Cerrito Piñón shapes as a leading player on another low-profile afternoon card

The son of Manipulator stands out in the Especial Make Tracks, the feature of an otherwise modest card

Another card with very little to offer was assembled for this Friday at Hipódromo de San Isidro, where alternative-condition races have seemingly become a cult among racing officials, with purses that in some cases barely cover a horse’s monthly training bill. Quite a way to help the industry...

Very much in line with the overall tone of the program, the Especial Make Tracks (1200m, dirt) for veteran horses with three or more wins will offer only 3,925,000 pesos to the winner. As is well known, the brilliant idea of downgrading all these races from handicap status also brought significantly lower prize money. Creativity continues to flourish—but always at the expense of owners and the sport itself.

Despite carrying top weight of 60 kilos, the race appears to provide an ideal opportunity for Cerrito Piñón (Manipulator) (pictured) to return to the winner’s circle while trying to erase the memory of his latest setback in the Handicap Court Harwell.

Previously successful in the Especial Parlanchín under similar conditions, he will still have to deal with a pair of dangerous rivals.

One of them is Solo Quiéreme (Filoso Emperor), who carries only 52 kilos and exits a runner-up finish behind Farchi (Malenchini) over Palermo’s dirt surface.

The other is Qué Bombón (Daniel Boone, 56), coming off an excellent effort in a tough allowance race where he finished second, beaten one length by Naja (Fortify), with American Warrior (Easing Along, 52)—also entered here—running fourth.

In other times, El Cobra Kai (Cosmic Trigger, 58) would have rated a major contender, but with his current form well below his best, he has been pushed down the list of considerations.