Gran Compañero Gets a Golden Opportunity to Return to the Winner’s Circle

The son of South Kissing looks the one to beat in the H. Manantial, a straight-course dash on Palermo’s main track

Gran Compañero (right) is already a two-time handicap winner and will be looking to add another to his résumé / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

Thursday’s stakes doubleheader at Palermo will be rounded out by the Handicap Manantial, a 1000-meter straight-course sprint over the main track, open to older horses 4 years and up.

Mixing solid back class with a favorable spot on the handicap scale (he’ll carry 57.5 kilos), Gran Compañero has a good shot at snapping a three-race losing streak. The son of South Kissing was a dual handicap winner late in 2024, scoring in both the Handicap Utópico and Handicap Hunter's Moon, and most recently finished a strong second—just 1 1/2 lengths behind fellow Pampean Príncipe Soñado (Fragotero)—in the Handicap Resuello over 1100 meters, against a tough group.

Among his main challengers are a pair of lightweights stepping up from the allowance ranks: Maldito Sea (Compasivo Cat) and Manole (Biondi), both in at just 52.5 kilos.

The former has won 3 of his 5 starts, most recently scoring a sharp win a month ago over Bank One (Lenovo), who came right back to win next out. The latter may not be as consistent, but has crossed the wire first in two of his last three efforts—though at age six, his profile is a bit less promising moving forward.

On pure résumé, it’s hard to argue against Lemoro (Le Blues), a 10-time winner with multiple successes at this level. But turning eight soon and saddled with a hefty 62 kilos, he’ll need to dig deep to halt a four-race winless streak—though his recent runner-up finish, just a length behind Gran Enemigo (Qué Vida Buena), suggests he’s still competitive.

El Gran Caballo (Le Blues), trained by Juan Saldivia and ridden by William Pereyra, has lost some consistency of late but rarely turns in a bad effort. He’ll carry 54.5 kilos.

Others to watch include Mambo Italiano (Manipulator, 52.5) and Golden Jet (Bodemeister, 53.5), both capable on their day and more than able to make an impact here if they bring their best.