Le Cornette and his blistering speed sealed a double in the Clásico Paraguay
- Turf Diario
- hace 24 minutos
- 3 min de lectura
The reigning Champion Sprinter captured the Palermo G3 for the second consecutive season, dominating from wire to wire
What a horse Le Cornette is. At 7 years old, he continues to build a formidable career, making difficult races look easy as he marches steadily toward defending the Champion Sprinter title he has held since last April.
The chestnut representing Stud Chajarí won the Clásico Paraguay (G3-1000m, fast dirt) on Monday for the second consecutive season—the featured event of the card at Palermo Racecourse, which was fortunately attended by a massive crowd taking advantage of the holiday and the sparse alternatives on the sports menu.
He accomplished it in a fashion that left everyone present, formites and newcomers alike, completely open-mouthed. The performance by the son of Emmanuel was deserving of a resounding ovation, a demonstration that showed him at his absolute peak, ready to tackle the division's G1 triple crown comprising the Gran Premio Suipacha, Gran Premio Maipú, and Gran Premio Félix de Alzaga Unzué.
Breaking from post position 1, Le Cornette shot out from under the doors and, in less than a furlong, was already on top and heading toward the center of the track. That display of raw speed was the cornerstone of his tremendous performance.
From there, he dictated the pace up front, keeping all his rivals under pressure at every point. Inside the final 300 meters, he kicked clear to cross the wire 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Rey de la Calle (Che Micky), who lost his undefeated record while emerging as the revelation of the Paraguay.
Half a neck back, Naranccello (Le Blues) completed the trifecta, reminding everyone that in his previous start he had defeated Le Cornette himself. El Fortín (Il Campione), hero of the 2025 Unzué, finished eighth and second-to-last; his attempt to stretch out to longer distances seems, for the moment, to have left him empty-handed.
Capping off his performance, Le Cornette was presented this time by Manuel Pedro Dussol—the program listings have become quite a festival—in place of Gerardo Alteño, his true trainer who is serving a suspension for a medication violation.
"As everyone knows, he is a very good horse, and this time he won every step of the way. If he is right, when he hits the gates, he is just too fast. I saw him as the winner at every moment. He always showed promise; early on he won nice races, and now, fully mature, he gives it his all," said William Pereyra, his jockey, after the victory.
The rider put his finger to his lips requesting silence during the celebration, later clarifying his reasons: "I'm not usually one to celebrate; I don't like it much. But there were many unfair comments. Nothing more, just spur-of-the-moment things."
Le Cornette's record now boasts 13 victories from 29 starts, with only 4 off-the-board finishes and over 177 million pesos in earnings. Curiously, he made his debut in the 2-year-old juvenile events at La Plata, winning early in the Especial Iniciación and the Clásico Congreve (L), in addition to placing in both the Clásico Guillermo Kemmis (G3) and the Clásico Carlos Casares or Gran Premio Santiago Luro (G2).
A severe injury kept him away from the track for extended periods on two occasions. However, after being acquired by Stud Chajarí and permanently re-routed to sprinting, he transformed into the admired Le Cornette of today—as well as the "Chacorta" of the match-race circuit, where his exploits are equally numerous.
At this stage, a monument should be built for the chestnut, who continues to stretch his incredible form and stands ready for the major clashes ahead, where El Epecuén (Il Campione), the other headline speedster, will surely be his primary adversary.
They promise to be unmissable races.
