Ronda de Ases and El Epecuen Look to Bounce Back to Their Best Form
- Turf Diario
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
They are the leading contenders for the Picapleitos and Juan Bautista Udaondo Handicaps, respectively, both to be run on the dirt
After a couple of days featuring mostly ordinary racing, stakes action returns this afternoon at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo with a Thursday card headlined by a pair of handicaps. Despite the biting cold, the sun is expected to provide some relief across a program of 15 races.
The two features are the Handicap Picapleitos over 1800 meters and the Handicap Juan Bautista Udaondo at 1400 meters, both for horses aged five and up on the main dirt track.
In the Picapleitos, connections will give another chance to the talented Ronda de Ases (Forge, 55kg), who lines up under ideal conditions with top jockey Francisco Leandro aboard and a favorable impost. Winner last season of the Clásico Good Manners when defeating G1 hero Chanta Joy (Fortify) and Ser Sincero (Fortify), he subsequently tried various surfaces and distances with mixed results, though notably finished second to Epityrum in the Clásico Chacabuco (G2), ahead of Crazy Talent (Equal Talent).
He comes off a disappointing effort in the Clásico Forli (G2) over heavy turf and will face a confident Operístico (Daddy Long Legs, 58kg), winner last time out in the Handicap Full Sail, as well as the lightweight Valle Barun (Vástago Salvaje, 53.5kg), who scored recently in the Handicap Your Majesty.
In the Handicap Juan Bautista Udaondo, all eyes will be on El Epecuen (Il Campione, 60kg), who returned from a lengthy layoff with a promising runner-up finish, 1 1/2 lengths behind El Cobra Kai (Cosmic Trigger) in the Handicap Silurian at San Isidro.
Trained by Miguel Cafere, El Epecuen possesses abundant ability but has often been held back by physical issues. That opens the door for rivals like Super Blessed (Super Saver, 54.5kg), an eye-catching third in the Handicap Your Majesty, and Flying to the Sky (Señor Candy, 55.5kg), who stretches out in distance after an easy allowance win over Lo Straniero (Manipulator).
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