Since the Creation of the Prestigious G1 for Colts in 1980, Only Two Have Gone On to Win the Opening Leg of the Triple Crown: Gentlemen and Asidero, Both Trained by Juan C. Etchechoury Jr.
Asidero, One of Only Two Horses to Win Both the 2000 Guineas and the Polla de Potrillos / ARCHIVO
The path to glory for Argentina’s top 3-year-old colts begins Saturday at San Isidro, where the Gran Premio Dos Mil Guineas (G1) will be contested over 1600 meters on turf. For more than four decades, this prestigious race has served as the launching point for the division’s second-half season, paying homage to England’s famed 2000 Guineas.
First run in 1980, the Dos Mil Guineas has crowned some of Argentina’s most illustrious champions. Winning here signals sustained speed and significant potential—though that talent does not always translate to Palermo’s dirt surface for the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (G1) a month later. Only two horses have managed the coveted double.
The first was Gentlemen (Robin des Bois), La Pomme’s superstar who, under Jacinto Herrera, captured both the Dos Mil Guineas and the Polla in 1995 for trainer Juan C. Etchechoury Jr. Gentlemen later added the Gran Premio Nacional (G1) before becoming one of the world’s top racehorses following a stellar U.S. campaign.
Another legendary double belongs to Asidero (Fadeyev) in 1999. After a dominant Dos Mil Guineas victory, he demolished his rivals in the Polla, then added the Gran Premio Jockey Club (G1) and capped his campaign with a commanding win in the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1), earning Horse of the Year honors. Like Gentlemen, he was trained by Etchechoury Jr.
Beyond these exceptional cases, completing the Dos Mil Guineas–Polla double has proven elusive. Some trainers target either San Isidro’s turf series or Palermo’s dirt classics exclusively, while others are deterred by the technical demands and distinct horse profiles each venue requires. Additionally, private sales often intervene.
Among the earliest Dos Mil Guineas winners were New Dandy (New Noble, 1981), Algenib (Oak Dancer, 1990), L’Express (Un Reitre, 1991), and Chullo (Equalize, 1997), each forging outstanding careers thereafter.
In more recent times, names like Suggestive Boy (Easing Along) and Imperador (Treasure Beach) lifted the trophy en route to their own historic milestones.
This year’s edition offers another strong field, with promising young stars vying to join the honour roll. Beyond prestige and a purse of 50 million pesos, the race awards crucial qualifying points toward the Gran Premio Jockey Club (G1), the second leg of San Isidro’s turf classic series.
Like France’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1) or Ireland’s 2000 Guineas (G1), the Gran Premio Dos Mil Guineas holds immense historical weight as the first jewel in San Isidro’s traditional turf crown, later completed by the Jockey Club and Carlos Pellegrini.
On Saturday, Ardiendo (Remote) will look to defend his status as San Isidro’s leading turf colt following victory in the Gran Premio Gran Criterium (G1). The task is far from easy, but should he triumph, his name will echo in future retrospectives such as this.