Vespaciano holds a slight edge in the early betting for the Especial Fancy Cruz

A Grade I-winning juvenile, he will carry the top weight of 58 kilos against a large field of rivals

Vespaciano, now a veteran, continues to make headlines / HLP

LA PLATA.- Indecipherable. That’s the word that best describes the Especial Fancy Cruz, the feature of twelve races set for Thursday at Hipódromo de La Plata, which will pit a field of 15 horses aged five and up, each with at least three career wins, over 1,200 meters.

With such a deep group over a sprint distance, anything can happen, and the break from the gate will likely shape the outcome. On paper, despite drawing wide and carrying the top weight of 58 kilos, Vespaciano still holds a slight edge.

The Daniel Boone colt, a G1-winning juvenile in the Gran Premio 2000 Guineas, continues to perform well at age seven. He captured the Especial Dart in his penultimate start and finished third in the Handicap Día del Veterinario, behind Sonreime (Orpen) in his most recent outing.

Making his first start at La Plata is Señor Pendibene (Forge, 54 kg), a horse who has shown remarkable consistency of late, recently earning his fourth conditional-level victory on the turf at Hipódromo de San Isidro, defeating the G1-placed Beauty Sea (Seahenge).

Muy Cortés (Hurricane Cat, 52 kg) comes in brimming with confidence after three consecutive conditional wins and will carry a light weight under veteran Fabián Juri. Strong form is always respected.

Mactas (Empire Aztec, 54 kg) arrives off an excellent effort at San Isidro, finishing third in the Clásico El Romancero(Il Campione) by 4½ lengths while defeating other capable rivals. Similarly, Minero de Oro (Violence, 56 kg) recently completed the trifecta behind Lobo Viejo and Earth and Fire (Cosmic Trigger) in another competitive northern race for multiple winners.

Señor Moon (E Dubai, 54 kg) has been inconsistent, but when at his best, he delivers notable performances. Finally, at 11 years old, Sallly Ray (Russian Ray, 56 kg) continues to seek victories, though it is becoming increasingly challenging.