El Olimpo Stays Perfect in a Fierce Fight, and His Speed Profile Keeps Rising

The Rosario-bred colt got the better of G3 Campo Verde in the Premio Arya Stark; a turf spill and wins by Speedmaster and Lovely Rose rounded out the day

Always wide, El Olimpo dug in and held firm through the finish / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The abbreviated Saturday card at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo offered more than enough talking points beyond the graded wins by Cannolina (South Kissing) and Orpen Rimout (Orpen).

Handle for the 11-race card reached ARS 481,784,000, averaging ARS 43,798,546, with 6% coming from international wagering. Solid figures, though they have been essentially flat for several weeks.

The low point came early, with yet another avoidable incident on the track’s much-criticized turf course. In the opener, Es Pratet (Lizard Island) hit an uneven patch near the wire and unseated jockey Maximiliano Machado, who fortunately escaped serious injury.

Hazards on the inner turf—walkways, tufts, and rough patches—continue to create unpredictable footing for horses, and this time luck ran out for Machado. Conditions have not improved with time, and frustration is reaching a boiling point; many professionals no longer wish to compete over that surface.

Among the condition races, several winners stamped themselves as horses to follow—starting with El Olimpo (Qué Vida Buena–Llama Olímpica, by Catcher In the Rye; bred by Haras Don Florentino). The Rosario-bred colt handled a demanding assignment in the Premio Arya Stark (1000m, dirt), restricted to 3-year-olds with one or two wins.

Making only his second career start and getting in light at 51 kilos thanks to apprentice Martín Montoya, the Daniel Cima trainee showed sharp speed throughout, turning back Campo Verde (Strategos)—the G3 Estrellas Junior Sprintwinner from mid-season—by half a length in :56.25.

Two other names shone on the afternoon.Speedmaster (Fortify–Stay In the Glory, by Roman Ruler; Haras Vacación), a massive colt tipping the scales at 598 kilos, was simply unstoppable in the mile of the Premio Noche Alta, drawing off by six lengths in 1:35.93—a notably faster time than Orpen Rimout posted in the Tomkinson.

Later, over 2000 meters, Lovely Rose (Fortify–Love and Roses, by King’s Best), a homebred for Haras Vacación, broke her maiden as the heavy favorite in the Premio Laima, scoring by three lengths.

The day also featured a standout showing from Fortify, who sired three winners, while jockeys Wilson Moreyra and Martín Valle each posted doubles. Haras Vacación also enjoyed a productive afternoon with two victories.