Planetario showcased his exceptional endurance and class by breaking his own track record in the $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park on June 16. The Brazilian-bred six-year-old repeated his victory from the previous year in this gruelling 1 3/4-mile turf race, stopping the clock at 2:46.95, surpassing his prior record of 2:48.08.
Ridden by Hector Berrios, Planetario started off by settling at the back of the six-horse field, conserving energy for the majority of the race. The initial pace was set by Rimprotector with an opening quarter-mile in :24.41, followed by Bee Catcher taking the lead with fractions of :48.35, 1:12.67, 1:39.47, and 2:06.04.
As the horses bunched up on the backstretch, Rockemperor posed a significant challenge from the outside, keeping Planetario boxed in along the rail. However, once the field turned into the stretch and Planetario found an opening on the outside, he unleashed a powerful late surge. He overtook Rockemperor in the final strides to win by a long neck, with Rimprotector finishing in third place.
Planetario's victory was both a display of stamina and speed, earning him a payout of $3.40 as the favourite. This triumph marked his third graded stakes win in the United States and added to his impressive career, which includes two Grade 1 victories in Brazil. Owned by Red Rafa Stud and trained by Richard Mandella, Planetario now boasts a record of 8-3-1 from 19 starts, with career earnings amounting to $390,548.