While the Southern Hemisphere breeding season is still months away, breeders in Argentina are already eager to send their mares to millionaire Ivar. Bonne Chance Farm CEO Alberto Figueiredo estimated that the new stallion will breed around 140 mares in his first season.

“All the good breeders and important names in the industry in Argentina are interested,” Figueiredo said. “There is general excitement about the horse. When you are in the stallion business, you have to pray that everything keeps going as you hope, but at least we are providing him with the best support he can have.”

Ivar's breeder and co-owner Stud Rio Dois Irmaos (Stud RDI) has retained a 55% ownership share in the stallion, but the syndicate also includes Haras Carampangue–the farm where he will stand–as well as Haras Abolengo, Gran Muneca, San Benito, La Nora and Santa Maria de Araras.

Haras Carampangue is home to four other stallions including 2013 GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. winner Suggestive Boy (Easing Along) and 2013 GI Hollywood Derby victor Seek Again (Speightstown).

Argentinian breeders are already more than familiar with Ivar from his undefeated 2-year-old season there in 2019, where he claimed two Group 1 victories and was named champion 2-year-old colt before shipping to the U.S. Under the tutelage of Paulo Lobo, Ivar was a winner in his second start in North America and then claimed the GI Turf Mile S. at Keeneland four months later. He ran third the following season in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile and last year, won the Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial S. and placed in two additional Grade I competitions.

Following his second-place finish in the GI Pegasus Turf in January, the decision was made for Ivar to retire. Figueiredo said that, had the horse won the Pegasus, they might have considered a trip to the Saudi Cup or keeping him in training for one last Keeneland spring meet, but ultimately they chose to give Ivar plenty of time to get through quarantine and let down before the fall breeding season.

Ivar wins the 2020 GI Turf Mile S. at Keeneland | Coady

“He ran in 11 Grade I races in his career and was so competitive, so we needed to look toward his second career,” he explained. “Since his first race in Argentina, he showed that he had a ton of potential and that he was a freak. He was a different horse. He won on the dirt and the turf and he ran until he was a 6-year-old, so he showed versatility, durability and soundness. He ran in three Breeders' Cups in a row. He was a tough boy.”

Figueiredo said that a stud fee is not yet set for Ivar's first year, but noted that he believes there is a good space in the Argentinian market for a stallion with his credentials. Ivar's sire Agnes Gold, a son of Sunday Silence who stood in Japan and Florida before making his mark in Brazil as a three-time leading sire, passed away in 2019.

Ivar was one of the first top-level performers to bring attention to Bonne Chance Farm, which is located off Pisgah Pike in Versailles and was founded by Brazilian businessman Gilberto Sayao Da Silva. Silva is a partner in Stud RDI, a breeding and racing operation established in 2008 with locations in Brazil and Argentina. In 2015, he launched Bonne Chance as his own boutique commercial farm in Kentucky.

Bonne Chance Bloodstock Manager Leah Alessandroni spoke on the significance of Ivar carrying the farm's silks to Grade I success so soon after the operation was off its feet.

“To have a horse like Ivar come up here and do what he did, holding his own against some of the best in the world on the turf and really showing up at the biggest stage every time, it's kind of hard to quantify what that means for a young organization like us. It's definitely something that we're thankful for every day and the significance is not lost on us.”

Of course Ivar is not the only success story of South American-breds performing at the top of the game in the U.S. for the Bonne Chance and Stud RDI partnership. Top performers include In Love (Brz), a gelding son of Agnes Gold who followed Ivar to victory in the GI Keeneland Turf Mile S. in 2021, and Imperador (Arg) (Treasure Beach {GB}), winner of the 2021 GII Calumet Turf Cup S. Now back at Stud RDI, Imperador bred over 80 mares in his first book and is expecting his first foals to hit the ground this year.

“There is a pipeline of these outstanding racehorses coming from the programs in Brazil and Argentina,” Alessandroni said of the Stud RDI operation. “The program that they've built there is so underappreciated on a global scale. When you look at the numbers and what they've done in South America with groups of horses that arguably aren't as respected as much as they should be, they have kind of forced people to look at the South American product and respect it.”

“To have even a little bit of that influence through Bonne Chance is awesome,” she continued. “I feel like we're sleeping on a giant because I'm so excited to see the future for Ivar as a stallion, but also for the future of the partnership of Stud RDI and Bonne Chance.”

