NEWS
Latency honored as Argentina’s Horse of the Year
Posted: Saturday, May 17, 2008 3:56 PM
by Michael Burns
Latency, winner of the 2007 Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini (Arg-G1), was the big star on Thursday night during presentations of the Carlos Pellegrini Awards, the equivalent to the Eclipse Awards, at San Isidro Racecourse in Buenos Aires.
Latency, a six-year-old Slew Gin Fizz horse, was honored as Argentina's 2007 Horse of the Year and named the recipient of the ‘07 Pellegrini of the Year Award, the maximum distinction of the evening, selected by Argentine Jockey Club President Bruno Quintana.
Campaigned in Argentina by the Fernandez Aramburu family’s Stud El Bobo, Latency recorded two Group 1 wins from four starts last season, including the Gran Premio General San Martin (Arg-G1) and Clasico Peru (Arg-G2) at Palermo and South America’s signature event, the Pellegrini in December at San Isidro.
Bred by Haras Las Dos Manos, Latency is out of the El Asesor (Arg) mare Latencia, who was honored as Broodmare of the Year. Latency, who has won seven Group 1 races in his 24 career starts, including South America’s multinational Gran Premio Latinoamericano at Maronas in Uruguay, was also named champion stayer and recognized as champion older horse for the second time in separate years.
Southern Halo, who equaled Sideral’s 1967 feat of leading the general sire and broodmare sire standings in the same season, was named Stallion of the Year for the fifth time. Michael Paulson's dual Group 1 winner Storm Marcopolo (Arg) (Bernstein) was crowned champion sprinter.
Another United States-based horse to garner divisional honors was Shadwell Stable’s Mach Glory (Arg) (Honour and Glory), who was honored as two-year-old colt.
Ricardo Benedicto’s Stud Rubio B was honored as outstanding owner; while Hernan Ceriani’s prestigious Haras La Quebrada, winner of 16 national standings in the last 30 years, was elected champion breeder for the 11th time.
Other honorees were Husson (Hussonet), champion miler; Inca Noble (Ride the Rails), two-year-old female; Godolphin Racing’s Fiesta Lady (Arg) (Southern Halo), three-year-old female; Indio Glorioso (Honour and Glory), three-year-old male; Cachorra Wells (Poliglote [GB]), Mare of the Year; and Filarmonia (Slew Gin Fizz), older mare.
Human honorees were trainer Carlos Daniel Etchechoury and jockey Jorge Ricardo.
Michael Burns is a South American-based Thoroughbred Times corresponent
