La Watson makes El Bosque her domain and takes charge among female stayers

The Stud Juanjo gray pulled away to a 5-length victory in the Clásico Hipódromo Independencia de Rosario (G3),improving her tally to four wins from five starts at La Plata. The Clásico Los Criadores (G2) in December looms as her logical next objective

LA PLATA.— If there is a racetrack that fits La Watson like a glove, it is El Bosque. The gray mare once again displayed overwhelming superiority to capture the Clásico Hipódromo Independencia de Rosario (G3-2000m, dirt),Sunday's feature event, delivering what may well be the finest performance of her career. At 4 years old, she continues to make steady progress while establishing herself as a formidable force over route distances.

The race arrived with an unusual backdrop. Originally scheduled for October 20, La Plata canceled the contest and decided to reschedule it, despite its status as a graded stakes event. The measure contradicts international OSAF and IFHA guidelines, which stipulate that graded races must be run even with a single entrant. La Watson was already among the entries for that canceled running and returned to deliver an unequivocal response on the racetrack.

Sent off as the 1.75 to 1 favorite, she needed no early exertion. Jockey Jorge Peralta settled her in third while Tattiana Rich (Emperor Richard) and Foggy of Song (Sixties Song) set the pace. Approaching the quarter pole, Peralta began to advance; turning into the lane, she was already poised to overhaul Foggy of Song, and from there the race turned into a exhibition of dominance. La Watson extended her margin without facing opposition, crossing the wire 5 lengths clear of her runner-up, while Tattiana Rich completed the trifecta another 4 lengths back. The clock stopped in 2:05.80 for the 10 furlongs.

Her record at La Plata is near-flawless: five starts, four wins, and a second-place finish. She previously captured the Clásico Vit Reina and Clásico República Federativa del Brasil, with her sole local defeat coming when second in the Clásico México. This performance was neither an isolated afternoon nor a coincidental affinity. Each return to the venue finds her more mature, confident, and equipped with greater tactical options.

She has also demonstrated quality away from El Bosque. At Palermo, she finished second in the Handicap Sierra Balcarce and Handicap Miss Grillo, alongside a third-place effort in the Clásico Chile (G2) against top-tier opposition. Her lone setback of the season came with an eighth-place finish in the Gran Premio Estrellas Distaff (G1)on the San Isidro grass, a surface where she remains winless. Dirt—and specifically La Plata's main track—remains her ideal domain.

Bred by Haras El Mallín, the daughter of Hurricane Cat and Roman Holiday (Peer Gynt) represents the Tucumán-based Stud Juanjo. Trained by Gustavo Scarpello, she has formed a steady partnership with jockey Jorge Peralta,bringing her career record to five wins from 15 starts while showing a trajectory that invites higher aspirations.

The Clásico Los Criadores (G2), scheduled for December under similar conditions, looms as her logical next target. It will provide another opportunity to consolidate her leadership among older female stayers at La Plata, while setting the stage for 2027, when La Watson can pursue even greater domestic challenges.