Stay Tune and a monumental victory: ten for Dany, four for Stud Las Monjitas
The son of Fortify captured the Gran Premio Jockey Club with a formidable late rally, further amplifying the monumental record of Carlos Daniel Etchechoury and the stable of Camilo Bautista; Hi Pocho proved a gallant second, while Linguado was eliminated from the hunt for the Triple Crown
Ten times the Gran Premio Jockey Club (G1). Ten times the satisfaction of having conditioned the 3-year-old colt capable of conquering the oldest Classic in the country. Carlos Daniel Etchechoury reached a dimension on Saturday that forces one to look far beyond our borders to find equivalent benchmarks. These are the numbers of Aidan O’Brien, of Bob Baffert, of those international legendary trainers whose statistics command global admiration. Here at home, that iconic mantle belongs to Dany, who once again wrote racing history through Stay Tune and the silks of Stud Las Monjitas.
The colt delivered the raw power; the trainer provided the patience and precision; Camilo Bautista's stable added another winning chapter to their commitment to major stakes racing. The result was a commanding conquest in the second leg of the Argentine Triple Crown, contested over 2,000 meters on the turf to crown a high-flying Saturday program at Hipódromo de San Isidro.
For Stud Las Monjitas, the celebration held an extraordinary significance: it marked their fourth Jockey Club victory since 2020. Four victories across seven renewals of a feature that demands class, stamina, and maturity when colts are still carving out their racing identity. It is an exceptional frequency that speaks volumes about the strength of their bloodstock project and a partnership with Etchechoury that continues to yield unforgettable afternoons.
Stay Tune chose this exact stage to deliver the breakout performance that racing fans had been anticipating. He had won on debut and subsequently traveled through the selection process right alongside the top tier of his generation: second in the Gran Premio Gran Criterium (G1), third in the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile (G1), and third once again in the Gran Premio Dos Mil Guineas (G1). His talent was undeniable, though his recent outings had left a slight feeling of unfinished business. All that was missing was seeing him translate those hints into a triumph of this magnitude.
Ever since the Guineas, Dany targeted the Jockey Club as the primary objective. Time and the step up from a mile to two kilometers accomplished the rest. Tipping the scales at a imposing 514 kilos, the son of Fortify found the ideal canvas to unleash his massive frame along with a distance that allowed him to conserve energy before launching a devastating closing rally.
Up front, Aki (Cima de Triomphe) set the tempo, tracked closely by favorite Hi Pocho (Hi Happy), who entered backed by a resounding victory in the Clásico Ensayo (G3). While they seized the early initiative, jockey Cristian Velázquez bided his time with Stay Tune near the rear of the field, waiting for the right moment to set him in motion. The far turn saw him racing very wide, sacrificing turf, but with the entire stretch ahead of him to show how much horse he had underneath him.
Hi Pocho struck to the front in the home stretch and for a moment fueled hopes of extending his stellar momentum. However, charging down the outside came an unstoppable force. When Velázquez called on Stay Tune, the response was instantaneous and decisive. His surge changed the course of the race: he hit the lead at the mid-stretch mark and drew away to cross the wire with a 1 1/2-length advantage.
The winning margin clearly reflected his superiority, but it was the manner of victory that magnified the impression. Coming from off the pace and rounding the turn far off the inside rail, Stay Tune retained plenty of stamina to resolve the issue with total authority against an adversary who also ran a massive race.
Indeed, Hi Pocho lived up to his favoritism. He showed his cards early, took the lead, and only surrendered to the absolute best version of the winner. His runner-up effort confirmed the merit of his Ensayo triumph. Five lengths back, El Cambiao (Imperador) completed the trifecta, delivering a remarkable effort for a colt who was coming off a maiden score over 2,000 meters.
The result also left a noteworthy pedigree detail: Roman Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus) secured a 1-2 finish as broodmare sire. Furthermore, it enhanced the formlines of Colorado del Monte (Strategos), who had defeated Stay Tune on two occasions before being exported to continue his career in Dubai.
The flip side was Linguado (Cosmic Trigger), who finished eleventh, beaten 23 1/2 lengths. Inheriting the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (G1) following the disqualification of Fletcher (Gershwin), he entered as the sole aspirant to the Triple Crown. His defeat extends a long drought: it is now 31 years since Refinado Tom (Shy Tom) completed the historic feat back in 1996.
For Stay Tune, who was bred by Haras Vacación, the horizon has expanded dramatically. The 2,400 meters of the upcoming Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1) will present another stern endurance test, but his affinity for the grass, the added distance, and his patient running style fuel big dreams. Stud Las Monjitas sets its sights once again on the grand event. And Dany, master of ten Jockey Club titles, has another elite colt with which to dream big.
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