by Michael Burns

Saludable Nov, a stakes-winning son of Argentine-based sire Romanov (Ire), installed himself as Argentina’s leading juvenile colt on Sunday with a record-setting victory in the Gran Premio Santiago Luro (Arg-G1) at Palermo.

Sent off at odds of 6.25-to-1 in the field of seven and ridden by Juan Lagos, Saludable Nov recovered after bobbling at the break and zipped to a gate-to-wire victory over Borravino by a half-length to tally his third straight victory and first at the top level.

Conditioned by Armando Bani, who trained recently deceased sire and champion Mat-Boy (Arg) to North American victories in the 1984 Widener Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap (G1), Saludable Nov covered 1,200 meters (5.97 furlongs) on the dirt in 1:08.00 to set a track record for the distance.

An impressive ten-length winner on the Palermo five-furlong straightaway, he exited a 1 ½-length victory on March 2 in the listed Clasico Manuel Anasagasti over five furlongs on the turf at San Isidro.

Saludable Nov improved his record to three victories from five starts.

Bred by pharmaceutical magnate Juan Carlos Bago's Haras Firmamento, Argentina's top breeder last season, Saludable Nov is out of the New Dandy mare Saldeable.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent