Los Llanos Targets the Goenaga in Bid to Cement His Status as La Plata's Leading Juvenile Colt

Already the dominant force among the juvenile colts at La Plata, Los Llanos will attempt to strengthen his grip on the division in Thursday's Clásico Pedro Goenaga (G2)

LA PLATA.- The juvenile colt division at La Plata takes another important step forward this afternoon with the running of the Clásico Pedro Goenaga (G2) over 1500 meters. Towering over the field is Los Llanos, the latest star from the highly successful partnership of trainer Marcelo Sueldo and jockey Gonzalo Borda, who has been dominating the local scene in recent weeks.

Unbeaten over this track, the son of Le Blues announced himself as a major player when defeating Arc Village (Angiolo) by five lengths in the Clásico Asociación de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera de Buenos Aires (G3). He then emphatically confirmed that performance in the Clásico Luis María Doyhenard (G3), crushing Fuego Imponente (Seahenge) by ten lengths after cutting back from 1400 to 1300 meters.

Now the representative of Stud Araci's stretches out another furlong and tackles his third start in less than a month.

While he was never seriously extended in either of his previous victories, the demanding schedule is not without concern, especially for a developing 2-year-old.

This time, the challenge appears more demanding.

Among his principal rivals is the Palermo-based Fletcher, trained by Juan Saldivia for Stud Chos Malal. The colt followed a highly encouraging debut with an authoritative maiden victory on Palermo's dirt, defeating Autorretrato (Angiolo) by three lengths while leaving an excellent impression.

Autorretrato himself returns for another try, making his first appearance on the track where he is trained. A half-brother to Madonna Benois (Angiolo), Qué Tarde Gris (Il Campione), and Mery Laurent (Angiolo), he remains a maiden but may have finished closer in his latest outing with a cleaner trip, a factor that has encouraged his connections to take their chance in stakes company.

Also arriving in improving form is Joy Conquistador (Roman Joy), who graduated impressively in his fourth start by five lengths. He now faces a significant rise in both distance and class but appears capable of moving forward again.

El Pirata (Il Campione) and El Pecadito (Cima de Triomphe) are also trained by Sueldo, although on paper they appear a notch below their stablemate entering this contest.

The field is rounded out by the maiden Brigadista (Daniel Boone), who will be searching for a major upset.

For now, however, the spotlight belongs firmly to Los Llanos.

Another victory would not only extend his winning streak but would also strengthen his grip on the leadership of La Plata's juvenile colt division and position him as one of the most exciting young horses currently racing in Argentina.