Gate-to-Wire, Paraná Miní Dominates the Clásico Jockey Club de Corrientes, at La Plata
LA PLATA, Argentina – Long layoffs are never easy to overcome, but Tuesday at Hipódromo de La Plata proved that talent can trump time away. First, as noted separately in this edition, Rosas del Rosedal (Forge) made a winning return in the Especial Haras Cumeneyén after more than eight months on the sidelines. Later, in the Clásico Jockey Club de Corrientes, Paraná Miní shrugged off 165 days of inactivity to resume his career in the best possible fashion.
By credentials alone, the Winning Prize horse was the logical favorite, yet tackling a mile off a layoff is always a challenge. He handled it masterfully, employing his usual front-running tactics and showing his resilience in the stretch when the closers made their bids.
Jockey Elías Martínez wasted no time putting the Stud Pancho.R.X. runner in command, setting fractions of :25.75 and :47.44, with Ecólogo Estrella (Ecólogo) keeping close tabs. As they turned for home, Paraná Miní dug in along the rail, kicked two lengths clear, and had enough left to fend off Speedy Endor (Endorsement), who settled for second, one length back. Indy Pro (Indy Point) completed the trifecta another 1 1/4 lengths behind, as the clock stopped at a solid 1:38.37 for the mile, with a six-furlong split of 1:12.72.
Bred privately by Rodolfo Carlos Pellegrini, Paraná Miní secured the sixth victory of his career and his fifth at the stakes level, having previously claimed the Clásico Criadores Argentinos del Sangre Pura de Carrera (L), Clásico Club Hípico de Tandil (L), Clásico Austria (L), and Clásico Ultrasonido, along with several graded stakes placings.
Out of Tu Alegría (Flesh for Fantasy), Paraná Miní now returns with confidence soaring. With fitness no longer a question mark, he shapes up as a formidable contender in the middle-distance ranks across Argentina’s top three tracks, equally adept on both turf and dirt.
Comments