By Michael Burns
Prohibitive favorite Crazy Icon (Arg) (Sixties Icon {GB}) rolled to a facile victory in the 27th running of the G1 Estrellas Classic, the highlight of the Carreras de las Estrellas, Argentina's version of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Saturday at San Isidro Racecourse in Buenos Aires.
Under a confident ride from Juan Carlos “Chupino” Noriega, the 3-year-old bay colt stalked pacesetter Areco Run (Arg) (The Leopard) before gaining the advantage entering the straight and drawing clear gradually en route to a four-length score.
The lightly raced Roberto Pellegata trainee earned his first victory at the highest level to give Pellegata his fifth win in the marquee event.
“He is a good honest horse,” said Noriega, who piloted his third consecutive Estrellas Classic winner.
Unbeaten in his first two starts at three on the turf at 1600 and 2000 meters and making his first start since March, Crazy Icon entered the Estrellas Classic off two straight defeats when placing second in the G1 Gran Premio Miguel A. Martinez de Hoz at San Isidro in February and second in the G2 Classic Otono on dirt at Palermo in his most recent start Mar. 12.
With G1 Carlos Pellegrini and G1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano winner Sixties Song (Arg) (Sixties Icon {GB}) currently training for his forthcoming participation in next month's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. in England, Crazy Icon is a candidate to inherit the throne as Argentina's leading grass horse.
Saturday, San Isidro, Argentina
GRAN PREMIO ESTRELLAS CLASSIC–G1, Ar$2,000,000 (US$123,466), San Isidro, 6-24, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:02.87, fm.
1–#@&CRAZY ICON (ARG), 127, c, 3, by Sixties Icon (GB)
1st Dam: Crazy Arrow (Arg), by Orpen
2nd Dam: Carossesa (Arg), by Ringaro
3rd Dam: Carolette (Arg), by Logical
O-Stud Las Canarias; B-Haras La Manija (Arg); T-Roberto
Pellegata; J-Juan Carlos Noriega; Ar$1,250,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-3-2-0, Ar$2,047,175. *Second G1SW for sire (by
Galileo {Ire}). Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Don Archi (Arg), 127, c, 3, Archipenko–Dona Ideal (Arg), by
Sunday Spirit. O/B-Haras Futuro (Arg); T-Alfredo Gaitan Dassie;
Ar$375,000.
3–Forty One (Arg), 127, c, 3, Archipenko–Forty Marinesca (Arg),
by Roar. O-Stud Queruequen; B-Haras Las Raices (Arg); T-Jose L
Palacios; Ar$200,000.
Margins: 4, HD, 6. Odds: 0.65, 3.25, 5.95.
Also Ran: Cry Me A River (Arg), Santisimo (Arg), Areco Run (Arg), Sudashi (Arg), Seattle Mat (Arg).
Click for the Hipodromo San Isidro chart and the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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