Elina Regia Emerges as the Heroine on an Afternoon of Mixed Emotions

The daughter of Il Campione captured the Handicap Juan A. Maldotti, securing the most important victory of her career to date

Elina Regia surged late to run down Joy Antumalal in the closing strides/ HAPSA

There was no shortage of emotion surrounding Monday’s featured event at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, as the running of the Handicap Juan A. Maldotti (1200 meters, dirt) honored one of Argentina’s greatest trainers of all time.

The victory of Elina Regia was already a reality when the post-race ceremony brought even more sentiment to the fore. Juan Carlos Maldotti, son of the legendary horseman, presented the trophy to fellow trainer Omar Labanca, unable to hold back the emotion in a heartfelt moment shared with the racing community.

The heroine of the day, the daughter of Il Campione, carried just 53 kilos and displayed true grit to edge out Joy Antumalal (Il Campione, 54½) and Che Mamita (Safety Check, 57½) by a neck and a half-neck, respectively. She stopped the clock in a sharp 1:09.82, a more-than-respectable final time.

Ridden by Lautaro Balmaceda and making just her second start for Labanca and Stud Doble S.S., the 515-kilo bay filly was involved from the outset, tracking Joy Antumalal, who set early splits of 23.00 and 46.11. Turning for home, the leader looked determined to take them all the way, but Elina Regia had other plans, launching a powerful late run to gain command inside the final 20 meters. Che Mamita closed from further back along the rail to take third, while the favorite Viva Al Sur (South Kissing, 59) finished a non-threatening fourth, 2 ½ lengths behind.

Bred by Haras El Paraíso, Elina Regia now boasts five wins from 35 starts, with earnings of $20,053,450. The win marked her first stakes-level victory, after several close finishes at both listed and graded levels.

Elina Regia is out of Soy Regina (Sebi Halo), a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Inter Lord (Intérprete) and stakes-placed Soy La Regia (Sebi Halo). She hails from one of the foundation female lines of Haras El Paraíso, responsible for G1 performers such as Ithamar (Intérprete), Seas Alabada (Sebi Halo), El Que Sabe (Il Campione), and El Mejor Recuerdo (Il Campione), among others.