Lightly weighted, Splash Park Takes on the Experience of Bichita de Luz
- Turf Diario
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The filly from Stud Aladino is on the upswing and will carry just 52.5 kilos against the 61 assigned to the triple stakes winner
The second feature on Monday’s card at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo will be the Handicap Laguna Blanca, a race named after the daughter of Dart Board, who at the now-defunct Haras Income produced the outstanding Pranke (Cipayo), G1 triple winner Fantasio (Fatly), and fellow top-level scorer Tibaldi (Louvre).
Set at 1400 meters on a rain-affected dirt track, the race drew only six starters, but two names stand clearly above the rest. On one side stands the experience of Bichita de Luz (Fragotero), who will shoulder a demanding top weight of 61 kilos; on the other, stepping up from the allowance ranks and looking to climb the ladder, is Splash Park (Safety Check), who carries just 52.5 kilos.
That weight disparity tilts preference toward Splash Park, a filly highly regarded by her connections and one who has been backing up that opinion on the track. From six starts she owns three wins, the most recent coming under identical conditions, when she prevailed by a nose over La Habana (Hi Happy). Lucas González takes over from Juan Carlos Noriega to maximize the advantage at the scales, though Bichita de Luz promises to be a formidable rival.
The gray mare comes off a convincing four-length victory in the Handicap Taba over Emely (Il Campione) under weight-for-age conditions, and her résumé also features scores in the Listed Luis Monteverde, Snow Figure, and Vale Dori.
The other stakes winner in the field is Ingres (Galicado, 54), who gets in light and has been running consistently across various divisions, making her a legitimate upset threat.
After back-to-back allowance wins, Blessed Shine (Honour Devil, 54.5) failed to deliver in the Handicap Pensilvania but looks to rebound here. Holy Valley (Homage, 54) has flashed ability at times, though she has often disappointed when expectations were highest. She gets another chance. Completing the lineup is Ana de Armas (Angiolo, 52.5), the filly from La Pampa who enters in sharp order after recording her third career win.
