Charm, Drive Joy, Need You Tonight, and a heavy downfall of big-time classic racing at Palermo
The triple champion will contest the Clásico Chile (G2) on Monday, the same day the champions collide in the Clásico Italia (G3); on Friday, the Clásico Miguel Cané / Clásico Pedro E. y Manuel A. Martínez (G3) and the Clásico Francisco J. Beazley (G2) take place for 3-year-olds
If the week that just passed was packed with attraction at Hipódromo Palermo, the one ahead is certainly not falling behind. Following Saturday's festival marking the kickoff of the Triple Crown, the 3-year-olds will step back into the spotlight on Friday in the Clásico Coronel Miguel F. Martínez (G3-1800 m, dirt) and the Clásico Francisco J. Beazley(G2-1800 m, dirt), serving as key prep races for the Gran Premio Nacional (G1) and the Gran Premio Selección (G1), respectively.
Yet the feature action does not end there, as Monday brings two additional high-level stakes races loaded with formidable stars: the Clásico Italia (G3-2000 m, dirt) and the Clásico Chile (G2-2200 m, dirt), open to 4-year-olds and up, and older fillies and mares, respectively.
With Groove Dealer (Seahenge) as the lone scratch, ten contenders remain in the Clásico Miguel F. Martínez, led by the promising Hand In Hand (Il Campione), who returns to action following a brief layoff. Standing in his path are: Cool Bro (Cool Day), Corazón Federal (Strategos), Don Gambito (Fortify), Grikor (King Guillermo), Héroe Con Gloria (Marconi), Kenakir (Il Campione), Mister Volare (Hi Happy), Paulo Sil (Treasure Beach), and Thunder Bomb (Hit It a Bomb).
In the Clásico Beazley, all eight original entries stood firm: Coni Chic (Marconi), Cretya (Lucullan), Gunakali (King Guillermo), Keratea (Hi Happy), Lynelle (Uncle Chuck), Palapa (Cityscape), The Great Funny (The Great Day), and Valley Farm (Sovereign).
Monday’s Clásico Italia (G3-2000 m, dirt) shapes up as an absolute blockbuster as champions Drive Joy (Fortify) and Need You Tonight (Hat Ninja) lock horns—the former stretching out to 2000 meters and the latter making his return to Palermo. Adorado Rim (Remote), Buen Escosés (Bodemeister), Don Machete (Daddy Long Legs), Hop On(Endorsement), and The Great Forest (The Great Day) round out a formidable field.
Meanwhile, triple champion Charm (Strategos) will officially line up in the Clásico Chile, where she takes on: Agua Estimada (Río Vettel), Argomasa (Lucullan), G1 winner Cannolina (South Kissing), Elisa Beauty (Cosmic Trigger), It's My Look (Equal Stripes), La Watson (Hurricane Cat), and Reina Casada (Long Island Sound).
Rounding out the week on Thursday, September 17, the card will center around the Especial Che Mandrake (1000 m, dirt) and Especial Froom (1400 m, dirt), both reserved for horses aged 3 and up with performance records on the provincial circuit.
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