What a Man Found His Big Day and Captured the Clásico Brasil
- Turf Diario
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
In his ninth try at the top level, the Mastercraftsman colt took control in the stretch to earn the biggest win of his career
In his ninth attempt at the highest level, What a Man finally got that big win he had long sought, capturing Saturday’s Clásico República Federativa del Brasil (G3-1600 m) at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, contested over an increasingly worn turf course.
The Mastercraftsman colt capped off a dream weekend for the team behind Stud Haras El Angel de Venecia, jockey Eduardo Ortega Pavón, and trainer Carlos D. Etchechoury—with Daniel A. Bordón representing the conditioner while serving a suspension—who had earlier celebrated victory on Saturday at San Isidro in the Clásico Reconquista (L) with Talented Hit (Hit It a Bomb).
It was a splendid day of racing in the city center, featuring a card packed with quality contests—mirroring the top-level action from the previous day at the Jockey Club—with a dominant four-win day and competitive allowance races that engaged the public.
What a Man had previously run in the Brasil in 2024 but finished far back, only eighth behind Fiolo Boss (Holy Boss). Though not known for consistency, with solid efforts like runner-up finishes in the Gran Premio San Isidro (G1) and the Clásico América (G2), the bay is well-known to deliver when at his best.
That was the case here, capitalizing on the pace set by Paraná Miní (Winning Prize) and Preston Boss (Holy Boss), who clocked splits of 24.51 and 48.19 seconds for the opening 400 and 800 meters, respectively.
As he did with Talented Hit, Ortega Pavón waited patiently until straightening for home to call What a Man into action. By the 500-meter mark, the colt was in an ideal striking position and, without explosive acceleration but maintaining steady momentum, took command by the 300 and gradually pulled clear.
In the end, he won by three lengths over El Ernesto (Señor Candy), with favorite Earth God (Cosmic Trigger) finishing a close third but again unable to make up ground—he continues to struggle to regain his form for the G1 Stud Facundito.
Comando Secreto (War Command) was fourth by a nose, while Concord (Remote) had another disappointing run, finishing fifth with the pacesetters trailing the field. The final time was 1:36.90 over a turf course that tends to be at its worst shape when hosting its most important races.
Bred by Haras La Pasión, What a Man is by Mastercraftsman out of What a Shame (Not for Sale), one of the mares imported from the now-defunct Haras Arroyo de Luna, who had already produced stakes performers Wizz Air(Violence) and Wanda Zaira (Easing Along).
What a Shame is a full sister to Horse of the Year Forty Licks (Not for Sale), who appears in the pedigree of Nut(Nuthatch), a horse that gained top billing last Thursday. She is also dam to Winston (Forge), winner of the Polla de Potrillos (G3) in La Plata, and Peso Argentino (Cosmic Trigger), winner of the Handicap Día del Médico Veterinario.
After much searching, the right moment finally came for What a Shame, and now What a Man approaches the second half of the year with renewed purpose, targeting several middle-distance turf tests—highlighted by the Gran Premio San Isidro and the Joaquín S. de Anchorena (G1)—making him one to watch closely moving forward.
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