Sargento Morris returns to action in Palermo's feature race

Sidelined since February, he tackles a tough group of rivals in the Handicap Potrillazo (1400m)

The program scheduled for this Monday at Hipódromo Palermo will offer few highlights, featuring 14 races in total—mostly of modest quality—anchored by the Handicap Potrillazo, run over 1,400 meters, offering $8,750,000 to the winner, and open to horses 4 years old and up.

The scratch of Huayno (Interaction) was announced early, leaving 9 confirmed runners for now—a field where Sargento Morris (Gouverneur Morris, 56 1/2) could make a winning return. The Stud El Barrilito runner has been out of action since mid-February, when he finished fifth in the Clásico Horacio Bustillo (G2), but prior to that he had put together two straight wins, including the Clásico Haras Ojo de Agua (L), beating G1 winner El Fortín (Il Campione).

He will face plenty of tough rivals, starting with Amiguito Don José (Todo Un Amiguito, 56 1/2), who enters in strong form after taking the Especial Juan Alberto Maciel and finishing a neck second to Bienhechor (Hurricane Cat) in his most recent start in one of the divisions of the Handicap Juan Bautista Udaondo.

In that same race, Declan Dall (Victor Security, 56 1/2) finished third; he usually feels at home on the Palermo main track and will return to the gates once again.

The consistent Approval Cat (Endorsement, 55) is always a contender, as is Llebrenc (Forge, 53), who carries a light weight and remains dangerous. And one cannot overlook Zaatar (Hurricane Cat, 56 1/2), who failed to impress when returning in the Gran Premio 9 de Julio (G2), but whose past performances suggest he should not be discounted.