El Epecuén Once Again Shows Everyone What a Good Horse He Is

Carrying 62.5 kilos and dropping down to the always demanding 1200 meters, he took the Handicap Servicio Veterinario at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo

El Epecuén won his third handicap / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

It’s no surprise that El Epecuen continues to perform like a quality racehorse — simply because he is a quality racehorse. His failure to capture more prestigious achievements is solely due to his fragile health, which has rarely been on his side.

The remarkable son of Il Campione was back in action showing his class in the Handicap Servicio Veterinario at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, tackling the always challenging 1200-meter distance for the first time while carrying a hefty topweight of 137 pounds (62 1/2 kilos).

With Juan Cruz Villagra in the irons, the Miguel Cafere trainee stood out clearly in a tight finish among the topweights, defeating Despacito (by Sabayón) — the other high-weight in the field — by 1 1/2 lengths. Despite the loss, the 8-year-old veteran displayed the class that has defined his long campaign.

Though the margin may seem narrow, there is a world of difference between running 1400 meters and 1200 meters. The pace is much faster, and the favorite had to adjust accordingly, allowing Dom Mario (Midshipman, 126.5 lbs) and Django (Remote, 120.5 lbs) to lead early on.

As the seconds ticked by, El Epecuen found his stride, launching a powerful run down the stretch. He soon took command and, while unable to fully pull away, was never asked for his maximum effort by his rider. That was enough to comfortably hold off Despacito in a notable final time of 1:10.17. Hop On (Endorsement, 124.5 lbs) finished a solid third, three-quarters of a length behind, with Maranelo (Holy Boss, 131.5 lbs) closing strongly to finish fourth, just half a head further back.

At five years old, El Epecuen notched the sixth victory of his career and his third in handicap company — a division where the added weights will now pose a greater challenge, likely pushing his connections to seek out opportunities at stakes level.

Once again, El Epecuen confirmed his immense talent, showing everyone exactly what a good horse he truly is...