Stud Valentin and Jarussi's 3-year-old Nautilus won the 1 ½-mile Grande Premio Brasil (G1) at Hipodromo Gavea in Brazil and earned a Breeders' Cup Challenge berth into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), and Stud Patriots' 5-year-old mare Ola Perfecta closed strongly inside the final furlong to prevail in the 1 ¼-mile Gran Premio Pamplona (G1) Hipodromo Monterrico in Peru, gaining an invitation into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
Nautilus, trained by Nilson Lima and ridden to victory by Rudinick Viana, is a son of 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Drosselmeyer out of Namaste, by Point Given.
Sent off at 15-1 in a 14-horse field, Nautilus mounted a concerted effort from eighth place at the top of the stretch and split horses inside the final quarter mile to prevail by a neck over Don Cambay. Atomic Heights finished third followed by the 7-2 favorite Sugar Daddy.
In winning his fifth race in 17 starts and his second victory on turf this year, Nautilus completed the 1 ½ miles in 2:30.81 over a soft course. His most recent win came at Hipodromo Cidade Jardim in Sao Paulo, when he captured a 1 1/8-mile race. His best finish in a stakes race had been a runner-up spot in the Grande Premio Jockey Club de Sao Paulo (G1) last year.
In the Gran Premio Pamplona, Ola Perfecta was making her 24th career start.
Trained by Alfredo Chamy and ridden by Carlos Trujillo, Ola Perfecta found her best footing at the top of the stretch, passed front-runner Africa inside the final furlong, and then held off Raika to claim a one-length victory. Favored Samay finished two lengths back in third.
Ola Perfecta, a daughter of Koko Mambo, completed the 1 ¼ miles in 2:02.02 over a course listed as normal. She has now won nine of 20 starts on turf, and turned the tables on Raika who defeated Ola Perfecta in the Clasico Republica Argentina (G3) in her previous start at Monterrico on May 28.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington on Nov. 4-5.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Nautilus to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf and for Ola Perfecta to run in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.
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