Champion Three Year-Old and Chilean Horse of the Year Trotamondo (Chi) has been released from quarantine and arrived safely at Yarraman Park last week with inspections now available by appointment.
“He is a very attractive horse with a great temperament and we’re pleased with his condition coming out of quarantine which can be a bit of an ordeal for some horses,” said Harry Mitchell.
“They’ve obviously looked after him very well and he’s got such a lovely genuine nature, you can see how he’d adjust to the travel and new surroundings in his stride.”
A son of champion sire Hussonet (USA), whose service fee for this spring has been elevated to $137,500, Trotamondo has something in common with our own Hussonet superstar Weekend Hussler in that he was a devastatingly good three year-old.
After showing promise at two from a handful of starts, Trotamondo returned at three to dominate his peers in commanding fashion, winning each of five starts in his Classic year.
“There’s no doubt he was an outstanding racehorse when you go back through and look at all his race footage,” said Mitchell.
“Nothing got near him at three apart from his last race, when he probably didn’t get the distance, but had way too much class and still won.
“He was such a professional with great natural ability and turn of foot combined with a terrific attitude, all the attributes you expect to see in a champion.”
Trotamondo broke his maiden over 1300 metres at his first run back from a spell when bolting in by an amazing 20 lengths and was immediately stepped up to the Group One Dos Mil Guineas over 1600 metres and emerged triumphant.
Sent out favourite on the strength of his previous win despite taking on seasoned stakes horses, Trotamondo delivered the goods in no uncertain terms cruising away to win his first Group One by three and a quarter lengths eased down.
Tackling the second leg of the Chilean Triple Crown at his next appearance in the Group One Gran Criterium, Trotamondo started joint favourite with the previously unbeaten filly Ecelenza and left her lamenting as he dashed away to win by two and a quarter lengths.
After scoring a facile three length win in a Listed event as a final lead-up, Trotamondo took his place in the final leg of the Chilean Triple Crown, one of Chile’s richest races, the St Leger over 2200 metres.
The rising star cemented his claim to champion status in posting a remarkable win after being set alight in the middle stages of the race by regular rider Gonzalo Ulloa.
In a lightning move, Trotamondo was taken from worse than midfield to hit the front with 800 metres to run and fought on to defy the late finish of Entrevistado to win by half a length with nearly ten lengths back to the third horse.
The victory earned him a $US400,000 bonus for capturing the Chilean Triple Crown, a performance achieved previously in 2000 by Lido Palace a horse that subsequently campaigned in North America where he won five races, three of them Group Ones.
Crowned Champion Three Year Old and Chilean Horse of the Year, Trotamondo was subsequently sold to North America interests and from a limited number of starts claimed a major win in the Group Three Native Diver Handicap a Hollywood before going amiss.
Secured for Yarraman Park and due to stand his debut season at a fee of $22,000, Trotamondo is unique among the sons of Hussonet retiring to stud in Australia this season in that he is from a North American bred mare in Movie Producer.
A juvenile winner in the US, Movie Producer is a full sister to US Group Two winner Parlay Me and is a grand-daughter of another US Group Two winner in Smashing Gail. At stud, Movie Producer has proven a resounding success as the dam of Trotamondo and his Group One winning half-sister Madame Victoire.
With a recognized international pedigree, Group One performance and the unmistakable good looks of his sire, Trotamondo is the complete package for breeders seeking to utilize a son of Hussonet this spring.
