El Emporio's unstoppable momentum continues at Palermo
- Turf Diario
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Stud Juan Martín representative secured his sixth consecutive stakes victory in the Clásico Otoño (G2),cementing his status as the undisputed king of the dirt stayers
What El Emporio is currently achieving forces one to search the record books to see how long it has been since a horse was capable of stringing together six consecutive stakes victories at a distance. In another demonstration of his remarkable level, the son of Il Campione raised the bar even higher with a decisive victory in the Clásico Otoño (G2-2000m, normal dirt), the race that opened the Campeonato de Oro this past Saturday at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo.
As part of a spectacular program that also included the Clásicos Arturo R. y Arturo Bullrich (G2), Santiago Luro (G2), and Saturnino J. Unzué (G2), the defender of the Juan Martín stable stood out as the great figure of the day. He defeated a group with strong credentials and established himself as the ultimate benchmark among the stayers on the Buenos Aires racing calendar.
To win six consecutive black-type races, the blend of qualities and circumstances must be perfect. Of course, achieving this would be impossible without a motor like El Emporio's. However, the trainer’s hand plays a fundamental role in keeping a horse at the "crest of the wave" for such a prolonged period while competing frequently. This is where Humberto Benesperi earns his laurels.
Whether over 1800, 2000, or 2500 meters, the bay is, as of today, invincible. He exhibits a truly striking versatility, adapting to any type of pace and even a change of pilot, as he debuted Gonzalo Borda in the irons this time, replacing Juan Cruz Villagra.
El Emporio did not have to exert himself to the maximum to get the desired result. He ran relaxed for most of the trip while Sono Perfetto (Tetaze) set the pace, then attacked in the homestretch to take command with poise and draw away. He eventually defeated Unico Happy (Hi Happy), who also put in a notable performance, by 3 lengths.
Another 2 1/2 lengths back, Endor Rye (Endorsement) added another important placing to his career, finishing ahead of Sono Perfetto and the unexpected favorite Speedmaster (Fortify), who faded early after trying to challenge for the trophy in the stretch.
The final time of 2m4s19/100—nearly a second slower than the mark set shortly before by Charm (Strategos) in the Bullrich—serves as a reference point, though the Palermo dirt is struggling to settle due to the lack of rain.
With 10 victories in 15 starts, El Emporio secured the spot to represent the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo in the Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1) on April 26th at Monterrico, Peru. However, we must now wait for the decision of his connections.
With the Gran Premio Honor (G1) and Gran Premio República Argentina (G1) ahead, and such a dominant streak at Palermo, it would be surprising if the answer were positive. Another key factor: the horse has never raced on turf. It seems like a lot to risk when there is so much to aim for on the local front.
Bred by Haras El Paraíso, from a family that has produced other important names in recent years such as Hasuwagen, Mama Call, El Darwin, Es de Temer, or Sommerwind, El Emporio confirmed that beating him on the Palermo dirt will be a daunting task for anyone.
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