orpen), Poema Lírico (Forge), and Castañón Rim (Remote) appear a notch below on paper, though they remain capable of securing a valuable minor placing. El Garrafa Morris (Gouverneur Morris) completes the field facing a stiffer challenge.

At 5:30 p.m., the Leguisamo will measure how much peak form remains intact for several prominent figures who still hold reasons for optimism.