November Rain unleashed a powerful late surge to nail Listen by a mere nose in a thrilling finish to the Clásico Estrellas Junior Sprint

With Brian Enrique in the irons, the striking gray colt launched an implacable late rally through the final furlong to preserve his perfect record

A heart-stopping finish lit up Friday's opening card of the Carreras de las Estrellas festival at Hipódromo de San Isidro, as the Clásico Estrellas Junior Sprint (G3) came down to a dramatic final stride. The historic 1,000-meter turf dash—one of the three original events that launched the championship series back in 1991—seemed securely in the grasp of the pacesetting Listen (Le Blues) inside the final furlong. However, displaying a relentless late surge, the undefeated November Rain closed a seemingly impossible gap in the final 200 meters to snatch the victory away practically on the wire.

Masterfully handled by jockey Brian Enrique, the striking gray colt triggered an emotional celebration among his connections in the winner's circle, providing one of the most memorable snapshots of the afternoon.

It was the brave runner-up, Listen, who set the tone early, spearheading the field across the wet turf straightaway while facing persistent pressure from Pasatiempo (A Different Style). Meanwhile, November Rain found himself tracking the top flights some four to five lengths off the pace, heavily scrubbed along to maintain contact.

By the 300-meter mark, Listen shook loose from his early challengers, kicking clear by two lengths to open what looked like a definitive advantage. Yet, as late-race fatigue began to stall the leader's momentum, November Rain's grim determination turned the closing yards into a thriller, with the gray lowering his head with surgical precision at the line.

A tense few minutes followed as the judges reviewed the photo finish before confirming that the Stud Juanfrancolorbearer had indeed prevailed by a mere nose. Nissos (Il Mercato) closed willingly to complete the trifecta four lengths back. Post-time favorite Aspiring Artist (Angiolo) failed to factor significantly, checking in a disappointing fifth, while El Rayo Pass (Distinctiv Passion) encountered a rough trip to finish a lackluster seventh. The official time for the five furlongs over a yielding turf course was stopped in 57.41.

Trained by Franco Retamoso and bred at Cría La Repatriada in Entre Ríos, November Rain secured a notable stallion milestone for Strategos (Zensational), providing the sire with his second consecutive victory in the Junior Sprint following Campo Verde's triumph 12 months ago at Palermo. The victory caps a spectacular afternoon for the stallion,who continues to firmly establish his position among the nation's elite speed producers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oYcFIyvXbI