KINGSTON, Jamaica - FOLLOWING El Afortunado’s emphatic win in the Sir Howard Stakes on Sunday, March 12, 2023, trainer Anthony “Baba” Nunes says his bay colt will continue on the “Road to the Triple Crown” in the Prince Consort Stakes scheduled for April 9.
Ridden by Anthony Thomas, El Afortunodo surrendered the lead Big Guy In TheSky approaching the half-mile (800m) turn. Then he came with a well-defined increase in tempo in deep stretch, powering home by 3½ lengths in the native-bred three-year-old (non-winners of two) contest over 6 furlongs (1,200m).
“That’s the whole idea; we think that he [El Afortunado] has the potential. How far he will go? I don’t know distance-wise but obviously the goal is to reach the 2000 Guineas in June. The expectations are obviously high, but this is just the start so let’s see what happens as we have the Prince Consort Stakes.
“Hopefully he comes out of this alright and we will be at the Prince Consort Stakes, and so it is all the process to get him where he is supposed to go. The important thing is that he ran down Big Guy In TheSky and he was pulling away in the end, and that’s good,” stated Nunes.
He continued: “I don’t think he is a six-furlong horse. What I am pleased about is that he left the starting gate really good. The first couple of starts, he didn’t leave the gates so sharp, and we did some work with him and I am pleased with the way he left the gates. Overall, I am pleased with his performance.”
