No mystery on the heavy track, as Empress Life, racing for Stud El Barrial, got the job done

The daughter of G1 winner Legión de Honor delivered another feel-good victory at El Bosque for the colors of Fabián Mentucci, an easy one to read

Empress Life drew off with authority in the closing stages of the feature / HLP

LA PLATA, Argentina – There was little need to overthink it, and indeed the puzzle could not have been more straightforward. On a heavy El Bosque track, the feature race on Friday, the Especial Ranquelia (1100m), went the way of the Stud El Barrial colors.

The mare was, of course, Empress Life, who delivered the most important victory of her career with commanding authority, showing a clear affinity for the off going and extending the strong run of form she had been carrying.

It was also another celebratory moment for jockey Lautaro Balmaceda, enjoying the finest season of his career and particularly effective at La Plata, where he continues to operate as if at home. Just last Wednesday, during the Gran Premio Dardo Rocha (G1) meeting, he had already scored in the Clásico Joaquín V. González (G2) aboard Storm Sound(Hi Happy).

Carrying a light 54 kilos, the daughter of champion sprinter Legión de Honor made it all look simple, tracking the pace early while Valeska (Manipulator, 54) and Seré Científica (Exodus, 58) dueled through a sharp opening split of :22.81.

Around the far turn, Empress Life began to roll wide and wasted little time in asserting her authority once straightened for home. From there, she drew clear with conviction, hitting the wire three lengths ahead of a resurgent Señora Bagaces(Señor Candy, 58), with Seré Científica a further three-quarters of a length back in third, stopping the clock in a respectable 1:06.08 given the track conditions.

Trained by Fabián Mentucci and bred by Haras Abolengo, the 5-year-old mare recorded the fifth win of her career—her first at stakes level—from 16 starts, pushing her earnings to just over ARS 18,000,000, although the Ranquelia itself carried an underwhelming winner’s purse of 2,900,000 pesos.

Empress Life is out of Empress Diva (Asiatic Boy), a half-sister to stakes winners Empress Time (Acceptable) and Excellent Note (Editor’s Note), as well as the black-type placed Empress Style (Sunray Spirit), all of whom have gone on to produce notable runners.

Her third dam is the outstanding Elysee (El Gran Capitán), a mare who left a profound mark both in Argentina and internationally, anchoring one of the most influential female families in the national Stud Book — the powerful “E” family.