Mi Confesión and Butterfing, Leading Hopes on a Saturday Full of Promise

The fillies will square off in the Artigas, while the colts take center stage in the Penna, as Palermo hosts a Saturday card that sets the stage for Sunday’s main event at San Isidro

Juan Saldivia, trainer of Mi Confesión and Butterfing, holds a strong hand with the likely favorites/ HAPSA

Two-year-olds will take center stage Saturday at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, with the traditional Juan P. Artigas and Julio F. Penna serving as the co-features on a one-mile dirt card that acts as a prelude to Sunday’s marquee 25 de Mayo festivities at San Isidro.

Restricted to fillies, the Artigas has drawn a compact yet competitive field of seven, with favoritism likely to fall on Mi Confesión (Suggestive Boy), trained by Juan Saldivia for Stud La Dolfina and to be partnered by Francisco Leandro.

A bay filly with a solid prep under her belt, Mi Confesión has turned in a pair of useful drills—clocked in 1:43.4 and 1:31.2 for the mile and 1,300 meters, respectively—and went a sharp 800 meters in :50 flat in her latest outing, suggesting she’s ready to fire.

Among her main challengers is Embrace It (Daddy Long Legs), a half-sister to G1 champion Expressive Halo (Halo Sunshine), prepared by Nicolás Martín Ferro out of San Isidro’s Campo 2 training center. Pablo Sahagián is also shipping in from the north with the promising Catys Queen (Lizard Island), while Blues and Jazz (Equal Stripes) and Sa Font (Il Mercato) are a pair of locals who’ve been catching the eye during morning gallops.

The Julio F. Penna, open to colts, has attracted a field of 11, headed by Butterfing, a son of Angiolo also trained by Saldivia and a maternal half-brother to G1 winner Cima de Areco (Cima de Triomphe). He’s drawn rave reviews for his recent workouts and looms large against rivals such as Pase de Piqué (Gouverneur Morris) and Friends are Friends(Cityscape), both of whom appear to be coming into this race in peak condition.

Also generating a buzz is The Great Coquet (The Great Day), who covered the mile in a smart 1:42.2 while finishing fourth in a Campo 2 trial and looks capable of taking another step forward. Irish Coffee (Fortify) and Sueño Vivo(Treasure Beach) also bring strong credentials for trainers Miguel Cafere and Juan J. Etchechoury, respectively.

All signs point to a compelling afternoon at Palermo, setting the tone for the May 25 celebration that awaits Sunday at San Isidro.