On the New Generation’s Debut, Sixties Pen and Risitas Pass Step Forward

The colt and the filly captured the first races for the 2023 crop, contested over 800 meters on turf

Risitas Pass showed no hint of first–start nerves and went wire to wire with authority / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

Sixties Pen laughed in the face of his own pedigree / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The 2023-born crop had its baptism of fire Sunday at San Isidro, opening a long road that will only begin to reveal its true stars in a couple of months.

The early standouts were the colt Sixties Pen and the filly Risitas Pass, winners of the two turf dashes at 800 meters, one for each sex.

Sixties Pen, laughing in the face of his pedigree, unleashed a powerful rally from the 300-meter pole to the wire to reel in pacesetter Lunático Pass (Distinctiv Pasion) and capture the Premio Koller, defeating the heavy favorite by 3/4 of a length.

Ridden by Emanuel Jairo Flores, the representative of Stud Nuestro Sueño (Tandil) returned a generous $12.80. Trained by Marcelo R. López and bred by Haras Firmamento, he is a son of Horse of the Year Sixties Song (Sixties Icon), whose finest moments came in the G1 Carlos Pellegrini, G1 Copa de Oro, and G1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano.

Adding to a pedigree not exactly built for precocity, the 431-kilo dark bay is out of Orpen Guess (Orpen), from the Oh’Sun (Solazo) female line, one of the historically strong families at Haras La Quebrada. His final time was :46.70.

A short time later it was the fillies’ turn in the Premio De Trento, and this time the result was more in line with expectation in early-season juvenile races, as Risitas Pass validated strong tote support with a convincing victory.

Showing signs of maturity, the daughter of Distinctiv Passion and Risueña Key (Key Deputy) went straight to the front and never looked back, drawing clear late to defeat Sabia Epona (Seize) by 1 1/2 lengths, with Adorable Pass(Distinctiv Passion) another half-length behind in third. The final time—:47.68—was nearly a second slower than that of the colts.

Trained by Carlos Cardón, the Stud Santa Rita filly was bred by Haras El Alfalfar and descends from one of the most productive families cultivated by Alfredo Camogli, responsible for G1 winners Qué Piensa Cat (Easing Along) and Temuno (Tempranero), among several other notable performers.