Unico Happy took advantage of everything and gave great joy to his new owners

The son of Hi Happy had the best debut with the colors of Stud Juanfran and won the Especial Craganour

Unico Happy was dominant when he charged in the final straight / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The "especial" category format that La Plata invented a few years ago and that, unfortunately, the Hipódromo de San Isidro has now copied, has several drawbacks. On one hand, its low prize money, bordering on shameful; on the other, the weight scale based on races won that is used, where, generally, superior horses benefit.

A G1 and G2 winner, with experience at all other levels and now 5 years old, Unico Happy took full advantage of the prevailing conditions and had a perfect debut with the colors of Stud Juanfran, taking home the Craganour this Wednesday. The win provided much more sentimental than financial return for his owners, as he took home 4,800,000 gross pesos—barely 1,500,000 pesos more than what a veteran maiden winner receives...

Now in the hands of trainer Franco Retamoso and entrusted to Brian Enrique, the son of Hi Happy stayed last but close in the early stages, while Chanclette (Super Saver, 56) ran in front.

On the backstretch, the winner began to advance little by little within a development that accelerated when Tryman(Safety Check, 54) moved up alongside the leader. With the 800 meters passed in 47s79/100, the straight arrived, and with it, the most important moves.

The two leaders gradually lost strength and began to fade until they finished at the back of the pack, while Unico Happygained ground on the outside, taking command midway through the stretch and pulling away with ease.

Finishing 4 lengths behind as the runner-up was Emergent (Il Campione, 58), with Rumor de Fuego (Daddy Long Legs, 56) in third, a neck behind the former, all in a time of 1m51s34/100 on a track officially rated as normal, though wet.

Bred by Haras La Providencia, Unico Happy reached his sixth victory in 17 starts, coming close to 70 million pesos in total earnings and regaining confidence after a couple of weak performances—albeit at a different level, clearly. It is now time to think about the classics again for the bay.