Fortino notched his fourth Graded Stakes victory – and his first in G1 Stakes company – with a hard-fought half-length win over Mi Elegido to take the G1 Premio Alberto Vial Infante at Club Hipico de Santiago in Chile on Friday, 24 June.
It was the first G1 win for the two-year-old Midshipman colt, who came into the race off a victory in the G2 Criadores Macho Marcel Zarour A. The chestnut colt, who also boasts victories in the Premio Alvaro Covarrubias Pardo and Premio Seleccion de Potrillos (both G3), improved his record to five wins and a second-place finish in six career starts.
Fortino broke sharply out of the starting gate and quickly took the lead while racing very keenly through the opening furlong. Jockey Jorge Gonzalez was finally able to get Fortino settled down and into a comfortable gallop after the opening quarter-mile. Fortino wasn’t alone for long however, as rival Racatan rushed up to challenge for the lead.
Fortino and Racatan quickly opened several lengths on the rest of the field as they continued to battle into the homestretch. With less than a furlong left to run, Fortino finally shook loose from Racatan and was able to hold off the late-running Mi Elegido to win by a half-length.
Fortino was bred in Chile by his owner, Haras Don Alberto, and is out of Farreras, a winning daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus. Farreras is out of the unraced mare Fratellina, who has also produced the Stakes-placed colt, Facundo H (also by Midshipman).
Midshipman’s 17% career Black Type horses from starters continues to be among the best in the business. In addition to Fortino, Midshipman is also represented this year by Royal Ship, winner of the Listed John Shear Mile in April and third in the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup; Succeso, winner of the G2 Premio Verano Arturo Cousino L. and Shipsational, who was placed in both the G2 Tampa Bay Derby and G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes.
