by Michael Burns

Even-money favorite Indy Boy impressively captured the Copa de Plata Italo Traverso Pasqualetti (Chi-G1), the final leg of Valparaiso Sporting Club’s Triple Crown series for Southern Hemisphere two-year-olds, on Wednesday at Vina del Mar.

The Indy Vidual colt, with Victor Mansilla aboard, streaked clear to a resounding ten-length victory. Longshot Nazgul was second, 1 ½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Agroalto in the 11-horse-field.

Eighth as the favorite to subsequent Group 1 earner Bamburi in the El Estreno Nicanor Senoret (Chi-G2), the first leg of the series, Indy Boy secured two-thirds of the track’s Triple Crown after a neck score over the same in the Clasico Stud Book de Chile (Chi-G2) on May 28.

No horse has swept the series since Castelnuovo, a Roy colt, in 1994.

An 11-length front-running winner of his debut, Indy Boy improved his record to three wins from four starts.

Trained by Luis Catena for owner Stud Granadilla, Indy Boy covered 1,500 meters (7.45 furlongs) on turf in 1:30.44 for his first Group 1 victory.

Bred by Haras Santa Mariana, Indy Boy is out of the Ringaro mare Gee Baby and is a half brother to 2005 Copa de Plata Italo Traverso Pasqualetti (Chi-G1) winner El Guga.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent