Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro. (Photo/Map: Arne Müseler / arne-mueseler.com / CC-BY-SA-3.0 )
Sinsel Leads Grande Premio Brasil and Mathilde Headlines Gran Premio Pamplona on June 22
Sunday’s Winners Gain Automatic Berths into World Championships at Del Mar
Breeders’ Cup Release
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil & LIMA, Peru – The South American leg of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In continues on Sunday, June 22 with the Grande Premio Brasil (G1), led by Group 1 winner Sinsel (BRZ), at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro, and the Gran Premio Pamplona at Hipodromo de Monterrico in Lima, Peru, headlined by Clasico Republica Argentina (G3) winner Mathilde (PER).
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California.
The Grande Premio Brasil winner gains a free berth into the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) and the winner of the Gran Premio Pamplona earns a guaranteed starting position into the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
Sinsel Leads Grande Premio Brasil
Stud Red Rafa’s 3-year-old Sinsel leads a field of 20 runners in the 1 1/2-mile Grande Premio Brasil. Trained by Luiz Esteves, the son of Travers Stakes (G1) winner Alpha will be making his sixth start. He won the March 9 Franciso Eduardo e Linneo Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1) going 1 1/4 miles by three-quarters of a length. Staying in Group 1 company in his next start, Sinsel finished second to Nudini (BRZ) by 3 1/4 lengths in the April 6 Cruzeiro do Sul (G1) (Brazilian Derby) at 1 1/2 miles over a heavy course at Gavea.
Stud Arare’s Nudini, a 3-year-old son of Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Drosselmeyer, has relished the 1 1/2-mile distance. In addition to the Cruzeiro do Sul, he won last December’s Marques de Tamandare (G2) by 3 3/4 lengths going 12 furlongs. Trained by Julio Cezar Sampaio, Nudini is seeking his sixth career win.
Ethereum (BRZ), one of two female starters in the race, has won five of six starts, including four in row to begin her career, which vaulted the daughter of Courtier to Brazil’s champion 2-year-old filly title. Owned by Carlos dos Santos and trained by Cosme Morgado Neto, she continued her winning ways this year by taking her second score at the top level, the March 9 Grande Premio Diana (G1) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/4 miles by 4 1/4 lengths.
Last year’s winner and Brazil’s 3-year-old champion colt of 2024, Obataye (BRZ), has been entered by Haras Rio Iguassu for a title defense. Also sired by Courtier, Obataye has won seven of 13 races for trainer Antonio Oldoni, and is looking to rebound from a fourth-place finish to Fazenda Mondesir’s 3-year-old Dream Alliance (BRZ) in the May 4 Grande Premio Sao Paulo (G1) over 1 1/2 miles at Cidade Jardim.
Jet Set Enters Gran Premio Pamplona Trio
Three stars owned by Stud Jet Set and trained by Juan Suarez Villarroel – Mathilde, Forty Angela (ARG), and defending champion Boudica (PER) ─ areamong 16 fillies and mares entered in the Gran Premio Pamplona.
Mathilde, a 4-year-old daughter of Galapiat (GB), has won two of three starts this year at Monterrico, which includes a March 2 allowance victory at 1 1/8 miles and a triumph by a nose over Forty Angela in the May 25 Clasico Republica Argentina at 1 1/4 miles. She has won six of 10 starts, including the Gran Premio Nacional Augusto B. Leguia (G1) in 2023.
Forty Angela, a 3-year-old daughter of Fortify, has two Group stakes wins in the 2024-2025 season, with consecutive scores at Monterrico in the Oct. 20 Clasico Oscar Berckemeyer Pazos (G3) and the Nov. 17 Clasico Postin (G2) at 1 1/2 miles. She finished third and second, respectively, in two allowance starts at Monterrico prior to the Clasico Republica Argentina.
Boudica, Peru’s 2024 champion grass mare, scored a 1-length victory in last year’s Gran Premio Pamplona. A 4-year-old daughter of The Lieutenant, she has four wins, including the listed April 13 Ernesto Ayulo Pardo at 1 1/4 miles, and a fourth-place finish in the Clasico Republica Argentina.
Stud Amistad’s La Kika (PER),the 2024 Peruvian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly, has won five of 10 starts for trainer Luis Quimper, including Group 1 titles in the Sept. 15 Clasico Polla de Potrancas (G1) at 1 mile on dirt and the Dec. 15 Gran Premio Nacional Augusto B. Leguia (G1) on turf going 1 3/4 miles. The daughter of Badge of Silver will be looking to reverse off the board finishes in her last two starts, including a fifth-place result in the Clasico Republica Argentina.
Also of interest is Stud Patriots’ 4-year-old Queen Sienna (ARG), who has won four of her last five starts for trainer Jorge Salas, including last year’s listed Clasico Ernesto Ayulo Pardo.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Grande Premio Brasil to start in the 1 1/2-mile Longines Breeders’ Turf, and for the winner of the Gran Premio Pamplona to start in the 1 3/8-mile Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of California to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winners must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 20 in order to receive the rewards.
