Señor Dan Had to Work Overtime, But Got the Job Done

The Son of Señor Candy, Heavy Favorite, Prevails with Class in the Clásico Jockey Club de Mendoza

Señor Dan Dug In Along the Rail to Secure Another Victory / HLP

LA PLATA.- Forced to work harder than expected, Señor Dan ultimately lived up to his heavy favoritism to take Thursday’s Clásico Jockey Club de Mendoza (1400m, dirt), the feature event of the day at El Bosque.

Sent off at just 1.30, the son of Señor Candy looked to be in a spot of trouble early as he trailed well behind the leaders, while D'Or Van (Van Nistelooy) and Perugio Top (Maipo Top) set a contested pace up front.

It wasn’t until midway around the turn that Señor Dan appeared on the screen, looming wide on the outside as the eternal Surfing Boy traveled alongside. When the pacesetters gave way at the top of the stretch, Fancy Model (Lizard Island) surged to the lead, only to be joined by the closers in an all-out finish.

Switching paths to the inside, Señor Dan kicked into gear and proved strongest in the final strides, edging away to win by a neck over a resurgent Fancy Model, with Surfing Boy just a head behind in third. The clock stopped at a sharp 1:23.43.

Guided to perfection by Lucas González, the reigning 2024 Apprentice of the Year, Señor Dan races for the historic Stud Comalal. The young rider showed great composure, not panicking when the colt seemed out of sorts early, giving him freedom to move, even if it meant losing some ground, and then choosing the perfect path in the stretch to seal the deal. González now stands just nine wins away from graduating from the apprentice ranks, and his performance only strengthens the belief in his promising future.

Bred by Haras de La Pomme and trained by Carlos A. Cardón at Campo 2 of San Isidro, Señor Dan was earning the sixth win of his career from 18 starts, and his second in a stakes race, having most recently taken the Especial Río de Oro.

He is out of Mi Vigía (Storm Surge), a Group winner now part of the broodmare band at the up-and-coming Haras Tradición, based in Arrufó, Santa Fe.