El Gazpacho Proves He Is Better Than Ever with a Striking Victory in the Clásico 9 de Julio
- Turf Diario
- hace 14 horas
- 3 min de lectura
At six years old, the son of Bodemeister achieved the finest victory of his racing career by defeating Don Griego by a length on the turf at the Hipódromo de San Isidro. Meanwhile, Cosmic Stripes finished third, shifting inward through almost the entirety of the homestretch
In all walks of life, experience is a valuable asset, and horse racing is certainly no exception. One need only look at El Gazpacho, who kicked off his six-year-old season on Saturday at the Hipódromo de San Isidro by registering the finest victory of his career.
The resilient son of Bodemeister pulled off a surprise for most onlookers by lifting the trophy in the Clásico 9 de Julio (G2-1600m, good turf), one of the most traditional fixtures on the Jockey Club's annual calendar, even if it might not carry the immense prestige of bygone years.
A seasoned professional endowed with class, competitive grit, and extensive racing mileage, the dark bay rose brilliantly to the occasion to exact revenge on Don Griego (Long Island Sound), who had previously relegated him to fourth place when they squared off a few weeks ago in the Clásico Pippermint (G2) over 1,400 meters on the same northern turf.
The distance extension may well have been the key factor behind the stellar performance from the Stud La Fronterarunner. Indeed, it is telling that the runner-up has suffered only two defeats across his remarkable career—both coming when stretching out to the mile.
Maintained in superb order through the morning training routines by Nicolás Martín Ferro—and saddled here by his father, Enrique, as the former serves a suspension—El Gazpacho found the perfect partner in jockey Gustavo Calvente. Calvente rode him with precision timing, completely unfazed by the early antics of Concord (Remote) at the head of affairs.
In fact, the eventual winner sat a considerable distance out of the frame early on, turning for home roughly 15 lengths adrift of a leader who set testing opening fractions of 24.16s, 47.24s, and 1m12.83s out in the center of the track.
In the final stages, Concord surrendered to the advance of Cosmic Stripes (Cosmic Trigger), who ultimately tired himself out from shifting inward continuously, though he did briefly manage to hit the front at the 200-meter mark before his fortunes evaporated.
Down the center of the track, El Gazpacho got within striking distance effortlessly and scarcely needed to be fully extended to assert his dominance in the final furlong, just as Don Griego finally managed to collar Cosmic Stripes.
At the wire, a length separated the winner from his closest pursuer, with Cosmic Stripes staying on a further 1 1/2 lengths back in third, leaving his connections frustrated by the erratic, rail-seeking behavior that cost him a real shot at the trophy. A nose back in fourth, flying late at eight years of age, came Comando Secreto (War Command), serving notice that he could return to the headlines at any moment.
Finishing well beaten was the unexpected post-time favorite Viejo Varieté (Qué Vida Buena), who crossed the line in seventh in one of his poorest displays in recent memory—a rare blemish for such a consistent performer. The final time of 1m38.87s was respectable given the challenging nature of the turf.
Bred by Haras La Pasión, El Gazpacho is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed Garbiñe (Lucullan), both being out of Gazpacha (Not for Sale)—a half-sister to the Group 2 winner and stallion Galán de Cine (Successful Appeal), tracing back to the family of the unforgettable Gorgeous (Slew O'Gold).
El Gazpacho now counts 9 victories across a lengthy 32-start career, representing his fifth stakes success and his first at the graded level, having previously triumphed in the Mesa del Senado (L), Blend (L), Urbano de Iriondo (L), and Jockey Club de Venezuela (L).
At six years of age and possessing ironclad health, El Gazpacho has reached the pinnacle of his racing career, positioning himself to join the ranks of the many high-caliber milers currently anchoring one of the most competitive and entertaining divisions in Argentine racing.
