Don Latido and His Late Rally Take Down a Tough Edition of the Clásico Southern Halo

The Outstanding San Benito Runner Flew Home to Deny Tooru a Hat Trick; Colifato Novo Settled for Third After Setting the Pace

Brian Enrique Celebrates Aboard Don Latido / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

Don Latido may not boast an imposing physique, but when it comes to heart, few match his tenacity. On Sunday at the Hipódromo de San Isidro, the son of John F Kennedy unleashed yet another trademark late rally to score a thrilling win in what was arguably the strongest edition ever of the G3 Clásico Southern Halo (1400m, diagonal, turf). Defeating champions, G1 winners, and several of the division's standouts, he proved once again that determination can outrun pedigree.

Representing Stud San Benito and coming off a sixth-place finish in the G2 Clásico América, Don Latido surged past a quality field with a perfectly timed ride from Brian Enrique, who guided him with poise and precision.

Despite the absence of Midnight Runner (Forge), the race unfolded at a brisk tempo, with Colifato Novo—true to form—setting demanding splits of :24.80, :46.50, and 1:10.12 over the soft turf typical of fall at San Isidro. Those early fractions took their toll late.

Always patiently ridden at the back, Don Latido found a clear path early in the stretch and launched his winning bid, overtaking Colifato Novo in the final 50 meters and holding off a fast-closing Tooru (Lizard Island) by 1 1/2 lengths. The latter, also rallying from deep, just missed a historic hat trick.

A tired Colifato Novo faded to third, beaten just a head for second, while Hit Rouge (Hit It a Bomb) finished fourth, another 1 1/2 lengths back. Making his return, Earth God (Cosmic Trigger) failed to fire and checked in fifth, while favored Concord (Remote) disappointed in ninth. The final time was a sharp 1:22.60.

Trained by Carlos D. Etchechoury, Don Latido notched his ninth win from 25 starts, his sixth stakes score, and fifth graded success, pushing his earnings to ARS$41,196,550. Out of Doña Alaska (Asiatic Boy), he hails from the family of Doña Polenta (Candy Stripes), a cornerstone of San Benito’s breeding program.

Once again, Don Latido turned to his heart to deliver the biggest win of his career.