Led by Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazilian Derby, G1) winner Raptor's (BRZ) and multiple Group stakes-winning mare High Wire (BRZ), both trained by Luis Esteves, a field 18 runners, including seven Group 1 winners, has been entered in the Grande Premio Brasil (G1) June 18 at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio de Janeiro. The winner of Sunday's 1 1/2-mile race will earn an automatic starting position into the US$4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) via 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 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Raptor's, a 3-year-old Haras Do Morro homebred by Hat Trick (JPN), made his biggest career score last time out at Gavea. Sent off as the 6-5 favorite April 16 in the 1 1/2-mile Brazilian Derby, Raptor's took command on the turn for home and powered to a 4 3/4-length victory over To Sir With Love (BRZ) for his first career Group 1 win. Raptor's earned his first Group stakes win by taking the 1-mile Frederico Lundgren (G3) at Gavea last December. He started in two other Group 1 events this year at Gavea, finishing second Feb. 12 by 1 1/2 lengths in the 1-mile Estadio do Rio de Janeiro, and fourth March 12 in the 1 1/4-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado.
High Wire has dominated female competition at Gavea, winning five of her last six starts for Stud HRN, all at the 1 1/4 mile distance. A 4-year-old by Agnes Gold (JPN) out of the English Channel mare Fly by Wire (BRZ), she has 8 wins from 19 starts. As the odds-on favorite in her first two outings this year, High Wire won a March 12 stakes race by 7 3/4 lengths and followed up that performance with a 5 1/2-length win in the April 12 Riboletta (G3) over a heavy course. Should her connections decide not to challenge males on Sunday, High Wire has also been entered in the Grand Premio Roberto and Nelson Seabra (G1) on Saturday at Gavea.
Esteves has entered three more Grande Premio Brasil starters, including Stud Verde's 4-year-old Online (BRZ), who has also won his last three starts. A mark of versatility and consistency, this son of Agnes Gold has won seven races at distances ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/2 miles, and has finished in the money in eight of his last nine starts. His only off the board finish came in last year's Grande Premio Brasil, when he trailed the field of 10 runners. Online won his first Group 1 in March of 2022, taking the 1 1/2-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado at Gavea. This year he has earned two minor stakes victories at 1 mile and at 12 furlongs, the latter a 2 3/4-length win over Jet Class (BRZ) April 16 at Gavea.
Esteves's two other starters are Stud HRN's 5-year-old Olympic Kremlin (BRZ), who won the 2021 Cruzeiro do Sul (G1), and Stud Red Rafa's 5-year-old Osprey (BRZ), runner-up in the May 21 Nove de Maio (G2) over the course and 1 1/2-mile distance.
Haras Phillipson's veteran 6-year-old Nao Da Mais (BRZ), making his 31st start, has raced in Argentina, Brazil, England, and France. Trained by Antonio Barbosa, the son of T.A. Approval has won four Group 1 stakes, the biggest of them being the 2019 Carlos Pellegrini-International (G1) in Argentina. After racing in England in 2022, Nao Da Mais made his return race in Brazil May 7 at Cidade Jardim in Sao Paulo, finishing second by a nose to Doutor Sureno (BRZ) in the 1 1/2-mile Clasico Sao Paolo (G1). He has won six of 19 starts on turf.
Stud Angel's 4-year-old King Four (BRZ) will be trying the turf again after making his last six starts on dirt. Trained by Estanislau Petrochinski, King Four has a strong American racing connection. His sire, Siphon (BRZ), won eight races in the United States, including the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally. His broodmare sire, Val Royal (FR), won the 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). King Four won his seventh race in his 2023 debut May 7, taking the listed 1 3/8-mile Delegacoes Turfisticas at Cidade Jardim.
Haras Doce Vale's homebred To Sir With Love, a 3-year-old by My Cherie Amour (BRZ), has finished first or second in his last four races, and has made all eight of his starts at Gavea. Trained by Venancio Nahid, To Sir With Love will be trying Group 1 competition for the sixth time. To Sir With Love broke his maiden at 7 furlongs last May, and won again in the 1 1/4-mile Sandpit (G3) in November. He opened 2023 with a 5-length stakes win Feb. 5 going 10 furlongs, and then was second March 12 in the 1 1/2-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1) before his runner-up finish to Raptor's in the Cruzeiro do Sul.
As a 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 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita Park. Breeders' Cup will also provide a 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.
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