Claro Key, an Unstoppable Force Down the Palermo Stretch
- Turf Diario
- Apr 18
- 1 min read
Claro Key Rolls to Fifth Straight Victory in Handicap Manantial
The story of Claro Key (54.5kg) has become one of extremes. Once a horse that simply couldn’t get his head in front, he has now transformed into an unstoppable force. His rider, Mauricio Villarroel, summed it up best: “He always had a lot of temperament, but we worked with him, figured him out, and now he’s really running.”
Running—and winning. This Friday, over a testing sloppy track at Palermo, he secured his fifth consecutive victory, stepping up into stakes company and delivering in style in the Handicap Manantial (1000m), the feature race of the card.
A massive 551-kilo chestnut representing Stud Dos Pasiones (Bell Ville, Córdoba), and drenched in sweat, Claro Keylaunched a powerful run from the 300-meter mark to the wire, cutting down the veteran En Un Rincón (Manipulator, 60kg) and drawing clear by two lengths.
Closing from farther back, Azúcar Negro (Angiolo, 55.5kg) finished strongly to take second, edging the early leader by 1 1/2 lengths in the final strides, with the race clocked in a sharp :56.38.
Trained by Henry Pasino, the son of standout sprinter Claro Oscuro (Mutakddim), bred at Haras La Tutina, has found his stride in emphatic fashion after five early-career defeats, steadily climbing the ranks among the division’s fastest.
The weights will rise and the challenges will grow tougher from here. But right now, one question looms large: just how far can Claro Key go?
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