by Michael Burns

Favorite Garatero cruised to an easy victory at La Plata in the Gran Premio Provincia de Buenos Aires (Arg-G1) to take the final leg of that track’s Triple Crown series on Sunday.

Under Jorge Ricardo, the chestnut Indygo Shiner colt capably handled the off track and pulled clear from second-choice Great Champion in the stretch to win by five lengths.

Mario Leyes, jockey of runner-up Great Champion, claimed foul against the winner for interference in the stretch but it was disallowed.

Trained by Juan Carlos Etchechoury Jr. and owned by Stud Matty, Garatero covered 2,200 meters (10.94 furlongs) in 2:19.59 on a track rated as muddy.

Winner of the Clasico Jockey Club de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (Arg-G2), the second leg of the series on September 14, Garatero recorded his third straight win and improved to three wins in six career starts.

The connections of Garatero will consider La Plata’s marquee event, the prestigious Gran Premio Dardo Rocha (Arg-G1) on November 20, for his next start.

Bred in Argentina by Haras La Quebrada, Garatero is out of the Southern Halo mare Galerita.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent