Epityrum did his job to perfection and solidified his status as a top stayer
- Turf Diario
- Mar 23
- 2 min read
The son of Portal del Alto lived up to expectations, scoring a commanding victory in the Clásico Expressive Halo (L)
No matter how easy a race may seem, it still has to be run—and won. Epityrum did just that on Saturday at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, living up to his heavy favoritism in the Clásico Expressive Halo (L, 2200m, turf) and confirming the class edge he held over his three rivals.
Ridden by Martín Valle, the son of Portal del Alto was coming off a strong fourth-place effort in the Gran Premio Miguel A. Martínez de Hoz (G1) behind the talented colt Grezzo (Hi Happy). Back in the winner’s circle after a four-month drought, he reaffirmed his status as one of the most consistent distance runners in training.
In 2024, Epityrum raced 13 times—all over distances beyond 1800 meters—finishing off the board just twice. While this season has been a bit lighter so far, he appears to be following the same path. That durability is one of the hallmarks of the Haras Tiveres-bred runner, who campaigns for Stud Mística, further underscoring his iron constitution.
Of course, credit is also due to trainer Nicolás Martín Ferro, whose work keeping Epityrum sound and in peak form has been instrumental in his continued success.
In the Expressive Halo, the script was straightforward: he settled early, allowing Speedy Endor (Endorsement) to dictate the pace without pressure, then edged closer around the final turn before surging through an inside opening. Once Epityrum hit his stride at the 450-meter mark, the result was never in doubt.
He crossed the wire three lengths ahead of El Cid Campeador (Il Campione), with Hueihue (Daddy Long Legs) another four lengths back in third and Speedy Endor bringing up the rear, another 1 1/2 lengths adrift. The final time was a solid 2:17.94.
Out of a daughter of Venusberg (Southern Halo), Epityrum now boasts six wins from 23 starts and is on the verge of surpassing 70 million pesos in earnings. Versatile on both turf and dirt, he remains firmly entrenched among the country’s top stayers.
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