Owned by a group of classmates from The Grange School in Santiago, the son of Portal del Alto shone in the Calidoscopio (L)
The stayers division is wide open. The definitive departure of El Kodigo (Equal Stripes) and Intense for Me (Fortify), the two leading figures, left a tough void to fill—one that several contenders are vying to claim.
While he has yet to reach the highest level, Look Portal continues to improve with time. On Wednesday, the son of Portal del Alto extended his strong current form with a decisive victory in the Clásico Calidoscopio (L) over 2400 meters on the dirt at San Isidro, a race paying tribute to the unforgettable champion from Stud Doña Pancha, who famously won the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (G2)—even in the snow.
Carrying the top weight of 58 kilos and coming off a win in the Clásico Uruguay (L) at La Plata, Look Portal has quite the story. While he races under the Stud Haras Cachagua banner, he is owned by ten Chilean friends who were classmates at The Grange School in Santiago.
With plenty of support behind him, Look Portal seized the lead early, maintained control over his five rivals throughout, and had enough in reserve to hold sway down the stretch. After setting fractions of :24.49, :51.41, 1:16.88, 1:40.63, and 2:04.80, he crossed the wire 1 1/2 lengths ahead of the filly Flavie (Seahenge, 54kg), with El Pulque (Heliostatic, 52kg) finishing third by a neck. The final time was 2:20.84.
Trained by Nicolás Martín Ferro and ridden with confidence by Kevin Banegas, the four-year-old gray is out of Nevada Stripes (Lookin At Lucky), from an American female line.
Look Portal now boasts five wins from just twelve starts, including two stakes victories, along with notable placings such as runner-up finishes in the Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (L) and Vicente L. Casares (G2), plus a third-place effort in the Ayacucho (G3).
Step by step, Look Portal is carving out his place among the country’s leading stayers. Still young, he has his sights set on reaching the division’s elite.
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