Davalos Does His Job to Perfection, Climbs the Ladder Among Stayers
- Turf Diario
- Sep 15
- 2 min read
With Vota Bien out, the Hi Happy colt seized control of the pace and captured the Clásico Italia (G3), where Qué Tarde Gris wound up last—but not far behind
An absence, a disappointment, and a revelation lined up to set the stage for Davalos in Monday’s Clásico Italia (G3, 2000m, wet dirt), the second feature of the day at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo.
Vota Bien (Hi Happy) was a no-show; Qué Tarde Gris (Il Campione) lived up to his name, finishing last as the heavy favorite; and it was the Stud Don Angel runner who emerged as the revelation, stepping up from condition races with a polished and authoritative performance.
With Vota Bien out, trainer Diego S. Guaragna’s chestnut had a clear path, and Brian Enrique made the most of it, sending Davalos straight to the lead and never looking back. Qué Tarde Gris tried to keep him honest through the early stages, but the pressure told, and when the field hit the stretch, he had nothing left, fading to trail home in his first attempt at the 2000 meters.
The late-running Valle Barun (Vástago Salvaje) offered a mild bid to secure second, 2 1/2 lengths back, while Billion(Galicado) checked in third by a nose, just ahead of Qué Tarde Gris. The final time was 2:04.23, with splits of :26.35, :51.10, 1:15.23, and 1:39.47.
Bred by Haras Embrujo, Davalos added another notable result to the résumé of Hi Happy as a sire, extending the champion’s run of success that currently has him sitting fourth on the stallion table—formidable indeed.
Out of Zamba Querida (Indygo Shiner) and from the outstanding family of Jungle Queen (Claro), Davalos now owns three wins from 12 starts and has placed himself squarely among the top older horses at Palermo going long—a division headed by Need You Tonight (Hat Ninja), who looms large in Latinoamericano mode.
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