No Fireworks Needed As Bank One Captures the Clásico Juan Lapistoy

The son of Lenovo proved too tough for Camuflaje, defeating him by a head over the heavy turf while receiving seven kilos from his rival

Bank One proved stronger than Camuflaje at the finish of the Juan Lapistoy / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

Taking full advantage of the light 53-kilogram impost assigned to him, and with a high-flying partner in Francisco Leandro, Bank One delivered the best performance of his career to capture the Clásico Juan Lapistoy (1000m), one of two stakes run Sunday at the Hipódromo de San Isidro.

The 550-kilogram son of standout Lenovo (Roman Ruler) had no trouble handling the heavy turf, showing plenty of grit to edge out the favorite Camuflaje (Orpen, 60 kilos) by just a head, after it seemed the path would be much clearer for the latter with the withdrawal of Hiran (Santillano).

Maintaining his perfect record over the San Isidro grass—where he hadn’t raced since late October 2023—the Stud El Alboroto runner stayed close to the pace set by his paternal brother Bambino Duke (56), crept closer halfway through the race, and from the 300-meter mark engaged in a thrilling duel with Camuflaje.

For a while, the outcome remained in doubt, but inside the final 50 meters Bank One found more to prevail by the narrowest of margins, stopping the clock in 59.61, a clear testament to how demanding the course was.

Another 1 1/2 lengths back, Lo Dejo Todo (Le Blues, 56) finished third, while Bailarín de Venecia (Angiolo, 55 1/2) was fourth, four lengths further behind. Pacesetter Bambino Duke faded badly and trailed the field home, well beaten.

Trained by Lautaro Bruno, Bank One was coming off a narrow conditional win, but made a significant leap forward here, posting the fourth victory of his 13-start career and boosting his earnings to 16,812,500 pesos.

Bred by Haras Gran Muñeca, Bank One is the best runner produced so far by the talented Bandurria Cat (Easing Along), a multiple stakes-placed filly herself, from a family that has produced other outstanding sprinters such as Quebramar (Compatible), Quick Call (Easing Along), and Makaha (Compatible), among others.