Silver Ya found the seam and captured a Sarmiento packed with drama
Charged late to nab Blue Dollar at the wire, who was subsequently disqualified to fifth for interference; the favorite Viejo Varieté was scratched following the accident of Eduardo Ortega Pavón in the starting gate
For Silver Ya (51 1/2 kg), the race appeared to be slipping away when the wire was already loomingly close. On the inside, stretched out, and compromised in his running by a race that was growing increasingly chaotic, the son of Winning Prize had to regroup, find clear sailing on the outside, and launch a late charge that reached its goal just in time. That is how he captured the Clásico Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (L-2000m, turf), the feature event on Friday at Hipódromo de San Isidro, in a finish as tight as it was eventful.
The Joaquín Cano trainee, ridden by Iván Monasterolo, caused an upset by resolving the issue by half a head over Blue Dollar (Orpen, 55 1/2 kg), though that order of finish was short-lived: the runner-up was demoted to fifth position due to the interference he caused during the decisive meters. For the winner, however, there was no debate. His final surge allowed him to claim the top prize on the track after surviving a moment where his chances seemed slim, and, naturally, taking full advantage of his light featherweight assignment.
The drama had begun even before the stalls flew open. Viejo Varieté (Qué Vida Buena), the race favorite, had to be scratched after his jockey, Eduardo Ortega Pavón, suffered an injury inside the gate. Pain in his right foot prompted medical attention, and subsequent tests conducted at Clínica Trinidad confirmed a minor fracture, requiring a cast. Unfortunate news indeed, leaving the stakes feature stripped of one of its prime contenders.
In his absence, Hi Dolfi (Hi Happy, 51 1/2 kg) and Capricho de Mar (Treasure Beach, 52 1/2 kg) took charge early, while the remainder of the field settled behind them. Silver Ya traveled fourth along the rail, alongside Blue Dollar, tracking the pacesetters and waiting for his opening.
The home stretch altered the picture several times. At the 300-meter mark, Blue Dollar began to launch his rally out wide, bearing inward as he made his run. At that juncture, Silver Ya remained bottled up in fourth and appeared in deep trouble, well back of the prime combatants and unable to fully extend himself.
Yet the climax had another twist in store. Blue Dollar drifted further toward the inside rail, interfering with Capricho de Mar, who in turn bumped Hi Dolfi. Amidst the commotion, Monasterolo managed to gather and shift Silver Ya to the outside, and the horse responded with the requisite power to erase the deficit, collaring Blue Dollar right on the line.
The timer stopped in 2:03.58, with the half-head separating the top two at the wire illustrating the agonizingly close nature of the finish. The stewards then intervened, demoting Blue Dollar to fifth place for causing interference to Capricho de Mar, shifting the official placings behind the winner.
For Cano and Monasterolo, the victory marked another major success in a stellar run that has also seen them celebrate with Colifato Novo (Lenovo). This time, the horse bringing them together in the winner's circle was Silver Ya, capable of rescuing his chances when all seemed lost and saving for the final stride the winning surge that decided the classic.
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