Juan Carlos Noriega delivered a masterclass aboard Deep Heart
- Turf Diario
- Apr 25
- 1 min read
The jockey shone aboard the Dabster filly to win the Clásico Juan S. Boucau by a half-head over Gunakali
Juan Carlos Noriega always finds a way to stand out. That old saying—skill over strength—fits perfectly for the Córdoba-born rider, who well into his 50s continues to shine at the racetracks, with experience and enduring class as his trademarks.
“Chupino,” as he is affectionately known, delivered a fine ride aboard filly Deep Heart, taking the honors in the traditional Clásico Juan S. Boucau (1500m, turf), teaming up with trainer Juan Saldivia and Stud-Haras Al Adiyaat, the operation of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, which continues to collect major wins in Argentina.
A daughter of Dabster out of G1-placed Hareer (Equal Stripes)—making her a half-sister to G3 winner Hatim (Asiatic Boy)—the filly turned the race into a match with Gunakali (King Guillermo) from the outset, even though they did not race on the lead.
They traveled together throughout, and from the 300-meter mark to the wire, once they took full command, they engaged in a thrilling head-to-head duel that was only decided in the final stride, when Deep Heart edged clear by a half-head, without giving up virtually any ground along the way. The Great Love (The Great Day) finished 3 1/2 lengths back in third, with a final time of 1:32.52—the slowest among the three stakes for debutants on the card.
With Deep Heart, Al Adiyaat, Saldivia, and Noriega add another promising name to the juvenile ranks, in a season where the team, fortunately for them, has plenty of talent to dream on.
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