Juan Saldivia: “With Amor de Contramano, we have a colt we can dream with"

The trainer had been expecting a performance like the one the gray colt delivered in the Clásico Montevideo, and will now aim him toward the Carreras de las Estrellas

Juan Saldivia, a trophy in hand and a dream in motion / HAPSA

The outstanding Thursday card at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo featured several notable performances, but topping the list for many was the dazzling display by Amor de Contramano in the G1 Gran Premio Montevideo (1500 meters, dirt), the first top-level event of the season for 2-year-old colts.

The gray son of Gouverneur Morris turned in a jaw-dropping effort, powering home by 10 lengths in front-running fashion—never asked for his best and stopping the clock just shy of the track record.

“This is a very, very good colt,” said trainer Juan Saldivia. “He had already shown in his maiden win that he was something different, and today he confirmed it in a big way. After his debut, we were left with a bitter taste because we expected him to win, but he lost. Still, our confidence in him never wavered.”

Saldivia, clearly pleased but not surprised by the result, continued: “The plan coming into this race was to break sharply and go to the front, because he had already shown us he’s very quick early and always gives you something extra when asked.”

Like most talented horses, Amor de Contramano keeps things simple in the mornings. “He’s a very manageable, even-tempered colt, and most importantly, he’s very sound—which helps a lot when you’re training him. We had a full month between his maiden win and the Montevideo, which allowed us to really fine-tune him. That’s not easy to do with a 2-year-old, but to win these kinds of races, you need to reach the starting gate at 100%. That’s something Roberto always taught me—you can’t come in undercooked.”

While the sky seems to be the limit for Amor de Contramano, Saldivia is determined to take things one step at a time. “I think we have plenty of time to get him to the G1 Estrellas Juvenile, which will also be run here at Palermo. We’ll skip the G1 Gran Criterium and keep him on his home track, where he’s been doing everything right. After that, we’ll see. We have a colt we can dream with.”

That final thought sums up what many at Stud Las Canarias are thinking: Amor de Contramano may just be a budding star.