Three-year-olds pose serious threat in Carlos Pellegrini

South America's most important race, the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1), will be run Saturday at San Isidro Racecourse outside Buenos Aires, Argentina, and this year's renewal will have some added significance. For the first time, the Pellegrini will be a "Win & You're In" prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), thus it's the first 2019 Breeders' Cup Challenge series race for next year's Cup, which will be held at Santa Anita. Another added bonus is that for the first time in several years, U.S. racing fans will have the opportunity to wager on the Pellegrini. The race can be watched and wagered on at TwinSpires.com as Laurel's Race 10 (post time is 5:10 p.m. EST). The Pellegrini is South America's equivalent to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), that is it's the leading weight-for-age event on the continent over 1 1/2 miles on the turf. Horses aged five and up will carry 134 pounds, four-year-olds tote 132 pounds, and three-year-olds carry a relatively light 119 pounds. Even though mid-December in Argentina is equivalent to mid-June in the Northern Hemisphere, don't think three-year-olds are at a physical or experience disadvantage in the Pellegrini as the race has been won by numerous three-year-olds over the years. Recent examples include Sixties Song (2016) and Hi Happy (2015). The latter has developed into a Grade 1 winner in the U.S. for Todd Pletcher this year and, coincidentally, is running in Saturday's Ft. Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream. Sixties Song is back Saturday looking for his second win in the Pellegrini. He's the early favorite following a two-length score in the Gran Premio Copa de Oro, a course-and-distance prep for the Pellegrini. However, that victory on October 27 ended a long losing streak for Sixties Song, who had been in lackluster form for some time. He was deservedly 8-1 that day, and the possibility of regression at a much shorter price has us looking elsewhere. An interesting sophomore contender is the vastly improving #9 GLORIOUS MOMENT (7-1), who handsomely took his stakes debut in the Classico de la Povinicia de Buenos Aires (G3) over the Pellegrini course and distance in early November. Overcoming a slow pace, he made a strong move to seize the lead in the stretch and won convincingly.

By Irish Derby (G1) and Secretariat (G1) winner Treasure Beach, Glorious Moment interestingly hails from the same female family of 1986 Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame filly Lady's Secret. Glorious Moment broke his maiden by six lengths two starts back and is obviously coming into his own after placing only once in his first four starts. #7 Fromm (#7, 50-1), who ran second to Glorious Moment last time, was also making his stakes debut in that Group 3. He lacked for running room on the inside until upper stretch, and then didn't quite have the necessary kick to fend off Glorious Empire after taking a brief lead. He concedes a lot of seasoning (the Pellegrini will only be his third career start), but is also by Treasure Beach and descends from Argentinean champion mare Fiara. He could be a longshot worth using in the vertical exotics. FREE past performances for the Carlos Pellegrini are also available at TwinSpires.com. Sixties Song photo provided by Breeders' Cup