Chilean Triple Crown Winner, HOTY Fortino Wins In China

[Wandering Eyes]

Fortino (Chi) (Midshipman), winner of the Chilean Triple Crown and the nation's Horse of the Year in 2023, was victorious in China on June 21, taking out a 1600-meter handicap at the Yulong Jockey Club.

Drawn one, the chestnut entire raced behind the speed while close up and held his spot at the fence into the final 800 meters. Sent through to challenge nearing the straight, Fortino wrested command and reported home about three-quarters of a length to the good (see below, SC 6). The final time for the contest, worth roughly US$22,000, was 1:37.72.

Bred and raced in Chile by the Solari family's Haras Don Alberto, Fortino won five of his six outings at two, capped by a championship-clinching victory in the G1 Alberto Vial Infante over a mile in June 2022. After finishing runner-up in his first two appearances as a 3-year-old, he was elevated to the win in the G1 El Ensayo MEGA at before adding the G1 St Leger–on the dirt–and completing the Triple Crown in the G1 El Derby in February 2023 (video, SC 8). He was named best of his generation for that season as well.

Acquired privately by Zhang Yuesheng's Yulong Investments in a deal brokered by Li Wen in early 2023, Fortino was unplaced in two runs at Group 3 level in England for John and Thady Gosden later that fall.

Fortino is one of four winners from as many to race out of Farreras (Chi) (Fusaichi Pegasus), a half-sister to treble group winner Facundo H (Chi) (Midshipman) as well as Group 3 scorers Flying Hearts (Chi) (Constitution) and Soy Invencible (Chi) (Mendelssohn).

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