Full Keynote Relied on His Class and Courage to Secure a Valuable Victory

On a track made tough by rain, Full Keynote got the job done and will now target the Chevalier

Through the center, Full Keynote prevails over Gran Porteñito, with Jeanette further behind / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The Clásico Antártida Argentina (L, 1200m, heavy turf) provided a thrilling spectacle on Saturday at Hipódromo de San Isidro, standing out as the highlight of an already compelling racing card.

On a track severely affected by heavy rains both overnight and earlier in the week, Full Keynote confirmed his high reputation by securing his first major victory, showcasing determination to outduel two formidable rivals in Gran Porteñito (Dabster) and the filly Jeanette (Remote).

A winner on debut over the highly regarded Drive Joy (Fortify), the son of Full Mast extended the remarkable streak of stakes successes for Stud-Haras Gran Muñeca, which had already celebrated victories earlier in the week with Churrullera (Fortify) in the Vit Reina and Takeshi Frank (Gidu) in the Agustín B. Gambier (G3).

After breaking a bit awkwardly, losing some ground at the start, Full Keynote quickly settled just behind Jeanette, the early leader, with Gran Porteñito saving ground along the rail. The three engaged in an intense battle turning into the stretch, and by the final 200 meters, it was Full Keynote and Gran Porteñito locked in a thrilling head-to-head duel. In the closing strides, Full Keynote surged ahead on the outside to claim victory by a neck, with Jeanette finishing third, three lengths behind.

A protest lodged by Jeanette’s jockey Kevin Banegas against both colts momentarily delayed the final result, but the stewards rightfully dismissed it. While there was some bumping, it was deemed incidental given the immaturity of the competitors and the challenging track conditions.

Trained by Diego Peña and ridden with determination by Brian Enrique, Full Keynote became the 15th stakes winner for Full Mast. He is out of Keila (Pollard’s Vision), making him a full brother to the late Full Keid, who captured both the Gran Premio Miguel A. Martínez de Hoz (G1) and the Gran Premio 25 de Mayo (G1) in 2024—further reinforcing the striking resemblance between the two.