Lancara shifted the hierarchy among long-distance mares with a surprise victory
The homebred filly carrying the colors of Avourneen pulled off a shocker in the Clásico Los Haras (G2), defeating Charm by 3 lengths and thrusting herself squarely into the conversation for the Gran Premio Copa de Plata (G1)
The absence of a dominant force among long-distance fillies and mares was exposed once again on Sunday at San Isidro. Just when everything seemed aligned for Charm (Strategos) or Igual No Soy (John F Kennedy) to take a decisive step toward the Gran Premio Copa de Plata (G1), Lancara burst onto the scene to upset the odds, rediscover her finest form, and capture the Clásico Los Haras (G2) over 2,000 meters on the turf with a authority few could have envisioned.
Much like in the Clásico Lamadrid (L) earlier on the card, the upset was backed by solid logic. The daughter of Manipulator entered off three consecutive fourth-place efforts in the Clásico Ricardo P. Sauze (G3), Clásico Sibila (G2), and Clásico Carlos P. Rodríguez (G2)—all contested over the mile. While those were far from poor performances, they hardly foreshadowed such a dramatic step forward. The stretchout in distance, however, worked wonders, and in the very same race where she finished fifth twelve months ago, she found the ideal stage to return to the winner's circle.
A vast measure of credit belongs to Wilson Moreyra, who rode her with patience and utmost composure. As Tía Corazón (Besitos) set the early tempo, the dark bay bided her time in reserve, with her rider refusing to rush his moves.Once in the home stretch, Charm and Romana Craf (Mastercraftsman) surged forward to challenge the leader and eventually put her away, but the true protagonist had yet to make her entrance.
Moreyra waited as long as possible to thread the needle. When an opening emerged along the inside rail, Lancararesponded with a razor-sharp turn of foot, shifting gears and sweeping past the leaders. She did not merely take control—she powered away to cross the wire 3 lengths clear of Charm, with Romana Craf another length back in third. The clock stopped at 1:59.67 for the two kilometers, a very strong mark for the distance.
For Charm, the result left a lingering sense of unfulfilled expectations. The favorite continues to search for the dominant brilliance that made her a central figure during 2025. She possesses class in abundance, yet has been unable to assert herself as the undisputed division leader. Romana Craf, meanwhile, put in another honest effort without quite securing the breakthrough victory that continues to elude her.
Even more surprising was the performance of Igual No Soy. Coming off back-to-back stakes victories, she entered with the opportunity to cement her reign over the division. However, she could manage no better than sixth, a flat effort that reinforces the feeling of volatility hanging over the division. Every time a clear leader seems on the verge of emerging,another race day rewrites the script.
The scratch of Samba do Brazil (Springdom), the lone withdrawal and a main contender despite returning from a multi-month layoff, also reshaped the line-up. Yet nothing takes away from Lancara, who delivered another marquee victory for her breeder and owner, Avourneen, while handing another feature success to trainer Jorge Mayansky Neer. The dark bay earned her fifth career win and added another graded triumph to her resume.
With the Gran Premio Copa de Plata (G1) fast approaching, the Los Haras left one overarching takeaway: the division remains wide open. Lancara seized her moment, and given the impressive manner of her victory, she has earned her seat at the table. Maintaining this level will be her next test in a division where, for now, no one has managed to establish a lasting supremacy.
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