Xurra Nips Tardona at the Wire to Take the Clásico Morales
- Turf Diario
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
The daughter of Forge climbed into the ranks of the top fillies at El Bosque with a courageous performance, and now sets her sights on the Polla...
LA PLATA.- The Clásico Miguel Luis Morales (G2-1600m, heavy dirt), the final prep step toward the Clásico Polla de Potrancas (G2), delivered a thrill-packed finish where Xurra dug deep enough to run down race favorite Tardona(Gidu).
It served as redemption for the daughter of the prolific Forge (Dubawi), who was coming off a fourth-place finish behind that same rival in allowance company—4 1/2 lengths adrift—where she underperformed expectations after being scratch-relegated from her scheduled engagement in the Clásico Raúl Aristegui (G2).
The victory provided the high point of excitement on an ideal day for jockey Franco Menéndez, who went on to complete a stellar treble over the course of the card, confirming his outstanding form at the local venue.
With the division leaders absent—some having relocated to Palermo and San Isidro to pursue their campaigns, and others awaiting the start of the Triple Crown—the rescheduled Clásico Morales showcased the finest version of Xurra. She raced at the tail of the field through the early stages, allowing Tardona to duel up front alongside Tarea Fácil(Fortify), while La Manteca (Equal Talent) tracked their moves closely.
Menéndez never lost patience aboard the winner, keeping to the rail until angling out into the two-path upon entering the stretch to launch his challenge at Tardona, who had dispatched her early rivals.
From the 150-meter mark onward, a fierce duel unfolded between the eventual winner and runner-up. The Ángel Pianatrainee (saddled on the day by Jonathan Fredes) edged ahead virtually on the line to score by a narrow half-neck. Four lengths further back, Missing You (Señor Candy) completed the trifecta, while a spent Tarea Fácil checked in fourth, another 14 lengths behind, with the final time stopping at 1m41s22/100, reflecting the difficult surface conditions.
Bred by Haras Vacación out of Short Ride by Candy Ride, Xurra captured the Morales and elevated herself into the ranks of top sophomore fillies in the local prep circuit, where the Polla de Potrancas now looms on the horizon as her next major test.
Comments