Hand in Hand made his reappearance with a victory that invites big dreams
The heavy favorite overcame a tricky start and asserted broad authority to take the Clásico Coronel Miguel F. Martínez(G3), the opening stepping stone on the road to the Gran Premio Nacional; the colt trained by Juan Saldivia emerges as a serious future threat to Fletcher...
PALERMO, Buenos Aires (Special for Turf Diario).— Class is never lost during a layoff. Hand in Hand (Il Campione) had been out of action for nearly four months, but he needed only a few strides to remind everyone why he had left such a towering impression on debut. The heavy favorite returned this Friday at Hipódromo Palermo with a sterling victory in the Clásico Coronel Miguel F. Martínez (G3-1800m, dirt), launching himself firmly toward the Gran Premio Nacional (G1).
His comeback brought several questions. He had not raced since late May, when he captured the Especial Julio Félix Penna on debut, and now faced a step up to graded stakes company, a more demanding distance, and more experienced rivals. He answered every challenge with an ease that only heightened the high expectations surrounding him.
Not even an uncomfortable start managed to throw him off track. Hand in Hand bumped coming out of the gate and found himself settled near the rear, considerably further back than planned. William Pereyra kept his cool, allowing him time to find his stride, and the colt gathered himself with impressive speed to make up ground and sit within striking distance of the main pack.
From then on, everything looked smooth. While up front Kenakir (Il Campione), Thunder Bomb (Hit It a Bomb), and Mister Volare (Hi Happy) set the tempo, Hand in Hand made steady progress on the outside, traveling comfortably and exuding the feeling that his jockey was sitting on plenty of horse. Once Pereyra decided to launch his challenge, the response was instantaneous.
By the 400-meter pole, he was already alongside the leaders, and midway down the stretch, he hit the front with remarkable ease. He did not need to fight or dig deep into his reserves: he pulled away handily and hit the wire with energy to spare under a hand ride, leaving the impression that there is still plenty left in the tank.
At the line, he held a 2 1/2-length advantage over the still-maiden Paulo Sil (Treasure Beach), who added another graded placing; by an identical margin, Cool Bro (Pneumatic) finished third. The final time stopped at 1m50s22/100, following split times of 25s31/100, 48s32/100, 1m13s, and 1m37s56/100.
The Martínez serves as the opening chapter on the Palermo path for sophomore stayers. The next stop will be the Clásico Eduardo Casey (G2) ahead of the Gran Premio Nacional, one of the ultimate goals of the season. Hand in Hand cleared the first hurdle in ideal fashion and stands out as a leading contender. It remains to be seen whether connections opt for the intermediate step or head straight to the Derby.
The victory also highlighted the same connections that had celebrated one week prior with Fletcher (Gershwin) in the Polla de Potrillos (G1). Hand in Hand is trained by Juan Saldivia, though due to the suspension served by Palermo's leading conditioner, he was officially saddled by Roberto Pellegatta. Pereyra completed the winning formula with a composed ride, especially crucial after the early bump.
The division had been left with Fletcher as its sole standard-bearer following the export of Colorado del Monte(Strategos) to the United Arab Emirates. Now, Hand in Hand emerges as a serious challenger to the Polla hero. There is still a long way to go and each must chart his own course, but a comeback performance of this caliber places them side by side in any analysis.
Hand in Hand has faced the starter just twice, winning both. Perhaps the most exciting part is that he still seems to be discovering his full potential. In the Martínez, he did not merely keep his undefeated record intact—he blew the door wide open for big dreams.
