Il Mercato

Il Mercato is a retired Argentinian Thoroughbred racehorse who was 2018 Argentinian Horse of the Year. He won two of his seven races, including the G1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini, and never finished worse than third.

Il Mercato
SireNot For Sale
GrandsireParade Marshal
DamEqual Pretty
DamsireEqualize
SexStallion
Foaled (2015-09-11) September 11, 2015
CountryArgentina
ColourBay
BreederHaras La Pasion
OwnerRubio B.
TrainerJuan Sebastián Maldotti
Record7: 2-3-2
Earnings$6,437,250ARS
$178,831 USD
Major wins
Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini
Awards
Argentine Horse of the Year (2018)

Argentine Champion Three-Year-Old Male (2018)

Argentine Champion Stayer (2018)

Background

Il Mercato was bred by Haras La Pasion and foaled on September 11, 2015.[1] Il Mercato was considered well-bred, with his sire Not For Sale being a champion sire in Argentina and his dam the daughter of Rubia Pretty, one of the foundation mares of the Haras La Pasion, and part of a notable Argentinian family.[2] Based on his morning works, even before he ran his first race, Il Mercato was very highly regarded as a two-year-old.[3] He was trained by the father-son pair of Juan Carlos Maldotti and Juan Sebastián Maldotti, although only the latter was credited as his trainer in official reports.[3][4][5]

Racing career

Il Mercato debuted in the Clásico José B. Zubiaurre at the Hipódromo de San Isidro as the strong favorite. He ran well, but not to the expectations set by his morning works, and finished second to surprise winner Paco Dabbler.[6] He ran second and third in his next two races to poorly regarded horses before breaking his maiden in his fourth race: the 2,200 metres (1.4 mi) Premio 51°Aniversario del Rotary Club de Caballito. Following the victory, Il Mercato was pointed towards the Group 1 Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby), the final race of the Argentinian Triple Crown.[3]

Il Mercato's next race was the Group 2 Clásico Eduardo Casey, the second race in the 'Maldotti Road' of prep races for the Gran Premio Nacional, named after Il Mercato's trainer, Juan Carlos Maldotti.[7] The first race of the 'Maldotti Road' is the Group 3 Clásico Coronel Miguel F. Martínez, won that year by Interboy, who was also entered in the Clásico Eduardo Casey as the favorite.[8] In the race, Il Mercato ran in front early on, but was passed by Interboy only a few hundred meters in, and finished second in the race.[9]

The 2018 Gran Premio Nacional was considered to have a field of lesser quality than it otherwise would have with the absence of Grecko (later named the Argentine Champion Two-Year-Old Male of the generation),[10] American Tattoo (winner of the G1 Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos, first leg of the Triple Crown),[11] Imagen de Roma (winner of the G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club, second leg of the Triple Crown), and Interboy. Il Mercato was one of the three leading contenders for the race, and started the race as the favorite.[12] Due to heavy rain, the race was postponed one week.[13] Il Mercato finished third in the race, behind surprise winner For the Top and the longshot True Dreams.[14]

Il Mercato next ran in the Group 1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini, the most important race in Argentina. Based on his prior performances, trainer Juan Carlos Maldotti wanted Il Mercato to be near the front from the start,[15] a strategy that paid off as Il Mercato won the race wire to wire, beating the 2016 winner Sixties Song by a head. Through the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the victory won him an automatic berth for the 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf.[16] After his win, the main target for the coming year was the Breeders' Cup Turf, with the Group 1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano also mentioned as a possibility.[17]

After winning the Carlos Pellegrini, a half share in Il Mercato was sold to Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin (owner of Madaket Stable). In January 2019, he was exported to the United States for the Breeders' Cup and joined the barn of Chad Brown at Palm Meadows.[18] Plans were for Il Mercato to have his first race in the United States on the day of the Belmont Stakes, but in late March, Il Mercato sustained a tendon injury in a front leg.[19][20] Il Mercato was then retired and syndicated, with 40 shares sold.[21]

Il Mercato was named the 2018 Argentine Horse of the Year, as well as Champion Three-Year-Old Male and Champion Stayer, in the annual Distinciones Pellegrini, awards which some thought were undeserved due to Il Mercato's relatively short time racing in the upper levels of the sport and singular Group 1 win. His dam, Equal Pretty, was named Broodmare of the Year.[22]

Retirement and stud career

Il Mercato was retired to stand at stud at Haras La Pasion in Argentina.[23] In order to give him time to re-acclimatize to Argentina and heal from his injury, his first year at stud was postponed to 2020.[24] During his first year at stud, Il Mercato covered 100 mares, including American Whisper, the dam of three G1 winners.[25][21]

