The question is whether Con Lluvia will change everything in the Clásico New Dandy

Scheduled for a mile on turf, the race could be shifted to the main track should the forecast hold true

Quebracho Joy exits a victory in the Japón over the Palermo turf / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

With rain forecast for Saturday night and throughout Sunday, the status of the Clásico New Dandy (1600 meters, turf)—the feature at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo to close out the week—remains up in the air.

Should the ground come up heavy, it seems likely the race will be shifted to the dirt (all the more with the San Martín just around the corner), and if that happens, the dynamics could change completely, with several defections possible.

The likely favorite is Storm Sound (Hi Happy), though connections are weighing whether to run here or wait for the Clásico Ecuador (G2). The Omar Labanca trainee was a late scratch over heavy ground at La Plata, which only adds more uncertainty to the decision.

In peak form, Quebracho Joy (Fortify) comes off a convincing score over Palermo’s turf in the Clásico Japón (L), and now stretches to the mile for the first time—a factor to note, though one he appears well equipped to handle.

Always a puzzle is Ronda de Ases (Forge), a horse of talent but highly inconsistent. He usually shows speed and could be pressured early by his paternal sibling Midnight Runner, who, before faltering in the Clásico Pippermint (G2), was nailed on the wire in the Clásico Mesa del Senado (L) by El Gazpacho (Bodemeister). The mare Felicidad Compartida (Le Blues) takes on the males in productive form, having defeated Mr Mundus (Suggestive Boy), who also lines up here. Meanwhile, El Ernesto (Señor Candy) is entered today at La Plata, making it unlikely he will wheel back on such short rest.