Juan C. Noriega’s winning tour through the provinces continued with Endo Verde capturing the Clásico Vendimia
- Turf Diario
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
After his triumph in the Vicente Dupuy (G3) at La Punta, the jockey from Córdoba shone once again with the son of Endorsement during the festivities in Mendoza
By Fernando Gabrielli
The San Juan representative Endo Verde was crowned as the new king of the Clásico Vendimia, defeating the local The Gun (Asiatic Boy) in a hard-fought finish. The competition served as the grand finale to one of the most anticipated racing days in the land of fine wine, featuring high-quality victories before a crowd that, while not ideal in size, was passionate in its support.
Endo Verde had been earmarked as a top contender for the Vendimia in the pre-race analysis. He arrived following a strong performance at La Punta and, crucially, had the services of the Córdoba native Juan Carlos Noriega, the hero of the recent Gran Premio Vicente Dupuy (G3).
The race unfolded with Potro de Oro (Endorsement) taking the lead from the start, while Piccolo Veloce (True Cause), The Gun, and Endo Verde followed closely. As the contest progressed, the gaps narrowed, and The Gunbegan his move to challenge for the lead.
Before entering the final straight, The Gun took command and looked like a serious candidate for the crown. However, Endo Verde moved up almost immediately, initiating a fierce struggle. It was nearly 300 meters of a spectacular head-to-head duel between the two best horses in this edition of the Vendimia. At the wire, Endo Verde prevailed by a head, sparking celebrations for "Chupino" and the connections of the San Juan stable El Rezongón.
From the rest of the field, the performance of Code Breaker (True Cause) was noteworthy; his rider was struck by a stone near the 1700-meter pole, yet he still managed to finish third. Tambaqui (True Cause) also performed well, finishing fourth in his debut on this track.
The Supporting Stakes
In the Clásico Reina Nacional de la Vendimia (1100m), Dark Sound (Long Island Sound) took advantage of an off day for Ethical Cleric (Il Campione)—who finished fifth—to win by a length over Gritalo Gringo (Touareg), ridden by Rodrigo Argüello.
Meanwhile, there were no surprises in the Clásico Gobierno de Mendoza (1600m), where victory went to French Champion (Treasure Beach). Trained by Florindo Catapano, he once again displayed his remarkable consistency to defeat Río Franco (Interdetto).
In the divisions of the Clásico Iniciación (600m), the wins went to Señor Billete (Señor Candy) and Venerado(Pneumatic), both leaving a great impression and promising to be key players in the juvenile selection process.
The star of the day was undoubtedly the great Juan Carlos Noriega. The renowned professional gave Endo Verde a clinical ride to secure the Vendimia. After the race, the jockey dedicated the victory to the recently deceased Oscar Rébora.
The next racing program at the Hipódromo de Mendoza will be held on April 26.
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