El Sarmiento opens a door toward the dream of the Carlos Pellegrini
Viejo Varieté will shoulder top weight and test 2000 meters for the first time against rivals seeking to capitalize on the weight shift. Playa Chopera, Capricho de Mar, Santo Rey, and Hi Dolfi emerge as his main threats on the San Isidro turf
It will not yet be a decisive contest, but it is certainly one of those races capable of charting a course. The Clásico Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (L-2000m, turf), the feature event this Friday at Hipódromo de San Isidro, will bring together a field of seven 4-year-olds and up under handicap conditions, all harboring the dream of stepping forward and turning their sights toward the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1).
In a competitive lineup with several lingering questions, Viejo Varieté serves as the primary benchmark, even as he must shoulder the top weight of 58 1/2 kilos and test the 2000-meter distance for the very first time. The son of Qué Vida Buena comes off a seventh-place finish in the Clásico 9 de Julio (G2)—a performance below his best form—yet he boasts more than enough credentials to assume the leading role.
His victory in the Clásico Embrujo (L), earned over the mile last November, stands as the highlight of his campaign. However, he also dropped valuable hints on other occasions, such as his runner-up effort in the Clásico Mesa del Senado (L) or when falling by just a half-head to Vundu (Suggestive Boy) in the Clásico Forli (G2) over 1800 meters in June. If he manages to adapt to the added trip and carry the weight, he will be tough to keep out of the finish.
The pace could fall into the hands of Playa Chopera (Treasure Beach), who carries just 51 kilos and possesses plenty of ammunition to become a formidable threat. The mare arrives off an excellent effort in the Clásico General Pueyrredón (G3), where she set the tempo and held on for second, four lengths behind the surging Don Logrado(Fortify). This time, she will look to dictate terms from the break once more, seeking to maximize the 7 1/2-kilo advantage she receives from Viejo Varieté.
Also arriving on a sharp upward curve is Capricho de Mar (Treasure Beach), assigned 52 1/2 kilos. Over this same course and 2000-meter distance, he is fresh off a half-neck allowance victory over Silver Ya (Winning Prize), who returns for a rematch as part of the field. Having already proven his affinity for both the track and distance is a major point in his favor.
The presence of Hi Dolfi (Hi Happy) adds another intriguing dimension to the race. Carrying just 51 1/2 kilos, he comes off a third-place finish in the Handicap Stiletto and will try to recapture the high-class form he displayed during his juvenile campaign. Back then, he finished second in the Clásico Crespo (G3), fourth in both the Clásico Raúl y Raúl E. Chevalier (G2) and Clásico Coronel Miguel F. Martínez (G3), and fifth in the Gran Premio Montevideo(G1). Those classic credentials continue to back him up, making him a dangerous rival if he can rediscover that early spark.
Santo Rey (Santillano, 54)—the only other stakes winner in the lineup—and Blue Dollar (Orpen, 55 1/2) complete a field short on numbers but wide open in possibilities. The weight distribution, the potential front-running tactics of Playa Chopera, and Viejo Varieté's ability to answer the stamina question will be the key factors in a Clásico Domingo Faustino Sarmiento that could leave behind far more than a winner: perhaps, as well, a new contender to follow on the road to December's grand showcase.
