Posted: Sunday, December 07, 2008 12:29 PM
Taconeo prevails in Clasico Copa Confraternidad

by Carlos A. Pena-Rivera

Taconeo (Ven) saved ground throughout under Santiago Gonzalez and powered to a 3 1/2-length win in the $100,000 Clasico Copa Confraternidad (Confraternity Cup) on Saturday at Hipodromo Camarero in Puerto Rico.

The Water Poet (Ire) colt completed 1 1/4 miles in 2:03:97.

The race was one of three stakes on Saturday for horses bred in countries belonging to the Caribbean Horse Racing Confederation and part of the Caribbean Horse Racing Series celebration in Puerto Rico.

“That was the plan for the race, to keep the inside position and save ground,” winning trainer Gustavo Delgado said. “Santiago did a great job and kept his composure even when he was [in a] tight spot around the last turn, and that made the difference.”

Puerto Rico’s Fraterno and last year's Clasico del Caribe winner Soy Conquistador finished second and third, respectively.

Earlier in the afternoon, Yeka I. (Pan) was declared the winner of the $60,000 Dama del Caribe Stakes after Puerto Rico’s Mi Adrianita was disqualified and placed third for interfering with Grigora (Pan) in the stretch.

The winning time was 1:47:57 for the 1 1/16-mile race for three year-old fillies.

“You never want to win like this, but I [will] take it,” winning trainer Felix Rodriguez-Mafla said. “I feel sorry for the connections of the other filly but that’s the way horse racing is sometimes."
Mi Adrianita took command of the race with three furlongs to go and was trying to hold off Grigora when she interfered with her at the eighth pole. Mi Adrianita barely held off Yeka I, who rallied from last, by a head.

Yeka I. is by Proud Truth out of Miss Onga, by Screen King. She has won six of eight starts this year

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey John Velazquez rode Venezuela’s King Seraf (Ven) to an easy 4 1/2-length win in the Clasico Copa Velocidad (Sprint Cup Stakes). King Seraf completed six furlongs in 1:10:17.

“This horse was much the best today,” Velazquez said. “I just waited until the right moment to make my move with 400 meters left, and he responded great and I knew then I had the race won”.

The series continues tomorrow with the $50,000 International Cup and the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe (Caribbean Derby). United States-based riders Velazquez, Joel Rosario, Jose Castellano, and Elvis Trujillo will participate in the feature race.

Carlos A. Pena-Rivera is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer