Dear Readers,
It’s time to take a look at the Gran
Premio 25 de Mayo Gr.1, which was a one mile-and one-half race, and contested over
the turf course at the Hipodromo de San Isidro racecourse in Buenos Aries, Argentina
on May 25, 2013. With three starting gates lined up to accommodate the 18 horse
field, this gave the viewer an impressive visual of the overall width of the
track. The course is so big, that each year the race is run with only one wide
sweeping turn for the horses to navigate.
The eventual winner, Ordak Dan,
a son of the Danzig stallion Hidden Truth, and out of the Sir Chester mare Duna
Ter, cruised along in the fourth position for a good deal of the race. He looked,
via the video replay, to be totally relaxed and a horse that doesn’t like to run
up-in-the-bit. When asked, by his jockey Pablo Carizzo, Ordak Dan did drop his
head and start to drive hard on the outside. Once he’d passed the first of the
three front runners, he started lugging in until he reached the path closet to
the rail, where he stayed to the finish. The Carlos Carabajal trained runner
was a clear winner, however the runner up, Soy Carambolo was pressing Ordak Dan
hard in the final strides.
By winning this race, as we
know, Ordak Dan earned his automatic berth in the $3 million dollar Breeders’
Cup Turf on November 2 at Santa Anita Park. However he needed to be supplemented
to the Breeders’ Cup Program before July 15th at a cost of $50,000
US.
Since his owner, 95-year-old Saturino Erro
stated the victory was “the greatest of my life,” and when asked if he would be
going to the Breeders’ Cup, he answered; “Of course I will,” we expected it
wouldn’t be long before the supplement was paid. And sure enough since then the
horse has been made eligible, and I hope we get to see Mr. Erro in attendance
on Breeders’ Cup day in November.
Does everyone recall Frances Genter? She
was 92-years-young at the time her horse Unbridled won the 1990 Kentucky Derby?
One of the great Kentucky Derby moments, is the picture of her trainer, Carl
Nafzger calling out the race to her, as the horses came down the lane. Frances
was too tiny to see over the heads of the crowd. The look of joy and wonder on their
faces is still clear in my memory, and only two years later Carl befriended me,
as I tried to make history in Louisville in the 1992 Kentucky Derby with Casual
Lies.
I hope we get to see Mr. Erro’s face if his
horse runs in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, it will make for memorable viewing.
Take care,
Shelley Riley
Be sure and take a look at
the reviews Casual Lies – A Triple Crown
Adventure, is getting both on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
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