Gran Premio Jockey Club draws 14 final entries as Linguado keeps Triple Crown dream alive at Hipódromo de San Isidro

Autorretrato was the sole defection for Argentina’s oldest Classic, which will distribute AR$ 160,000,000 in purses; the Polla de Potrillos runner-up could target the Triple Crown if Fletcher's positive drug test is confirmed and he inherits the victory

SAN ISIDRO, Buenos Aires (Special for Turf Diario).— The Gran Premio Jockey Club (G1-2,000 m, turf) has its field officially confirmed. With Autorretrato (Angiolo) as the sole defection, 14 three-year-olds were ratified to compete this Saturday at Hipódromo de San Isidro in Argentina’s oldest Classic, an event that will begin taking its definitive shape this Tuesday during the post-position draw.

The race will offer a total purse of AR160,000,000,withAR 80,000,000 earmarked for the winner, headlining a spectacular card that also features the Gran Premio San Isidro (G1-1,600 m, turf), the Gran Premio Suipacha (G1-1,000 m, turf), and the Clásico Yatasto (G3-2,400 m, turf).

The confirmation of Linguado adds an intriguing dimension to the contest. The Argentine Triple Crown, which seemed left without a contender after news that Fletcher (Gershwin) had not been entered for the second leg, retains a slim thread of continuity. The son of Cosmic Trigger, runner-up in the Polla de Potrillos (G1), could inherit that victory if the winner's positive drug test is officially confirmed and a disqualification is issued.

For now, everything remains pending administrative resolution. Linguado is not yet the official Polla winner nor can he be touted as a confirmed Triple Crown candidate. However, his presence among the final entries keeps a scenario alive that just days ago appeared dead in the water: that this spring could still yield a successor to Refinado Tom (Shy Tom), the last horse to sweep the series, in 1996.

Thirty years after that historic sweep, the dream depends as much on track performance as on pending official rulings off it. In the meantime, the colt took the necessary step to preserve that possibility: he will be in the lineup facing the 2,000 meters of the Jockey Club.

For Linguado, the race brings its own set of athletic demands regardless of off-track outcomes. After breaking his maiden in his fifth attempt, he finished second in the Clásico Miguel Cané (G2) and filled the same position in the Polla, building a level of consistency that established him among the division's top names. Now he must transition those credentials from dirt to turf and handle the distance extension from a mile to 2,000 meters.

Also making the transition from the first leg is El Volka (Vekoma), third in the Polla. Missing from the lineup is Autorretrato (Angiolo), fourth on that occasion and winner of the Polla de Potrillos (G3) at La Plata. His defection was the only change from the original 15 nominees, and he was also withdrawn from the Gran Premio San Isidro, where he had been cross-entered.

Among the colts with established grass form, Stay Tune stands out as a key contender. The son of Fortify won on debut in a division of the Clásico Zubiaurre, placed second in the Gran Criterium (G1), and finished third in both the Carreras Estrellas Juvenile (G1) and the Gran Premio Dos Mil Guineas (G1). While still seeking his elusive top-level victory, he boasts extensive experience against the crop's elite over the local turf course.

The ratification of Hi Pocho secures another major contender in the lineup. The son of Hi Happy enters off a victory in the Clásico Ensayo (G3) over 1,800 meters, a performance that propelled him toward this engagement and fueled expectations surrounding his stamina for the extra distance.

His chasers from that afternoon will renew rivalries. Sarraceno (Daddy Long Legs), Rugbier Boy (Suggestive Boy), and Redemption Song (Outstrip), who finished second, third, and fourth, respectively, will now have an additional 200 meters to try to reverse that outcome.

The final entry list also features El Cambiao (Imperador), who already holds a victory over the local 2,000-meter turf course, a proven asset in a race that will ask new distance questions of several key rivals.

The 14-runner field is completed by Giannino (King Guillermo), Aki (Cima de Triomphe), Find Me (Pneumatic), In This Moment (Fortify), Tolve (Daddy Long Legs), and the maiden High City (Cityscape).

Tuesday's barrier draw will add another strategic element as the race takes shape. The lineup is set and the Gran Premio Jockey Club prepares to write another chapter in its storied history, bringing together a deep field via diverse paths toward the same classic objective. Among them stands Linguado, carrying the unique potential that Saturday's performance could echo far beyond the finish line: keeping alive a dream 30 years in the making.