With elite credentials on his record, Lyon looms as the horse to beat in the straight sprint

Le Cornette, El Epecuén, and Bailarín de Venecia were the last to defeat the son of Lenovo, who will shoulder top weight of 60 kilos

Peso Argentino, one of the mains rivals for Lyon / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

If the Handicap Servicio Veterinario del Hipódromo Palermo looks ultra-competitive, the same can certainly be said for what the Handicap Día del Médico Veterinario promises. as the afternoon's second feature on Monday at Hipódromo Palermo, this 1,000-meter dirt contest for horses five years old and up boasts exceptional depth.

it gives the impression that if Lyon (Lenovo, 60 kg) can hold the sparkling form he has displayed over recent months, the 7,000,000-peso winner's purse will be tough to keep out of his reach. in his most recent outing, the Stud Lorenzo Albanorunner finished a brave one-length second to the formidable El Epecuén (Il Campione) in the Clásico Diamond Jubilee(L) under weight-for-age conditions.

that effort comes on the heels of hitting the board behind the top division sprinters: second to Le Cornette (Emmanuel) in the Irlanda (G3), third to the champion sprinter in the Estados Unidos de América (G3), and a close fourth—just a length back—to Bailarín de Venecia in the Santiago Lawrie (G3).

those high-caliber credentials leave little choice but to install him as the horse to beat, even as a dangerous field lies in wait. that primary threat list includes Opreso (Endorsement, 52 1/2), who gets in surprisingly light following a victory in allowance conditions. having finished second to Hirán (Santillano) a year ago in the Clásico Lamadrid (L), his light assignment will be a major factor in the lane.

Peso Argentino (Le Blues, 58) comes off a fifth-place finish in the aforementioned Diamond Jubilee, but prior to that scored in the Handicap Laramie Trail and chased home Bailarín de Venecia in the Prensa Hípica (L), finishing ahead of both Filoso Class (Filoso Emperor, 59) and En Un Rincón (Manipulator, 58 1/2) that afternoon. both veteran speedsters reoppose today, bringing deep experience to the gate.

boasting five wins from his last seven starts, Folke Dancer (Forge, 56 1/2) tests the waters on the Palermo straightaway aiming to ride his winning momentum, while after a 240-day layoff, the return of El Luciano (Il Campione, 54) will be one to watch closely—especially with such a featherweight in the irons.