Expert - Diego Mitagstein

Diego Mitagstein began working as a horse racing journalist at the early age of 18. He has collaborated regularly with very important media worldwide such as Thoroughbred Daily News, Bloodhorse or European Bloodstock News, also in several South American media such as Jorna do Turf (Brazil), Revista Invasor (Uruguay) or Perú Hípico (Peru). He also currently co-hosts the program La Revista del Turf, which has been on the ESPN screen for 26 uninterrupted years. Diego Mitagstein was also appointed at the time as South American ambassador for Great British Racing International and is an owner and breeder in Argentina, running the Martin Fierro Racing. Currently, in addition to his work as Editor in Chief and Owner of Turf Diario, and being part of La Revista del Turf on ESPN, he also hosts the Turf Diario TV and Objective Breeders' Cup cycles, in streaming, and is co-owner of Diario El Crack, in Chile. Internationally, he has had the opportunity to cover 19 editions of the Breeders' Cup, 7 editions of the Dubai World Cup, each version of the Saudi Cup and countless equestrian events around the world and South America.

Expert Column for Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (S1) (Diego Mitagstein)

S1-1     Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini

Undoubtedly the best older distance horse in Argentina, EL KODIGO is the name to beat in the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini. Although he performs better on dirt than on turf, he has just won the G1 Gran Premio Copa De Oro, a preparatory race for the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini. He has experience, quality and versatility, as he can adapt to all kinds of paces. In 2024, he has already won two G1 turf races. As the winner of the first leg of the Argentinian Triple Crown in 2023, EL KODIGO is a strong candidate for this race, but starting from gate 20 is unfavorable for him.

While DON FERES is one of the foreign horses in the Pellegrini 2024, he is also one of the main candidates. Foaled in Peru, Foaled in Peru, where he leads the adult horse division over turf between 1,800m and 2,400m, he has experience on the main track at the San Isidro Racecourse. Like EL KODIGO, he is a very classy horse who adapts to different rhythms. Although DON FERES tends to show some indocility once he gets to the front, the advantage is that he will be ridden by Carlos Trujillo, a leading jockey in South America and his usual rider, who knows him well and will surely prevent DON FERES from making unexpected movements. His record is impressive, with 9 wins in 13 appearances, and he comes off a victory in the G2 Clasico Presidente De La Republica in his first run over 2,400m, the same distance as the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini.

Outstanding among the best 3YO of the season over the turf track at San Isidro Racecourse, ACENTO FINAL will try to take advantage of his youth, the weight difference provided by the weight-for-age scale (between 6 and 6.5 kilos), and his excellent form, as he has just won the G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club over 2,000m of turf, the second leg of the Argentinian Triple Crown, which was run on the same track where he will compete now. In a large race and with the aforementioned weight advantage, he will likely start gaining positions on the turn to reach the home straight in an ideal position to move forward freely. He skipped the G1 Gran Premio Nacional at Palermo's dirt track, and was specifically prepared for this race, which is another point in his favor.

Second to ACENTO FINAL in the G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club, HONEST BOY is another top 3YO in the developmental stage In that race, ACENTO FINAL pushed HONEST BOY to the outside of the track, preventing him from advancing freely, and the result could have been different if both horses had run straight. With only four races under his belt, he is still in full growth, and his pedigree is clearly ideal for running the mile and a half of the Pellegrini. His owner and trainer have won two of the last three editions of the Pellegrini, which is also an interesting point to consider.

Perhaps GREZZO does not have the strongest race record, but his victory in the G3 Clasico De La Provincia Buenos Aires, where he ran over 2,400m for the first time, demonstrated that he not only made a significant leap in quality but also found the ideal distance for his best performance. In that race, he won very comfortably and posted a better time for the distance than EL KODIGO, who won the Gran Premio Copa de Oro later. Earlier, he had finished fourth in the Gran Premio Jockey Club, behind ACENTO FINAL and HONEST BOY, at 2,000m, but he has improved since that race.

SELECTIONS: 20. EL KODIGO, 12. DON FERES, 4. ACENTO FINAL, 13. HONEST BOY & 1. GREZZO

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