Unico Happy will seek to return to winning ways in the Especial Craganour, for mere pennies

With a very low prize at stake (4,800,000 pesos), the G1 winner from El Angel de Venecia is the candidate against the tough Emergent

Unico Happy will carry 58 kilos in the special / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

If Argentine horse racing intends to improve through meetings filled with poor-quality races, it is on the wrong path. The start of the 2026 season has brought a flood of low-quality events to the country's main tracks, and betting levels have taken a step back. Does this have something to do with it? Surely, it does nothing to excite the public to bet on alternative categories or on old, difficult horses with, moreover, few skills.

"Let the dance go on, let the dance go on," says the song, and that is the path San Isidro is taking, with another Wednesday that is an eyesore and, now, with the low blow of having swapped handicaps for "especiales" to pay even lower prize money. People are going to get tired.

The Craganour, over 1800 meters on the sand and for horses 5 years old and up with 3 or more wins, will be the only redeemable part of the day, with only 4,800,000 gross pesos in prize money for the winner, who, to top it off, will be paid well into the future. Not a single point in favor—neither here, nor in Palermo, nor in La Plata, to be clear...

A G1 winner, Unico Happy (Hi Happy, 58), significantly drops in class in pursuit of returning to winning ways. After poor performances in the Gran Premio Joaquín V. González (G2) and the Clásico Tresiete (L), the bay from Stud Haras El Angel de Venecia will seek to resemble the one that previously won the Handicap Equalize or finished second to Colifano Novo (Lenovo) in the Clásico Pedro Chapar (G3).

In his path stands Emergent (Il Campione, 58), already the winner of the Handicap Silfo in Palermo, who said goodbye in November finishing second by 1 1/2 lengths to El Despertar (Il Campione) in the Handicap Mariache.

Running slightly lighter will be Tryman (Safety Check, 54), who recovered strongly when finishing second by 3 lengths to the graded stakes winner Sabiyano (Fortify) in the Handicap Condal, despite some stumbling that prevented him from finishing closer.

Neither Chanclette (Super Saver, 54) nor Rumor de Fuego (Daddy Long Legs, 56) are lesser than the aforementioned, within a field completed by the mare Reina Casada (Long Island Sound, 54), who is currently running somewhat below her best level.