Everything is set at Don Florentino for another great racing celebration

LA FRANCIA, Córdoba (Special for Turf Diario).— The traditional auction will bring together an attractive offering of yearlings, weanlings, and broodmares this Saturday; starting at 2 p.m., featuring 10 fixed installment payment plans in pesos, the Grimaldi family will renew a gathering that blends horses, entertainment, and passion

By Diego H. Mitagstein

LA FRANCIA, Córdoba (Special for Turf Diario).— There are gatherings that provincial racing anticipates in a truly unique way. Not only for the horses cataloged for sale, for the prospect of discovering the next star runner, but also for everything surrounding the event: friends, conversations, reunions, and that shared passion that turns an auction day into a true celebration. The sale at Haras Don Florentino has, for decades, held all those quintessential ingredients.

This Saturday, starting at 2:00 p.m., the Grimaldi family’s farm will once again welcome a throng of enthusiasts, owners, trainers, and breeders to La Francia, Córdoba, for its Gran Remate Primavera. An event deeply rooted in local racing culture, its appeal extends far beyond provincial borders with an experience where live entertainment and social gatherings accompany the main attraction: the racehorse.

The catalog offers ample reason for excitement. A total of 31 yearlings, alongside a select group of weanlings and five broodmares, present compelling options both for stables seeking new racing talent and for operations planning to integrate proven bloodlines into their breeding stock. Sales will be conducted under a 10 fixed monthly installment plan in pesos with post-dated checks, a financial structure that consistently serves as a major draw.

The established stallion Qué Vida Buena (Bernstein) will play a central role, featured alongside a strong representation from the first crop of Don Empeño (Exchange Rate), a Grade 1 winner whose progeny generates heightened expectations. The consignment also includes offspring by Touareg (Easing Along), another standout runner produced by the farm, and Perro Callejero (Qué Vida Buena), as well as yearlings sired by Dabster (Curlin), Strategos (Zensational), Manipulator (Unbridled), Remote (Dansili), Capensis (Tapit), and Village King(Campanologist).

Among the colts commanding attention is Gringo Feriero, a son of Qué Vida Buena out of two-time Palermo winner Nangola (Catcher In the Rye), who makes her debut as a dam. His dam is a full sister to Peruvian multiple stakes winner Eliitas and a half-sister to champions Nanabush (Il Campione) and Nanda Dea (Fortify), as well as stakes winner Naimabad (Il Campione). It is a top-tier family carrying immense current relevance and proven results.

Also standing out is Gringo Gardel, the first foal out of Soy Gigi (Catcher In the Rye), a full sister to Grade 2 winner Across the Gulch. Another noteworthy son of Qué Vida Buena is Papa Gringo, the first foal produced by Nasya (Art Master), a tough mare who compiled 11 wins across Palermo, San Isidro, and La Plata, including the Clásico Municipalidad de La Plata alongside multiple handicaps and feature races—bringing speed, soundness, and durable racing quality to her maternal backing.

Within the Don Empeño contingent, Don Villano offers immediate appeal as a son of stakes winner Gran Enemiga(Qué Vida Buena). Alongside him, Cigarro y Bourbon adds valuable family credentials as a half-brother to Palermostakes winner Qué Ha Pasao (Qué Vida Buena). Both represent intriguing options for buyers looking to invest in the freshman sire.

Pure speed is equally evident in the pedigree of El Maleante, a colt by Touareg whose dam, Sitna (Sebi Halo), is a half-sister to champion Luthier Blues (Le Blues)—a high-profile relation that will surely draw eyes when he steps into the ring.

The fillies' offering includes opportunities to purchase a 50 percent racing share, an arrangement that allows buyers to partner in their future campaigns. Among these is Envidia Sana, a daughter of Qué Vida Buena and a half-sister to stakes winner Verita (Hurricane Cat), as well as Adelante y Suerte, also by the farm's flagship stallion and the first foal out of stakes winner Antes y Después (Angiolo).

Another filly bound to spark bidding interest is Holy Diamond, also offered at 50 percent. The daughter of Dabster is a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Jolly Jacob (Public Purse) and to Brazilian performer Billie Hollyday (First American), tracing back to a quality-laden Brazilian black-type family.

The same 50 percent structure applies to Sirius, a daughter of Capensis whose dam is a half-sister to multiple group winner Sweetly (Luhuk). Her extended page features Dolce Diva (Luhuk) and Peruvian Grade 1 winner Patola (High Yield), adding considerable depth to the female catalog.

Rounding out the noteworthy lots is El Descontrol, a colt by proven sire Strategos out of Te Olvidé (Hennessy). His dam is a half-sister to Forty Teórica (Roar), dam of Hat Tenor (Hat Trick) and Thundery Terrific (Thunder Gulch). From that branch descend Joy Tesalina (Fortify) and her son Teobaldo (Uncle Chuck), while another branch via Stormy Teóloga (Bernstein) produced Teodisio Joy (Fortify)—a maternal line consistently delivering high-class racehorses across generations.

The offering will be completed by weanlings sired by Don Empeño, Perro Callejero, Qué Vida Buena, and Touareg, alongside five broodmares, all offered in foal to Don Empeño.

Overseeing every detail will be Luis Grimaldi, Luciano Grimaldi, and Lucas Grimaldi, carrying forward the passion for horse racing passed down by their father, the beloved Gringo Grimaldi. That heritage shines through in their hospitality and ability to turn their annual sale into a meeting ground for the entire racing community.

The catalog holds plenty of depth to drive strong bidding and solid prices. Yet at Don Florentino, the ultimate expectation is to relive one of those special afternoons that provincial turf embraces as its own. This Saturday in La Francia, the pedigrees will present their case, and the hammer will finalize the transactions, but the true spirit of the day will once again belong to the people.