Super Shine Set To Battle Belleza De Arteaga In Monday’s Gran Premio Criadores In Argentina
Winner Gains Automatic Berth into Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff for World Championships at Santa Anita Park
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Led by multiple group stakes winners Super Shine (ARG) and Belleza de Arteaga (ARG), a field of eight fillies and mares has been entered for the 1 1/4-mile Gran Premio Criadores (G1) on dirt May 1 at Hipodromo de Palermo.
The winner of the Gran Premio Criadores will earn an automatic starting position into the US$2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
Now in its 16th season, the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Stud Parque Patricios’s 3-year-old Super Shine demonstrated her dominance and versatility with two victories this year at Palermo, taking the one-mile Clasico Miguel Angel Y Thomas Juarez Celman (G2) on turf Feb. 19 by 4 lengths and then producing a front-running, 8-length tour de force March 4 in the Classic Arturo R. y Arturo Bullrich (G2) at 1 1/4 miles on dirt.
Trained by Maria Munoz, the daughter of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver out of Sunshine Allie by Southern Halo, has won four of nine starts, including the one-mile Clasico General Luis Maria Campos (G2) at Palermo in her third career start last year. A win on Monday would be her first Group 1 triumph.
Chos Malal’s 5-year-old veteran Belleza de Arteaga, trained by Roberto Pellegatta, has won her last seven starts dating back to Oct. 8. Her first three victories in the streak were on dirt and the last four were on turf, culminating with a two-length Group 1 triumph in the 1 3/8-mile Clasico Gilberto Lerena at Palermo April 1. A chestnut daughter of Cosmic Tiger, Belleza de Arteaga has won 10 times in 21 starts.
Marking her first start since November, La Validada (ARG), also trained by Pellegatta, is the defending champion. Owned by Buenos Muchachos, La Validada nosed out stablemate Summer Rae (ARG) to capture the 2022 Gran Premio Criadores, for her first Group 1 win. In subsequent starts at Palermo, she finished second by a half-length in the Estrellas Distaff (G1) and was third in the Ignacio e Ignacio F. Correas (G2), but closed out the season with a bang on Nov. 4, winning the Clasico Ramon Biaus (G2) by 9 lengths. La Validada returns to the dirt surface after finishing sixth in January in the 1 1/4-mile Grand Premio Copa de Plata Roberto Vazquez Mansilla (G1) on turf at nearby San Isidro.
Another daughter of Super Saver, the 4-year-old Super Bijou (ARG), has been entered by trainer Carly Etchechoury for Stud Firmamento. A three-time winner on dirt, Super Bisou finished third, defeated by 2 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Clasico Apertura at Palermo Jan. 7 as the 5-2 favorite. In her most recent start, she finished fourth in the Bullrich.
Also coming out of the Bullrich is lightly raced 3-year-old Ohlala Andrea (ARG), owned by Establecimiento Mariana Eva and trained by Alfredo Gaitan Dassie. After breaking her maiden at one-mile last November, Ohlala Andrea, a daughter of Campione (CHI), finished in a dead heat with Lucky You (ARG) in a 1 1/8-mile allowance Feb. 3 at Palermo, but was disqualified and placed second. In the Bullrich, she closed from off the pace to finish second to Super Shine. Stud Las Tres Moras’s Obia Star (ARG), third in the Bullrich, is seeking her first win since capturing the Grade 2 General Luis Maria Campos last July. The 3-year-old daughter of Star Runner (ARG) is trained by Leonardo Antognozzi.
After 11 starts at San Isidro, The Guante’s Lady Guante (ARG) will be making her debut at Palermo. A 4-year-old daughter of Equal Stripes (ARG), Lady Guante finished second in a 1 1/4-mile allowance race in her most recent start April 8 for trainer Rolando Vega.
Completing the field is La Roseta’s Night of Candy (ARG), who will be making her stakes debut Monday for trainer Jose Blanco. A 3-year-old daughter of Senor Candy (ARG), Night of Candy finished second in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race on dirt April 1 in her first start at Palermo.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Gran Premio Criadores winner to start in the 1 1/8-mile Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a US$40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.
