Nassau’s Ambitions Tested by Sono Perfetto’s Experience

Clásico José P. Ramírez (G3), the Bridge Between the Polla de Potrillos and the Jockey Club, Headlines Thursday at La Plata

Sono Perfetto (inside) when finishing second to Winston in the Aramburu / HLP

LA PLATA.- Linking the Clásico Polla de Potrillos (G3) and the Clásico Jockey Club de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (G2)—the opening two legs of the local Triple Crown—the Clásico José Pedro Ramírez (G3) will serve as the feature on Thursday’s card at La Plata.

For 3-year-old males over 1700 meters, the race has drawn a mix of colts already proven in the southern classics along with others looking to step forward and stamp their mark.

Trainer Luciano Cerutti is confident that Nassau (Forge) can put it all together and show the ability connections have always believed he possesses. After a dull debut at Palermo, he improved next time and then broke his maiden locally at a mile, though not without causing trouble—antics that prevented him from winning by a far greater margin.

Talent won’t be an issue for the Stud El Basti runner, but he’ll have to deal with Sono Perfetto (Tetaze), who skipped the Polla and will instead try to build on his runner-up finish in the Clásico Isidoro Aramburu (G3), beaten only a half-length by Winston (Forge), the subsequent easy winner of the first leg of the Triple Crown.

That same Polla produced Un Infierno (Dabster), who was third, and Vampiro Zen (Zensational), seventh, both returning here with intentions of improving. In particular, the latter had shown strong form earlier, finishing second to Liberto(Hurricane Cat) in Palermo’s Clásico Old Man (G3) before winning the Clásico Forli in La Plata.

Omar Labanca will saddle not only Sono Perfetto but also Hi Dolfi (Hi Happy), who has been consistent if not victorious, with placings in the Montevideo (G1), Goenaga (G2), Aramburu, and a runner-up effort behind Alado Frank(Gidu) in the Crespo (G3) at Palermo.

Coming in off back-to-back victories is First to Run (Daniel Boone), who looks to keep the momentum alive, while Un Capo (Capolicho) will try to prove his last-out maiden win was no fluke after an uninspired debut in the Especial Patria.