Colorado del Monte Confirmed His Leadership with a Great Triumph in the 2000 Guineas
- Turf Diario
- hace 8 horas
- 3 min de lectura
The son of Strategos ratified his position as the best 2-year-old colt of his generation and will now target the Triple Crown
It is often said that the hardest part is not reaching the top, but staying there. That, however, does not seem to be an issue for Colorado del Monte, who this Saturday on the San Isidro turf confirmed his status as the best colt of his generation with an indisputable victory in the Gran Premio 2000 Guineas (G1).
The superb impression left by the son of Strategos a month ago when he captured the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile (G1) was firmly ratified here, as he once again led from wire to wire to cross the line first at the highest level for the third time in his career—recalling that on May 1 on the Palermo dirt he achieved the same in the Gran Premio Montevideo (G1), though he was subsequently and justifiably demoted to third place.
Solid and dominant in his stride, the bay colt carrying the silks of Stud Facundito wasted no time in seizing the lead, from where jockey Gustavo Calvente took full advantage of the freedom granted by his rivals. Everyone rating back down the backstretch allowed the favorite to set an unpressed opening fraction of 25s37/100 before passing the half-mile in 48s44/100.
As is well known, if a superior runner is allowed to stroll on the lead, catching him in the stretch becomes a near-impossible task. That is precisely how it played out for Colorado del Monte. Unthreatened and pacing himself, the leader reached the home straight with his rivals not too far behind, except when they finally thought to challenge him, he gave them no chance.
He opened up a length early and kept himself safe and sound all the way to the wire, despite Barto (Pneumatic) giving his all to try and run him down. At the finish, 1 1/2 lengths separated the top two, with Stay Tune (Fortify) another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.
Hi Pocho (Hi Happy) salvaged a solid fourth-place finish, half a length behind third, while the Brazilian Redemption Song (Outstrip) and Roi du Monde (Treasure Beach) rounded out the top five, both running well below expectations. The final time for the event was 1m35s27/100, featuring a powerful finish.
While Colorado del Monte confirmed his superiority, the Guineas was not without its disappointments. For instance, with his third-place finish, Stay Tune has yet to fully explode, and the effort from Roi du Monde was even less logical after his sensational triumph in the Gran Criterium (G1), faltering significantly here. Still, the future remains bright for both, as their youth and quality certainly warrant another chance.
Barto produced another intriguing effort, taking another step forward, even if he clearly fell second-best to the division leader for the second time. The hopes surrounding him seem to hinge on whether added distance might neutralize his rival or further unlock his own potential.
Conditioned by Nicolás Martín Ferro, bred by Haras El Paraíso, and out of Seductive Voice (Sebi Halo), Colorado del Monte will now target the Triple Crown, beginning with the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (G1) in September, returning to the Palermo dirt where he broke his maiden and where he produced that outstanding performance in the Montevideo, regardless of what transpired in the stewards' room.
The 2022 male crop has a clear, prominent, exciting, and highly promising leader—one who is already a tremendous reality—as the division heads into the main stretch of the season. Courageous, strong-finishing, consistent, and classy, the bay colt possesses everything needed to continue making the difference and wear the crown. As always, time will have the final say.
