Led by multiple Group stakes-winning filly Nenufar Azul (CHI) and defending Champion Succeso (CHI), a field of 17 has been entered for Sunday's 1 ¼-mile Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella (G1) on the turf at Club Hipico de Santiago. The winner of the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella will receive an automatic starting position in the US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive free berths and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky on Nov. 4-5.
Nenufar Azul, a Stud Haras Don Alberto homebred 3-year-old, has won both her starts this year. A daughter of two-time Eclipse Award winner Lookin at Lucky out of Nadie Como Ella (CHI) by Rock of Gibraltar (IRE), Nenufar Azul, which means blue water lily in English, won the 1 ½-mile Clasico El Derby (G1) at Valparaiso Sporting against males on Feb. 6, defeating Y Nada Mas (CHI) by a nose at 7-1. Trained by Juan Cavieres, the win was her first since breaking her maiden in April last year. She stayed on form after the Clasico El Derby by capturing the Group 2, 1 ¼-mile Gran Clasico Coronacion Pablo Baraona at Club Hipico by 6 lengths on March 6. Joaquin Herrera has the mount, breaking from post nine.
Haras Don Alberto is also the breeder of the 4-year-old Succeso, who won last year's race by 1 ¾ lengths at 9-1. Succeso is owned by Stud Don Mario and trained by Patricio Baeza, who is saddling six runners in this year's edition. Following the 2021 Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella, Sucesso finished in the money in four of his five next starts, including a victory on Feb. 28 by a nose over El Expreso (CHI) in the 1 ¼-mile Verano Arturo Cousino (G2) at Club Hipico. He started next in the Otono Pedro Garcia de la Huerta Stakes (G2) on April 29 at Club Hipico. Off as the 5-2 favorite, he saved ground along the rail to the top of the stretch, then angled toward the center of the course but could not gain on the leaders and finished sixth, 2 ½ lengths behind All Knights (CHI). Starting from post 13, Kevin Espina has the ride aboard Succeso.
Stud Drope's All Knights, also trained by Baeza, is one of six horses coming out the Huerta Stakes to compete on Sunday. A winner of six races in 21 starts, including his last two efforts, All Knights captured the Huerta by a nose in a blanket finish over Savitar (CHI) for his first Group stakes win. A 5-year-old gelded son of Mastercraftsman (IRE), All Knights captured a 1-mile handicap prep by 3 ½ lengths prior to the Huerta on Feb. 18. Oscar Ulloa will ride All Knights from post two.
Another son of Lookin at Lucky entered is El Tata's 3-year-old Gamberetti (CHI), who has run consistently well in his last three Group stakes starts on turf. Trained by Julio Orellana, Gamberetti finished second to Balio (CHI) by three-quarters of a length behind in the 1 ½- mile La Copa (G3) at Club Hipico on Dec. 3. He followed up that performance with a 3 1/4-length win in the 1 1/8-mile Copa Juan J. Jackson (G2) at Valparaiso Sporting on Jan. 22. Next came the Clasico El Derby, in which he battled in between Nenufar Azul and Y Nada Mas in the final yards, finishing third, a half-length behind Nenufar Azul. Gamberetti, who will be ridden by Rafael Cisternas from post five, tried dirt for the first time in the Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano at Hipodromo de Chile on April 2, but finished 14th.
Breaking from the rail is the 5-year-old gelding War Breeze (CHI), who won the Clasico El Derby in 2020. Owned by Identic and trained by Patricio Baeza, War Breeze, a gelded son of War Command out of the Pulpit mare Summer Breezy, has run twice this year. He finished fourth, beaten a length in the Huerta and came back to win a 1 1/8-mile handicap by three-quarters of a length at Club Hipico on May 13. Gonzalo Ulloa will ride War Breeze.
Hara Don Luis's El Expreso finished fifth, just behind War Breeze in the Huerta. A 6-year-old son of Tumblebrutus, El Expreso has won twice this year in seven starts, taking a 7-furlong race in February, and the 1 1/8-mile Municipal de Vina del Mar (G3) on March 16 at Valparaiso by 2 ¼ lengths. In between those victories, he finished second to Succeso in the Verano Cousino. El Expreso will be ridden by Hugo Ochoa from post 11.
Los Leones's Savitar finished fourth in the Municipal de Vina del Mar prior to his second-place finish in the Huerta. A 5-year-old son of Daddy Long Legs, Savitar, trained by Ximeno Urenda, is seeking his fifth win. He captured the listed 1-mile Copa El Mercurio by 2 ¾ lengths at Valparaiso on Jan. 16. Ignacio Valdivia will ride, breaking from post eight.
Starting from the extreme outside post 17 is Xeneixe's Balio, trained by Carlos Urbina. Defeated by just a neck in the Huerta in his second race of the year, Balio's victory in last December's La Copa was his third in his last five starts. He will be ridden by Jorge A. Gonzalez.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. 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. 24 to receive the rewards.
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