BUENOS AIRES (Dec. 19, 2020) – In a thrilling stretch drive, Francisco Pérez Werthein’s 3-year-old Cool Day (ARG) surged to the front in the final yards to prevail over favored Pinball Wizard (ARG) and Village King (ARG) to win Saturday’s 1 ½-mile Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini (G1) by a half-length at Hipódromo de San Isidro. With this victory, Cool Day earned an automatic berth into the 2021 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California.
The Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini, South America’s most prestigious race, was the first Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race of the 2021 season.
Making just his fourth start, Cool Day, ridden by Eduardo Ortega Pavon and trained by Alfredo Gaitan Dassie, completed the 1 ½ miles in 2:27.78. Today’s victory was the sixth win in the Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini for Gaitan Dassie.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for Cool Day to start in the 1 ½-mile Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. Breeders’ Cup also will provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.
Sent off at 9-1 in a 13-horse field, Cool Day, a chestnut son of John F Kennedy (IRE) out of the Equal Stripes (ARG) mare Cool Side (ARG), saved ground just off the rail in the early going as longshot Senor Fancy (ARG) set the pace, establishing a 4-length advantage over 6-1 Village King through the first mile. At the end of the far turn, Village King closed the gap on Senor Fancy and took the lead at the top of the stretch. The 3-1 second choice, Pinball Wizard, then found his best stride to the inside and engaged Senor Fancy in the final quarter-mile, taking a half-length lead. Pavon, aboard Cool Day, swiftly followed Pinball Wizard along the rail and slipped inside his two rivals to prevail at the wire.
Tetaze (ARG), the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth followed by Emotion Orpen (ARG), also trained by Gaitan Dassie, in fifth.
Cool Day won his second race of the year. He broke his maiden in his second start at 9 furlongs on Oct. 20 at San Isidro, and came back on Oct. 31 in the 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club (G1) over the same course, finishing second by 1 ½ lengths.
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
Breeders’ Cup Photo
