Don Zahir shines wire-to-wire in the Especial Haras Vadarkblar
- Turf Diario
- Aug 14
- 2 min read
The Stud El Basti runner drew off to defeat Envidioso Frank—who stumbled at the break—by 3 lengths, starring as Thursday's highlight at La Plata
LA PLATA—Combining his own speed with a disastrous start for race favorite Envidioso Frank (Gidu, 52 kg), Don Zahir (54 kg) scored a decisive victory in the Especial Haras Vadarkblar (1400m, fast track), the feature event of Thursday's card at the local track.
Showing absolute composure and leading from gate to wire, the son of Daddy Long Legs continued a standout season that has elevated his career to new heights.
Naturally, the defining moment at the start cannot be overlooked: the favorite stumbled badly leaving the stalls and was relegated to the rear of the field. Forced to make up ground from the back while the eventual winner dictated terms unbothered on the front end, that sequence of events certainly shaped the flow of the race. Even so, it detracts nothing from the performance delivered by the chestnut conditioned by the father-son training duo of Juan Carlos and Juan Sebastián Maldotti.
Ridden by jockey Rodrigo Blanco, he broke sharply to secure the lead as soon as the gates opened, held Royal Rimout(Remote, 62 kg) at bay throughout, and easily repelled Envidioso Frank's stretch drive to seal the victory.
At the wire, three lengths separated the top two, with 8-year-old Royal Rimout running a commendable third another six lengths behind while giving away massive weight despite battling long-standing physical issues. Norte (Leofric, 54 kg) completed the superfecta in a contest that saw the late scratch of G3 winner Liberto (Hurricane Cat).
Bred by Haras San Benito and racing for Stud El Basti, Don Zahir—a half-brother to the tough Don Desatino (Mount Nelson)—recorded his fifth win from 14 lifetime starts. It marks his second stakes-level victory, following his triumph in the Clásico El Virtuoso at Palermo back in February.
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