El Mejor Recuerdo seeks to extend his winning streak, but he'll encounter some formidable rivals
The Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo will kick off a new week for national horse racing with a card featuring 13 races, headlined by the Handicap Equal Stripes. This event will be run over 1200 meters on dirt, open to horses aged 4 and up, and looks like a stakes race.
Despite carrying the hefty top weight of 62 kg, El Mejor Recuerdo will be the horse to beat. The Rosario trainee is riding a four-race winning streak, which includes victories in the Ciudad de La Plata (G2), Ciudad de Rosario, Jorge A. Ricardo, and the Handicap Rubén Emilio Laitán.
With Francisco Leandro back in the saddle, the son of Il Campione, trained by Daniel Cima, will face several strong contenders. One of his biggest challenges will come from his paternal half-brother, Rugiente (59 kg), returning to the track where he typically performs at his best.
A winner of the Domingo Torterolo, Revista Palermo, and Jorge Valdivieso classics, Rugiente finished fourth in the Jorge A. Ricardo and repeated that placement in the Río de la Plata (L), though he struggled on turf, which has always been difficult for him.
If Rugiente takes the lead, it could work in favor of El Mejor Recuerdo as well as Burgess Shale (58.5 kg), who has finished behind both in the Revista Palermo, Jorge Valdivieso, and Ricardo but recently triumphed in a tough local allowance race, confirming his current top form.
The list of strong competitors doesn’t end there. Hop On (Endorsement, 56.5 kg), considerably lighter than the favorites, just finished a close second to El Gazpacho (Bodemeister) in the Handicap Whipper In.
One of the best 2-year-olds of his generation, Río Maggio (Winning Prize, 54 kg), has been flying under the radar for some time but shouldn’t be written off just yet.
Le Chatillon (Bodemeister, 51.5 kg), coming off nearly a year’s absence, will race light, while another comeback is Lo Straniero (Manipulator, 52.5 kg), who returns after a shorter break. Tabacano (Fortify, 53 kg) has improved and aims to continue on the same path.
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