Príncipe Soñado, owner of a late surge worthy of a true "Juan Alberto Maciel-style" finish
- Turf Diario
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
The Darío Periga trainee prevailed by a neck in a thrilling finish, delivering a heartfelt tribute to the beloved “Fiera
There was no shortage of emotion in Friday’s feature at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, as the Especial Juan A. Maciel (1200m, dirt) honored one of Argentina’s most beloved jockeys. The tribute to “La Fiera”—a master of grit, whip, and will—delivered a stirring finish, worthy of the man it celebrated, both on and off the track.
With Juan Alberto Maciel watching from the grandstand, it was Príncipe Soñado (Fragotero, 56kg), Maranelo (Holy Boss, 58kg), and Django (Remote, 54.5kg) who gave the crowd a thrilling stretch run, separated by just a neck and another neck at the wire. True to Maciel’s legacy, it was a hard-fought and narrow decision—exactly the kind of finish he so often mastered through determination, courage, and sheer talent.
In the photo, it was the Pampean runner who emerged on top. Though not always the most consistent, Príncipe Soñado is all heart, and on this day he brought his best, guided with confidence and precision by Facundo Coria, who seemed to channel a bit of Maciel himself in the drive. Together, they held off the tough Maranelo, who was trying something new, racing around a turn for the first time in his career and doing so admirably.
Django ran a brave race, setting sharp early fractions of :22.30 and :44.69 while dueling with Finsonius (Interaction, 53kg), and still finding something late to finish just a neck behind Maranelo. It was a gallant effort. Earth and Fire(Cosmic Trigger, 56kg) settled for fourth, 4 lengths behind, perhaps feeling the effects of a comeback run. The final time of 1:08.20 confirmed another blazing-fast afternoon, of the kind that—fortunately—may soon become a memory with changes to the clock looming.
Bred by Pablo Elizalde, trained by Darío Periga for Stud Ceferino of Chimpay, Príncipe Soñado (out of Macarena Bid, by Contested Bid) earned the sixth victory of his career and third at the stakes level, having previously captured the Clásico Día de la Bandera and the Handicap Resuello.
Special mention goes to his sire Fragotero (Roman Ruler), who enjoyed a fantastic week with his progeny. This marked the third major win for his offspring in just a few days, following Lacanian Ink’s success in the G2 Clásico Partículaand Bichita de Luz’s victory in the Clásico Snow Figure.
Comments