Daniel Arias Caps a Career-Best Year as Valdobbio Puts the Finishing Touch

The jockey aptured the G3 Clásico Uberto F. Vignart aboard the bay, sealing the finest season of his career—second in the standings and a leading figure at La Plata

Daniel Arias and Valdobbio After a Notable Vignart Victory / HLP

LA PLATA.- The closing weeks of the season find Daniel Eduardo Arias operating at full throttle. With a composed, authoritative ride, the jockey sealed a defining 2025 by landing the G3 Clásico Uberto F. Vignart aboard Valdobbio—numbers and feel aligning to confirm he is performing at the peak of his powers.

Arias will finish the year second in the standings, trailing only Gonzalo Borda, with 111 wins overall—90 of them at Hipódromo de La Plata—a tally that speaks to his daily influence at the Bosque. He added six stakes victories across the season, four achieved locally.

The Vignart triumph carried its own narrative. A genuine speedster, Valdobbio showed his most potent version from the jump and never allowed a challenge. “We expected him to break well, because he hadn’t done so in his last two starts,” Arias explained. “Thankfully there were no issues this time, and when he gets to the front he grows—up there, he makes everything look easy.” The comment distilled the race’s key: cleanly into stride, control established, outcome decided.

The result gained extra weight given the rival left in his wake. “He beat a good horse like Es Aristocrático,” Arias noted, placing the performance in context. “Maybe he didn’t show his very best, but you still have to run to beat him.” For the camp, the outcome was no bolt from the blue. “As a colt he always showed ability. He had some issues, but now he’s maturing and delivering what we always thought was there. His wins never surprised us.”

Beyond the single result, Arias’s season has been defined by continuity and belonging. “I’m fortunate that many trainers and owners have supported me for years, and that helps me get plenty of opportunities,” he reflected. “Working with largely the same people since I started riding is special. I’m comfortable, happy—we back each other, and that matters.”

That identity is amplified at La Plata. “It’s my first home. I live here—I love it. Touch the subject and I get emotional,” he said, before widening the lens. “Seeing it gradually come back to life, more horses around, recovering the splendor it had when I was young—that means a lot to me.”

With the statistics to support the sentiment, Daniel Eduardo Arias signs off 2025 on an upward curve—rooted in his home track, confidence intact, and momentum firmly on his side. The Bosque has watched him grow; this season, it bids farewell to one of its defining protagonists.