Francisco Leandro Captures a Seventh Olimpia de Plata Award
- Turf Diario
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The Brazilian jockey topped Kevin Banegas and Martín Valle in the final ballot to once again lift the award presented by the Círculo de Periodistas Deportivos
The 2025 Olimpia de Plata for Turf once again went to Brazilian jockey Francisco Leandro, who lifted the distinction for a seventh time overall—and a remarkable fifth consecutive season—following the vote conducted by the Círculo de Periodistas Deportivos.
Leandro edged out Martín Valle and Kevin Banegas in the final ballot during Monday night’s ceremony at Usina del Arte, where the top athletes of the year across all disciplines were honored. Auto racing star Agustín Canapino captured the Olimpia de Oro for the second time.
Currently based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he has been riding through the International Carnival under contract to Sky Racing, “Leandrinho” had led the national standings until a few weeks ago, when Banegas moved past him. That shift came despite Leandro having missed roughly six weeks earlier in the year due to an accident.
In 2025, Leandro posted 219 victories at a stellar 32.1% strike rate, including 21 stakes wins highlighted by a lone Group 1 success. That top-level triumph came aboard El Éxito (Il Campione) in the Gran Premio de las Américas–OSAF (G1)on May 1 at Palermo.
Over the course of the season, he also partnered winners such as Obra Clásica (Suggestive Boy), Equal Mostaza (Equal Stripes), Kopke (Hi Happy), and Vota Bien (Hi Happy), among others—another chapter in a run of excellence that has made Francisco Leandro a perennial standard-bearer of the Argentine jockey ranks.