That feeling when St.Patrick's Day falls on a Friday!
Happy #FoalFriday from our newest foal, the Uncle Mo 1/2 sister to G1 winner IVAR! pic.twitter.com/1zStLI0EqV

— Bonne Chance Farm (@BonneChanceFarm) March 17, 2023

At Bonne Chance, Ivar's dam May Be Now (Smart Strike) is creating her own pipeline of future broodmares for the Kentucky operation. Her 2-year-old Open Heart, a May-foaled daughter of Yoshida, was retained by the farm and is in the early stages of training under Paulo Lobo.

This year she produced a filly by Uncle Mo. Alessandroni said that they will take a few months to let the Mar. 11-foaled filly develop before deciding if she would be pointed toward the racetrack or the sales ring.

“She definitely favors Uncle Mo, which is one of the reasons why we bred the mare to him because we were looking for that type. She's a good mover out in the field and is a very quality filly. We're really excited about her.”

May Be Now was acquired as a yearling by Stud RDI and was a Group 2 winner in Brazil. She spent her first few years as a broodmare there before returning to the U.S. shortly after producing Ivar. She was sold in foal to Hard Spun in 2017, but was bought back by Bonne Chance as Ivar was making a name for himself.

In a few years, the team at Bonne Chance hopes to be represented by sons and daughters of Ivar. Because Southern Hemisphere horses are at a disadvantage early in their racing career as they are born in the later months of the year, Figueiredo said that Stud RDI's Ivar babies will likely race as 2-year-olds in Argentina and those that show promise will ship to the U.S. after their juvenile season.

“We would be really excited by that,” Figueiredo said enthusiastically.

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A maiden winner during this track's fall meet in 2019 when under the care of Neil Howard, the bay won the 10-furlong GIII Singspiel S. for trainer Gail Cox in 2020, but has been kept between eight and nine panels since being switched to the barn of Phil D'Amato. Victorious in Del Mar's GII Seabiscuit H. in his first start for the new outfit at the tail end of that season, Count Again was third in last year's GI F.E. Kilroe S. and GII Eddie Read S., but was freshened off a last-of-five effort in the GII Del Mar Mile S. The break has seemed to do the trick, as he proved narrowly best first off the layoff in the GIII Thunder Road S. Feb. 5 and flew home to take this year's Kilroe Mar. 5.

Flavien Prat was in the boot for Count Again's two most recent successes, but the recently relocated rider will get a leg up from trainer Chad Brown on Juddmonte's European invader Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}). A maiden winner and third in the G3 Tyros S. for Ger Lyons at two, the maternal grandson of Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill) faced elders in all three starts last term, winning the valuable Sovereign Path H. on Irish Champions Day at Leopardstown Sept. 11 ahead of a front-running tally in the Listed Knockaire S. Oct. 23, both over seven furlongs. It will be interesting to see if he is quick enough to lead this group.

Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) also invades from the Golden State to launch his 5-year-old campaign. Never out of the top three in 2020, his lone victory came in all-the-way fashion in the GI Shoemaker Mile in May, but he was unlucky not to add to that total when runner-up and beaten a half-length or less on five occasions, including when making the majority of the running in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.

The commonly owned Agnes Gold (Jpn) duo of In Love (Brz) and Ivar (Brz) each have earned Grade I plaudits over this course. In Love came with a stinging stretch rally beneath Alex Achard to cause a 12-1 upset of last October's Keeneland Turf Mile, but was farther back on Breeders' Cup day and rallied mildly to be seventh. Ivar won the 2020 Shadwell Mile and was a keen fourth in defense of his title last fall before settling much better and kicking home nicely to be third at longshot odds in the Breeders' Cup, a length behind Smooth Like Strait.

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The Breeders' Cup will be something of a homecoming for Achard, who spent a winter in California as an exercise rider about 10 years ago before continuing his race riding career in his native France with side trips around Europe and to China.

With limited opportunities overseas, Achard opted to reboot his career in the U.S. in 2018. He chose Indiana Grand for its proximity to tracks in Kentucky and Ohio with chances to find mounts nearly every day. He rode 32 races without winning in his first season, but his work ethic began paying off the following year. Always willing to introduce himself to trainers and ride their horses wherever they are, Achard came upon In Love's trainer, Paulo Lobo, at The Thoroughbred Center in north Lexington.

“When I moved here, I didn't really know many people,” Achard said. “One day I was walking to the barns like I do pretty much every day. I guess a rider didn't show up, and Paulo asked if I could breeze a horse and I said, 'Sure.' That's how it (riding for Lobo) started.”

Lobo recognized Achard's talent and willingness to travel and began hiring him for races. In his first try aboard In Love, Achard guided him to an allowance victory at Arlington Park. Next out, the team captured the listed TVG Stakes at Kentucky Downs in September in a prep for the Keeneland Turf Mile.

Achard relished the energy of Keeneland's opening weekend, and said he wasn't nervous before the Keeneland Turf Mile.

