Look Portal Outduels Treasure Island to Kickstart His Road to the Rocha
- Turf Diario
- Jul 29
- 2 min read
Back in the spotlight at La Plata, the dark bay homebred for Haras Cachagua showed plenty of grit and stamina to prevail in a spectacular finish
LA PLATA.- The Clásico Federación Argentina de Jockey Clubes e Hipódromos (2200 meters, fast track), a key prep on the road to the G1 Gran Premio Dardo Rocha, delivered a thrilling finish Thursday at La Plata, as Look Portal (Portal del Alto) edged favored Treasure Island (Treasure Beach) by a neck in a spectacular 1-2 for trainer Nicolás Martín Ferro. Just a half-length back, Che Banquero (Greenspring) completed the trifecta in a race that saw three horses hit the wire with barely a breath between them.
Back at La Plata, Francisco Leandro wasted no time sending Treasure Island straight to the front, making full use of his mount’s stamina and experience over the trip. Kevin Banegas, aboard Look Portal, overcame a sluggish break and settled mid-pack early, waiting patiently before launching a bold move down the backstretch to confront the leader with 800 meters to go.
What followed was a dramatic head-to-head duel between the two Ferro trainees, with Che Banquero looming on the outside. Once in the straight, Look Portal inched ahead and bravely held his advantage to the wire, stopping the clock in 2:16.41. A distant fourth, five lengths adrift, was Sofware (Treasure Beach), rounding out the superfecta.
Bred by María I. Solveyra and Patricio E. Donovan, and carrying the silks of Haras Cachagua, Look Portal once again proved his mettle over extended distances. The 5-year-old now boasts 7 wins from 16 starts, including four black-type victories, having previously captured the Clásico Calidoscopio (L), the Clásico Uruguay, and the Handicap Arturo A.
With a deep and competitive group of stayers already in play—and the potential addition of emerging 3-year-olds—the road to the Dardo Rocha is shaping up as one of the most compelling stories of the season.
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