Honest Boy Flies Home in G1 Gran Premio 25 de Mayo With Grit and Glory

Trained by Carlos D. Etchechoury, was unstoppable in the final furlongs, running down favorite Don Feres and handing Ortega Pavón another G1 gem on a career-defining day; 1-2-3 for the trainer.

Eduardo Ortega Pavón celebrates with heart and soul aboard Honest Boy / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

By Diego H. Mitagstein

Closing Sunday’s action at San Isidro in thrilling fashion, Honest Boy soared down the stretch to capture the 2025 renewal of the G1 Gran Premio 25 de Mayo – Copa Dr. Enrique Olivera (2400m, heavy turf), defying the odds on a track where making up ground had seemed nearly impossible. It was the feature event of a high-class, emotion-filled program that, unfortunately, lacked the crowd it deserved.

It marked yet another top-level triumph for Stud Haras El Angel de Venecia, whose silks have become synonymous with Group 1 glory. Trainer Carlos D. Etchechoury put on a clinic, sending out a 1-2-3 finish, with Pecado Original (Global Hunter) and Brazilian raider Out of the Blue (Drosselmeyer) completing the frame behind the winner.

Denied by narrow margins in the 2024 G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club and again in the G1 Miguel A. Martínez de Hoz, and unplaced in the G1 Carlos Pellegrini, Honest Boy finally broke through in his fourth try at the highest level.

While joy surrounded the Honest Boy camp, the same couldn’t be said for the entourage of Peruvian superstar Don Feres (Singe the Turf), who was sent off as a heavy favorite but finished next-to-last, a long way behind. At first glance, the culprit appeared to be a surface far more taxing than the “soft” label had suggested.

A modestly built chestnut weighing in at 450 kg, Honest Boy isn’t exactly easy to train. “There’s always a risk he’ll pull up with nothing left,” explained owner Carlos Felice, who was quick to credit Etchechoury and his team: “I didn’t think he could be competitive over 2400 meters, but the trainer told me he’d get him to the wire. This is his win.”

With Eduardo Ortega Pavón in the irons—already a G1 winner earlier in the day aboard Ardiendo in the Gran Criterium—Honest Boy was masterfully handled. In a race lacking early pace, Ortega Pavón bided his time near the back while Don Feres set soft fractions on the rail, closely tracked by Knows All (Le Blues).

The race turned when Ortega Pavón began to maneuver Honest Boy forward into the final bend, finding daylight just as Pecado Original swept past a fading Don Feres. With 350 meters to go, Ortega asked for everything—and the response was electric. The colt unleashed a dazzling burst of speed to reel in Pecado Original and score by 1 1/2 lengths, with Out of the Blue closing strongly for third, another five lengths back. Final time: a grinding 2:33.44.

Knows All stayed on well to be fourth, ahead of a struggling Acento Final (Treasure Beach). Don Feres, unrecognizable under the heavy going, faded to finish more than 33 lengths adrift, his imposing 536-kg frame unable to cope with the conditions—something he had never encountered in his outstanding career. Barring any veterinary issues, connections may need to reassess their plans to target October’s G1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano in Rio de Janeiro, where soft turf is often the norm.

Bred by Haras Santa María de Araras, Honest Boy handed Stud Haras El Angel de Venecia its 13th Group 1 victory. He is the second G1 winner produced by Honey Happy (Lode), also the dam of Hole In One (Heliostatic), from the family of French-bred Blessings (Floribunda), a cornerstone of Julio Bozano’s breeding program that gave us the likes of Sings, Bleding, Big Board, and Honey Rose.