“I was actually very confident before the race, but I didn't tell anybody,” Achard said. “For some riders it can be a bit of pressure, but I don't take it that way. I really enjoy it because it is really fun to see people. I just love it.”

Two days after the biggest win of his career, Achard was back at Indiana Grand, where he rode one winner from five mounts. He continues to receive the attention that began pouring in as soon as In Love crossed the finish line 1½ lengths in front.

“It was amazing because when the horse won at Kentucky Downs, that was huge,” he said. “We knew that was a big step to run against Grade 1 horses at Keeneland. I got a lot of calls from France and the United States to congratulate me, so that was cool.”

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Lobo said that In Love as well as stablemate Ivar (BRZ) both returned to The Thoroughbred Center on the other side of Lexington last night and were doing fine Sunday morning. Ivar, in his first start in more than five months, finished fourth after a troubled trip in his bid to repeat in the Turf Mile.

In Love, who provided jockey Alex Achard with his first Grade 1 victory, earned a berth in the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF, a race in which Ivar was fourth last year here at Keeneland and remains under consideration for this year.

Imperador earned his spot in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf with a victory in course-record time in the Grade 2 Calumet Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., last month.

All three horses are owned by Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I. Lobo said he would ship his Breeders' Cup runners to Del Mar on Nov. 1.

The defending champion in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Order of Australia (IRE), finished last in the field of 12 in the Keeneland Turf Mile.

“He was a disappointment,” said Kieran Murphy, who is overseeing trainer Aidan O'Brien's horses at Keeneland. “He had a tough draw, 10 of 13, and he doesn't like to be in around other horses. He will leave tonight for Chicago and then fly home tomorrow.”

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Over a good Keeneland turf course, the 5-year-old gelded son of Agnes Gold with jockey Alex Achard broke cleanly, settling into seventh early in the one-mile stakes. As Brown Storm led the field around the first turn and into the backstretch, Achard and In Love bided their time in the middle of the field of 12, waiting until the far turn to move for a more advantageous position. On the rail, though, In Love was stymied by a wall of horses, Achard going wide in the stretch to find running room. That move was the winning one.

Clear of horses, In Love dug in late, passing Somelikeithotbrown and Tell Your Daddy to take the lead and drawing away to win by three lengths. The final time for the one-mile G1 stakes was 1:34.84.

In Love paid $26.40, $15.40, and $9.60. Tell Your Daddy paid $24.60 and $13.20. Somelikeithotbrown paid $8.20. Find this race's chart here.

The G1 Keeneland Turf Mile is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. Winners of Challenges Series races receive a fees-paid, guaranteed spot for the corresponding event at the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

“I think the big key was we went to Arlington and tried an easier spot, and he won the race, and then we put blinkers on him and he improved a lot, and running the one-turn mile – they are very unfamiliar in South America with that – and I think the horse is improving. You know, Kentucky Downs horses get very fit. And also he loves it here (at Keeneland). Last year he won an allowance very easy here, and I think the giving ground helped him,” trainer Paulo Lobo said after the race.

“(Recording my first Grade 1 win) feels great. Especially at Keeneland—I love Keeneland—and it couldn't be any better,” jockey Alex Achard told the Keeneland Communications Office after the Turf Mile. “He's getting older but he's getting better. He's like a good wine. Every race he shows up and he's even better every time.”

Bred by Fazenda Mondesir and Stud Rio Dois Irmaos, In Love is out of the Know Heights mare Last Bet. With his win in the G1 Keeneland Turf Mile, the 5-year-old gelding has three wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 13 starts and career earnings of $729,700.

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The lesser-preferred half of the uncoupled entry with 4-1 Ivar, In Love was settled in a midfield seventh, a spot or two behind a tugging Ivar, as longshot Brown Storm (Chi) (Scat Daddy) cut out the running from Diamond Oops (Lookin At Lucky) and a three-wide Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown). Nicely settled along the fence and traveling underneath reigning Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order of Australia (GB) (Australia {GB}) down the backstretch, In Love raced more or less on the back of Ivar and improved by a spot as Order of Australia called it a day three furlongs down. Traveling extremely kindly nearing the stretch, he was eased off the heels of Ivar and into the the three or four path in upper stretch and sprinted his final quarter mile in :22.91 (according to Trakus) to cause the upset. One-time claimer Tell Your Daddy (Scat Daddy), exiting a front-running victory in the GII Bernard Baruch H. Sept. 6 at Saratoga, ran on gamely for second just ahead of Somelikeithotbrown.

