El Éxito Seeks Mile Redemption as Labrado Eyes Wally’s Record

The top miler at Palermo will run in the Estrellas after paying the supplement; the three-time sprint champion aims to make history in the series

Labrado will target his third straight victory in the Sprint / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

Two of the most anticipated events on the Estrellas card are the Gran Premio Estrellas Mile (G1, 1600m, dirt, ARS 30,000,000 to the winner) and the Estrellas Sprint (G1, 1000m, dirt, ARS 18,000,000 to the winner), both set to light up the afternoon of Saturday, June 28, at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo.

As in 2024, connections of El Exito paid the supplementary entry fee for the chestnut son of Il Campione to confirm his status as the best dirt miler in Argentina. Winner of a string of top-level races, El Exito stamped himself as the leader of the division with a decisive score in the Gran Premio de las Américas - OSAF (G1) on May 1.

He could face as many as 16 challengers, including proven campaigners such as Earth God (Cosmic Trigger), El Patio(Il Campione), and Folie Ninja (Hat Ninja). Also entered are Amigazo Sky (Falling Sky), Bequepingo (Cityscape), Descamisado (Cosmic Trigger), Don Rocky (Equal Stripes), Ecográfico Rim (Remote), Es Aristocrático (Angiolo), Forty Fain (Fortify), Garufa Mask (Mask), Kopke (Hi Happy), the filly Noche Alta (Hi Happy), Preston Boss (Holy Boss), Qué Tarde Gris (Il Campione), and Talented Hit (Hit It a Bomb).

In the Sprint, Labrado will try to equal the record of the legendary Wally (Southern Halo) by winning the race for a third straight year. A four-time Estrellas winner already, the speedball took the Junior Sprint (G3) in 2022 before dominating the last two editions of the Estrellas Sprint.

Among his stiffest opponents is the filly Lagoa Azul (Lenovo), runner-up in the Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires(G1), where she finished ahead of Labrado and just behind the now-absent El Mejor Recuerdo (Il Campione). Also in the mix is Coraje Gaucho (Lenovo), returning from his second-place finish in the 2024 Unzué (G1).

Rounding out the field are Barbacoa Key (Key Deputy), Dark Sound (Long Island Sound), El Paradigma (Il Campione), Front Rimout (Remote), Hiran (Santillano), Le Cornette (Emmanuel), Santa Calma (Qué Vida Buena), and Viejos Tiempos Mask (Mask).