Racing statistics
Il Mercato's Career Statistics[5][26]
Date Age Distance Race Grade Track Odds Time Field Finish Margin Jockey Trainer Owner Ref
Apr 25, 2018 2 1500 meters Clásico José B. Zubiaurre Ungraded Stakes Hipódromo de San Isidro 2.00* 1:33.90 8 2 (6 lengths) Juan Cruz Villagra Juan Sebastián Maldotti Rubio B. [6]
May 21, 2018 2 1600 meters Premio Farnesio Allowance Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo 7.60 1:34.02 14 2 (6 lengths) Altair Domingos Juan Sebastián Maldotti Rubio B.
Jul 23, 2018 3 1800 meters Premio Mad Speed Allowance Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo 2.35* 1:47.26 9 3 (1 length) Juan Cruz Villagra Juan Sebastián Maldotti Rubio B.
Sep 16, 2018 3 2200 meters Premio 51°Aniversario del Rotary Club de Caballito Allowance Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo 2.65 2:15.80 7 1 9 lengths Juan Carlos Noriega Juan Sebastián Maldotti Rubio B. [3]
Oct 25, 2018 3 2200 meters Clásico Eduardo Casey 2 Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo 3.05 2:15.10 6 2 (5 lengths) Juan Carlos Noriega Juan Sebastián Maldotti Rubio B. [9]
Nov 16, 2018 3 2500 meters Gran Premio Nacional 1 Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo 3.00* 2:33.78 12 3 (6 lengths) Juan Carlos Noriega Juan Sebastián Maldotti Rubio B. [27]
Dec 15, 2018 3 2400 meters Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini 1 Hipódromo de San Isidro 17.25 2:28.52 18 1 Head Juan Carlos Noriega Juan Sebastián Maldotti Rubio B. [16]

An asterisk after the odds means Il Mercato was the post time favorite.

Pedigree
Pedigree of Il Mercato (ARG), bay stallion, foaled September 11, 2015[28]
Sire
Not For Sale (ARG)		 Parade Marshal (USA) Caro (IRE) Fortino (FR)
Chamborg (ARG)
Stepping High (ARG) No Robbery (USA)
Bebop (FR)
Love For Sale (ARG) Laramie Trail (USA) Swaps (USA)
Wildwook (USA)
Museliere (ARG) Malambo (ARG)
Romina (ARG)
Dam
Equal Pretty (ARG)		 Equalize (USA) Northern Jove (CAN) Northern Dancer (CAN)
Junonia (USA)
Zonta (USA) Dr. Fager (USA)
Santa Tina (IRE)
Rubia Pretty (ARG) Candy Stripes (USA) Blushing Groom (FR)
Bubble Company (FR)
Ilimitada (ARG) Ringaro (USA)
Infinity (ARG)

References
  1. "Il Mercato Horse Profile". Argentine Stud Book. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  2. Mitagstein, Diego (2018-12-21). "Il Mercato, ninguna casualidad genética • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  3. Martínez, Osvaldo (2018-09-16). "Gente nueva de turf estuvo presente en el Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo. El ganador del Premio 51°Aniversario del Rotary Club de Caballito fue Il Mercato con miras al Casey y al Premio Nacional". campanadelargada.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  4. Taboada, Milo (2021-04-09). "Maldotti, una voz autorizada: 'El turf necesita urgente una Secretaría Hípica'". www.telam.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  5. "Il Mercato Performance Resumen Detalle". Argentine Stud Book (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
  6. Martínez, Osvaldo (2018-04-25). "Campana de Largada - Turf Argentino - CLÁSICO JOSÉ B. ZUBIAURRE". campanadelargada.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  7. Mitagstein, Diego (2018-11-06). "Il Mercato hace soñar a Juan C. Maldotti con ganar otra vez el Nacional • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  8. Mitagstein, Diego (2018-10-15). "En el Casey, Interboy buscará ratificar su proyección hacia el Nacional • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  9. Mitagstein, Diego (2018-10-16). "Interboy dio otro paso sensacional para llegar al Nacional como candidato • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  10. "Grecko Horse Profile". Argentine Stud Book. Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  11. "American Tattoo Horse Profile". Argentine Stud Book. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  12. Mitagstein, Diego (2018-11-16). "Unos días más tarde, el Nacional no pierde encanto • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  13. Delfino, Carlos (2018-11-16). "Turf: Un Gran Premio Nacional atípico e intrigante, en el cierre de la Triple Corona". La Nación (in Spanish). ISSN 0325-0946. Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  14. Mitagstein, Diego (2018-11-17). "For the Top sorprendió a todos llevándose el Nacional • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  15. Heredia, Sebastián (2018-12-16). "Il Mercato, en la mejor de su vida, detuvo a Sixties Song en un Pellegrini de coraje". Todo Galope (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  16. "Il Mercato Earns Berth Into Breeders' Cup Turf". www.bloodhorse.com. 2018-12-16. Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  17. Gil, José Daniel (2018-12-15). "Il Mercato Pellegrini". Zona Hipica (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  18. Mitagstein, Diego (2019-01-18). "Il Mercato viajó a los Estados Unidos lleno de ilusión • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  19. Domínguez, Adrián (2019-04-06). "Il Mercato se lesionó la cuerda y peligra el futuro de su campaña". Todo Galope (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  20. Mitagstein, Diego (2019-04-07). "Il Mercato se lesionó un tendón y su futuro en las pistas es una incógnita • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  21. Mitagstein, Diego (2020-05-05). "Il Mercato, nuevo capítulo de un legado "made in Argentina" • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  22. Mitagstein, Diego (2019-04-10). "Il Mercato fue Caballo del Año en una noche de "sorpresas"... • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  23. "Il Mercato | Padrillos | Haras la Pasión". haraslapasion.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  24. Mitagstein, Diego (2019-05-09). "Il Mercato vuelve a la Argentina para ser padrillo • Turf Diario". Turf Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  25. "Detalle Servicios Padrillo Il Mercato". Argentine Stud Book. Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  26. www.elturf.com. "Elturf.com - Hípica Latinoamericana". El Turf. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  27. Delfino, Carlos (2018-11-16). "Turf: For the Top ganó el Gran Premio Nacional y otra vez festejó Wilson Moreyra". La Nación (in Spanish). ISSN 0325-0946. Archived from the original on 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  28. "Il Mercato Horse Profile Page". Argentine Stud Book. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
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