Sweet Feel gave Argentina another victory in the Gran Premio Selección at Maroñas
After sweeping the Gran Premio Criterium Potrancas and the Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas, the daughter of Lucullan captured the Gran Premio Selección (Oaks) to cement her crown as the undisputed champion 3-year-old filly in Uruguay
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay.— Sweet Feel earns her victories through hard work. She requires riding, encouragement, and time to fully exert the power that emerges when she needs it most. Narrow margins are simply part of her winning style, and this Sunday at Maroñas, a head victory was more than enough to capture the Gran Premio Selección (G3) and cement her status as the champion 3-year-old filly in Uruguay.
Over a wet dirt surface, the Argentine-bred filly ratified the class she had displayed when taking the Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (G3), answering the 2,000-meter stamina question with flying colors. The daughter of Lucullan, sporting the colors of Stud Haras Marnu, found a relentless challenger in Brazilian-bred Blue Paradise (Pimper's Paradise), who disputed every inch of the stretch, but the winner once again had the final say.
Ridden by Pablo Rodríguez and trained by Pablo González, the winner built her progress from the back half of the field. Through the opening stages, she bided her time, began making her move wide around the far turn, and entered the stretch with ground to make up, though already gathering momentum toward her target.
Her stretch run was resolute and sustained. From the 400-meter pole onward, the race boiled down to a fierce duel with Blue Paradise, who made her buy the victory at a premium price. Sweet Feel gained a slim edge at the 300-meter mark and had to dig deep to the final stride to preserve it. The head margin at the wire stood as a reward for that stubbornness and her ability to sustain a long drive when a championship effort was required.
Four lengths back in third arrived another Brazilian representative, Unburanas (Universal Law), as the clock stopped in 2:04.71 for the two kilometers. Out front, the top two contenders put on a duel that kept the outcome in suspense right to the line, with Sweet Feel once again coming out on top.
The victory capped a brilliant campaign that originated far from the high-stakes arena. The granddaughter of Catcher in the Rye broke her maiden over a mere 700 meters at Melo within the Sistema Integrado Nacional de Turf (SINT), followed by a victory over 1,000 meters at Las Piedras. Her transition to Maroñas brought immediate success, highlighted by an 1,100-meter win.
After solid placings in the Clásico Eduardo Pons and Clásico Domingo Torterolo, she made the definitive leap into elite company by capturing the Gran Premio Criterium de Potrancas (G2). Her triumph in the Polla confirmed her standing, and the Selección fully consolidated it, bringing her career record to six victories across a campaign that continuously expanded alongside the rising distances and caliber of opposition.
From those initial 700 meters to this classic two-kilometer test, Sweet Feel continually found answers. She preserved her winning instinct, learned to conserve her energy, and transferred her efficiency to the events that define a generation's hierarchy. By completing the Polla-Selección double, she firmly sealed her title on the track as Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.
Now, the Gran Premio Ciudad de Montevideo (G1), slated for next January 6, looms as her natural target. While an interim prep start is likely, her name already commands a top spot among the prime contenders for the division's flagship event on Three Kings Day.
Steeped in tougher demands and tested against older, more seasoned opposition, new challenges await. For now, against her own generation, Sweet Feel once again delivered on her end of the bargain: fight hard, secure the necessary margin, and defend it all the way to the wire.
Comments