by Michael Burns
Argentine classic winner City Banker closed out his three-year-old season on a high note as the Lode colt cruised to a comfortable victory in the $252,797 Gran Premio Estrellas Classic – Copa Escribano Hernan Ceriani Cernadas (Arg-G1) on Saturday at San Isidro.
The Estrellas Classic is the highlight of the Carreras de las Estrellas card, Argentina's version of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Under a ground-saving trip from Adrian Giannetti, City Banker gained command at the top of the stretch and drew clear in the lane to post his most lucrative career victory.
"My horse was traveling very easy and when I got him in the clear, he went on about his business," said a jubilant Giannetti, who notched his second Estrellas win of the day.
Multiple Argentine Group 1-placed winner Mestre finished two lengths clear of Group 1 winner Calidoscopio.
Conditioned by last season’s champion trainer Carlos Daniel Etchechoury, who saddled three straight Estrellas winners on the card, City Banker completed the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) race on firm turf in 1:57.92 to register his fourth victory in nine career starts for Juan Garat's and Santiago Martinez de Hoz's Stud El Gusy.
Winless since capturing the Gran Premio Jockey Club (Arg-G1), the second leg of Argentina's Triple Crown in October, City Banker earned his first victory against older horses in the Estrellas Classic. He finished fifth to stablemate Life of Victory in the Carlos Pellegrini (Arg-G1) in December and entered off a runner-up finish in the Clasico Capital (Arg-G2) on May 30.
Bred in Argentina by last year’s champion breeder, Haras Santa Maria de Araras, City Banker is out of the winning Ibero (Arg) mare Cirandinha.
Life of Victory, Argentina’s 2008 Horse of the Year, raced wide throughout and finished a nonthreatening sixth in the 12-horse field
In other Carrera de las Estrellas races:
Five-year-old El Noi made the third time a charm in the $63,200 Estrellas Sprint (Arg-G1) with a powerful closing rally to post a head victory over favorite Que Vida Buena. Ridden by Giannetti, El Noi halted Que Vida Buena’s five-race winning streak and completed 1,000 meters (4.97 furlongs) in :53.83 on firm turf.
Haras Orilla del Monte homebred filly True Passion posted an impressive 2 1/2-length victory over Group 1 winner and entrymate Leading the Way in the $147,465 Estrellas Juvenile Fillies – Copa Dr. Pedro C. Blaquier (Arg-G1). Trained by Etchechoury, the Orpen filly completed 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs) in 1:33.98.
San Livinus, third in the Gran Premio Gran Criterium (Arg-G1) on May 23, closed out his two-year-old season in style for trainer Etchechoury with a two-length victory over ten rivals in the $144,832 Estrellas Juvenile - Copa Sr. Raul Felix Maria Lottero (Arg-G1) to become the 15th career Estrellas winner for jockey Pablo Falero.
In the $84,265 Gran Premio Estrellas Distaff (Arg-G1), Haras La Providencia homebred Ollagua outclassed nine opponents with a smashing four-length score. The three-year-old Pure Prize filly has three wins at the highest level.
Snapy Halo, a Southern Halo colt trained by Juan Carlos Etchechoury Jr., made his Group 1 debut a triumphant one under Jorge Ricardo in the $84,265 Gran Premio Estrellas Mile (Arg-G1). Snapy Halo powered to a three-length triumph in the final Group 1 race of the Carreras de las Estrellas program.
Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent