The Great Racing Tops the List of 11 Entrants for the Jockey Club

The second leg of the Triple Crown will be contested over its traditional 2000 meters on turf at San Isidro on Saturday, October 4

The Great Racing Aims for Another G1 in the Jockey Club / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club, the second leg of Argentina’s Triple Crown, drew its list of entries Monday. A total of 11 sophomores have been nominated for the historic 2000-meter turf test, to be run Saturday, Oct. 4 at San Isidro.

The most coveted series in Argentine racing will once again go unclaimed, as it has every year since Refinado Tom(Shy Tom) captured the Crown in 1996 under the hands of Jorge Valdivieso and the care of *Roberto M. Bullrich. The reason is already known: Gardel Pass (Distinctiv Passion), winner of the G1 Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos, opening leg of the series, was injured in that race and is sidelined for the remainder of the season.

The heavy favorite is The Great Racing, a son of The Great Day trained in Palermo by Juan Saldivia, who will aim to solidify his status as the division’s top turf runner following an impressive victory last month in the G1 Gran Premio 2000 Guineas. That day, carrying the colors of Uruguay’s Stud Patria Blanca, he defeated Ardiendo(Remote)—winner of the G1 Gran Premio Gran Criterium—by two lengths, with Forgging (Forge) checking in fourth.

Those rivals met again in the G3 Clásico Ensayo, where Forgging turned the tables, edging Real Rim (Remote) by a half-neck in front-running fashion, while Ardiendo settled for third, a half-length back. Real Rim is expected to return for the Jockey Club, hoping his late kick proves decisive this time.

There is further depth to the lineup. Lago Nahuel Huapi (Hurricane Cat), winner of the G3 Clásico Luis María Doyhenard earlier this year at La Plata and multiple times placed, will make his first turf appearance after finishing eighth in the Polla. Jazzy Frank (Gidu) and Friends are Friends (Cityscape), fourth and fifth in the Ensayo, respectively, are also likely to take part, alongside Brazilian-bred Phanton (Outstrip), Señor Sandro (Cityscape), Speedtest (Cityscape), and Todo Cambia (Mootsadir).

Adding to the intrigue, trainer Carlos D. Etchechoury will send out four colts—all saddled by his son Juan Manuel—including Real Rim, Friends are Friends, Señor Sandro, and Todo Cambia, the latter three racing in the silks of Stud Las Monjitas.

The Gran Premio Jockey Club will carry a purse of 120,000,000 pesos, with 60,000,000 to the winner. Prize money will then be distributed as follows: 21,000,000 to second; 12,000,000 to third; 7,800,000 to fourth; 6,600,000 to fifth; 5,400,000 to sixth; 4,200,000 to seventh; and 3,000,000 to eighth.

The entry fee is set at 2,400,000 pesos per horse, meaning San Isidro will collect 26,400,000 pesos should all 11 runners be confirmed, though, as usual, this sum will not be added back into the purse. All starters will be required to clear pre-race testing with negative results, as per G1 regulations.

Another great day looms, and anticipation is building. Final confirmations will be taken next Monday.