With grit and determination, Piñazo outdueled Nassau to capture the Jockey Club, at La Plata

The gray colt went straight to the lead and never looked back, fending off his rival’s challenge through the lane to prevail by a head, with favored Winston settling for third another 2 1/2 lengths behind

Piñazo, racing along the inside, kept Nassau at bay all the way down the stretch / HLP

LA PLATA.- Brave and unyielding, Piñazo carved out a hard-fought, inch-by-inch victory in Tuesday’s Clásico Jockey Club de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (G3, 2000m, dirt), the second leg of the local Triple Crown, contested over a testing, heavy surface that, unlike its usual post-storm tightening, remained loose and demanding.

A son of John F Kennedy, the gray colt ascended to the top of the southern 3-year-old rankings, dethroning Winston(Forge), who had demolished rivals in the Clásico Polla de Potrillos (G3) and was sent off as the heavy favorite here. Though he closed strongly in the lane, Winston had to settle for third, coming too late to threaten.

Was the victory by the Ángel Piana-trained, Ángel Barbieri-saddled gray a surprise? Despite returning $5.70 on the tote, on paper, it was somewhat unexpected. An early winner over the turf at San Isidro, he had finished a close third behind Winston and Gardel Pass (Distinctiv Passion) in the Clásico Pedro Goenaga (G2). But he subsequently faded to sixth in both the Gran Premio 2000 Guineas (G1) and the Clásico Ensayo (G3), again on turf at the Jockey Club.

Back on his home track, Piñazo seized command decisively from the break, when many expected his stablemate Sono Perfetto (Tetaze)—a recent winner of the Clásico José Pedro Ramírez (G3)—to go forward. Two sharp cracks of the whip from jockey Miguel O. Sosa as the gates opened made the plan clear, and the gray went straight to the front, carrying a handy advantage into the backstretch. There, Sono Perfetto and Nassau (Forge) began to press, while Winston, wide in midpack, struggled to keep pace.

The race reached its crescendo in the stretch. Piñazo, hugging the rail, dug in gamely, while Nassau launched a determined outside challenge, inching closer with every stride. The battle was fierce and thrilling, but the leader would not yield, holding on by a head at the wire. Nassau produced the best race of his career in defeat, finally living up to his reputation, while Winston closed resolutely to finish 2 1/2 lengths back in third, ending his Triple Crown hopes.

Since Vilas Light (Light Cavalry) in 1992, no horse has swept the local series, and the task remains elusive. Completing the full Triple Crown between Palermo and San Isidro has been an even rarer feat, last accomplished by Refinado Tom (Shy Tom) in 1996.

Another 2 1/2 lengths back came Sono Perfetto in fourth, with Regalo del Sol (Lucullan) next, the race timed in 2:08.56—a clocking that underscored the demanding track conditions.

The victory carried added meaning: Nonstopyou (Cima de Triomphe) had been a player in La Plata’s 2015 classics, finishing third in the Clásico Diego White (G3), and now her son Piñazo has followed her path. The Jockey Club belongs to him, and with grit and heart, he stamped himself a leading candidate for the Clásico Provincia de Buenos Aires (G2, 2200m), set for October 17.