El Gazpacho nailed Midnight Runner in the final stride to earn the biggest win of his career

The Bodemeister colt got up at the wire to edge his rival by half a length and celebrate victory in the Clásico Mesa del Senado (L)

Charging down the center of the track, El Gazpacho surged to the most important victory of his career / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

It was a day of progress and consolidation for El Gazpacho (56.5 kg), one of the highlights of an entertaining Saturday card at Hipódromo de San Isidro. The son of Bodemeister earned the biggest win of his career to date, rallying late to capture the Clásico Mesa del Senado (L), a 1400-meter turf contest run on the diagonal course.

Representing Stud La Frontera, El Gazpacho capitalized on an honest early pace, unleashing a powerful stretch run to notch a milestone victory. His campaign has seen a steady rise in form in recent months, progressing smartly through the ranks and now making his mark in stakes company.

Under Kevin Banegas, El Gazpacho settled well off the early leaders, as Emmspacial Boy (Emmanuel, 61 kg) took the field through the opening stages before Louis CK (Daddy Long Legs, 52.5) and Midnight Runner (Forge, 55) took over up front.

Though the pace was controlled early, things began to heat up midway through, despite Yak Sport (Glory Seattle, 56) failing to engage up front and favorite Garufa Mask (MasK, 57.5) losing all chance at the break with a poor start, removing another potential pace player.

As the field turned for home, Midnight Runner looked to have things sewn up by the final furlong marker. But El Gazpacho, launching his run down the center of the course, gradually wore him down, collaring the frontrunner right at the wire to prevail by half a neck. Finishing a length back in third, and closing strongly on the outside, was Don Rocky(Equal Stripes, 59.5). Final time was 1:24.76 over a normal, though not particularly fast, turf course.

Trained by Nicolás Martín Ferro and bred by Haras La Pasión, El Gazpacho is out of the productive Gazpacha (Not for Sale), a half-sister to G2 winner Galán de Cine (Successful Appeal) and stakes performer Galanazo (Johannesburg), both now standing at stud.

The lightly regarded gelding is now a five-time winner from 18 starts and has banked nearly 25 million pesos. Soon to turn five, El Gazpacho appears to be hitting his stride and may yet have more to give.