There will be a high-quality field going to post for the G2 Importados Cuatro Handicap this weekend at Camarero Race Track. It is the only Grade 2 action taking place in North America this weekend, as the field of horses aged four and older compete for over 1 1/8 miles with a $36,000 purse up for grabs.
Here, we will go through some of the leading contenders for the race and assess the runners that stand the best chance of claiming victory.
Precise Dancer Leads Betting
This Grade 2 looks to be an extremely competitive affair this weekend. A number of horses are at the top of the betting with short prices, but none are shorter than Precise Dancer for trainer Jose Velez. The four-year-old has been in career-best form this season, as he has won two from two. This is only his second year on the track after he endured mixed results as a two-year-old. He finished third and fourth in his first two starts in Maiden Special Weights, both at Gulfstream Park, but has finally found form at Camarero.
All of his victories to date have come at the track in Puerto Rico, as he is three from three. His first win came in an allowance in November last year, before he won two more allowances at the start of this year. His most recent win was in an allowance in May at Camarero, which saw his rating reach a level of 106.
Icatiro Among Leading Contenders
Edwin Diaz-trained Icatiro is certainly the horse that the favorite should be most wary of, as the eight-year-old brings all his experience into this Grade 2. He is one of few in the field with proven graded experience, as he recently won the G3 Clasico Jose de Diego Stakes in April. Like Precise Dancer, much of his best form has come at Camarero, as he has won on his last two trips to the track.
As well as winning the Grade 3 here, he also won a claiming race in March. His rating is currently 105. Icatiro’s overall record may not be as impressive as some of the other contenders in this race, as he has won on ten occasions in 43 starts. However, his record does illustrate how competitive the Diaz-trained horse is, as he has played in 24 of his 43 starts.
Other Main Rivals
It should be a compelling race this weekend, as Pradar is among the main rivals that will be looking to get back to form. He comes into this without a win in two, but he was a respectable second in the G3 Clasico Jose de Diego Stakes in April. He returned to the track after that progressive run, which was his second in graded company by finishing second in an allowance at Camarero.
Prince Blue has also shown pieces of good form this season, as he has won three from five starts. He has won two of his previous three at Camarero, with his sole defeat coming when fourth in an allowance at the end of May. However, that run was the first time in eight starts that he has finished outside the place positions, which means he is certainly worth a second look.
Walkoff will be making his first start in graded company this weekend but will need to find a positive performance, something that he is yet to do this season. He has finished third on both starts this season, which doesn’t look strong enough form when compared to the remainder of the field. However, if he can recapture the form that saw him win a claiming race at Keeneland in October last year, then he has strong claims.