In Love is nominated to the Breeders' Cup and trainer Paolo Lobo seemed to indicate Ivar would benefit from the return effort and would alsp proceed to Del Mar. Bonne Chance and Stud RDI are also set to be represented in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf by Imperador (Arg) (Treasure Beach {GB}), winner of the GII Calumet Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs.

A maiden scorer and Group 2-placed in Argentina, In Love was an allowance winner at last year's Keeneland fall eetingand snapped a three-race losing streak with in a second-level allowance at Arlington July 25. He was exiting a 2 1/4-length success with blinkers added in the TVG2 S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 8.

“I think the big key was we went to Arlington and tried an easier spot, and he won the race, and then we put blinkers on him and he improved a lot,” said Lobo who saddled Farda Amiga (Broad Brush) to win the 2002 GI Kentucky Oaks before closing her career with a runner-up effort to Azeri (Jade Hunter) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Arlington. “I think the horse is improving. You know, Kentucky Downs horses get very fit. And also he loves it here [at Keeneland]. Last year he won an allowance very easy here, and I think the give in the ground helped him.”

Pedigree Notes:

In Love is the 16th G1SW/GISW for Agnes Gold (Jpn), a son of Sunday Silence who passed away in late September in Brazil at the age of 23. Last Bet is the dam of In Love's 2-year-old full-sister Miss Sarajevo (Brz) and a yearling full-brother to In Love.

Saturday, Keeneland
KEENELAND TURF MILE S.-GI, $750,000, Keeneland, 10-9, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.84, gd.
1–IN LOVE (BRZ), 126, g, 5, by Agnes Gold (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Last Bet (Brz) (GSW & G1SP-Brz),
                                by Know Heights (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Barefoot Contessa (Brz), by Ghadeer (Fr)
                3rd Dam: Feminite, by Duke of Marmalade
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Bonne Chance
Farm, LLC & Stud R D I, LLC.; B-Fazenda Mondesir / Stud Rio
Dois Irmaos (BRZ); T-Paulo H. Lobo; J-Alex Achard. $450,000.
Lifetime Record: GSP-Arg, 13-5-2-2, $729,700. *1/2 to Last Kiss
(Brz) (Elusive Quality), G1SW-Brz, G1SP-Arg. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tell Your Daddy, 126, g, 5, Scat Daddy–Harbingerofthings, by
Rockport Harbor. ($250,000 Ylg '17 FTKTUR). O-Flying P Stable;
B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Thomas Morley. $150,000.
3–Somelikeithotbrown, 126, h, 5, Big Brown–Marilyn Monroan,
by Tapit. O-Skychai Racing LLC & Sand Dollar Stable LLC; B-Hot
Pink Stables & Sand Dollar Stables (NY); T-Michael J. Maker.
$75,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, HD. Odds: 12.30, 29.10, 6.80.
Also Ran: Ivar (Brz), Space Traveller (GB), Front Run the Fed, Pixelate, Diamond Oops, Argentello (Ire), Monarchs Glen (GB), Brown Storm (Chi), Order of Australia (Ire). Scratched: Field Pass. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Trainer Paulo Lobo has the 5-year-old ready for a crosstown trip this weekend from The Thoroughbred Center for the $750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1), a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Mile to be run at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

“He is doing very well,” Lobo said of Ivar, who finished sixth beaten 2 lengths in the Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day (May 1) at Churchill Downs.

“He had a minor setback after that race, but he has been working steadily (since the end of July) and never has missed a work.”

Ivar earned his way into last year's Breeders' Cup with a victory in the Turf Mile here, and a triumph Saturday in the 36th running of the grass test would make him the third repeat winner. The others are Gio Ponti (2010-2011) and Dumaani (1995-1996).

In addition to Ivar, Lobo also plans to enter In Love (BRZ) for Bonne Chance.

“We put blinkers on him and his last race was amazing,” Lobo said of the gelding's 2¼-length victory in the TVG Stakes (L) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 8.

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With Brown Storm and Tut's Revenge setting a resolute pace, Achard settled In Love into fourth in the field of nine older horses, gradually picking up steam before getting through on the inside at the top of the stretch and taking command. Kentucky Ghost ate at his deficit in the final eighth-mile but didn't threaten the winner. He did, however, nail Brown Storm to take second by a head. In Love covered the mile and 70 yards in 1:38.55.

Those who bet the winner certainly were in love, as the 5-year-old trained by Paulo Lobo paid $19.40 while racing in blinkers for the first time.

“I won the last time at Arlington,” Achard said, referencing a neck allowance victory over yielding turf. “That was pretty good. We thought that would be an easier swing, but we had to fight. Today was even better.

“I knew that there was enough speed in the race, which is good for us because he can be a little bit tough sometimes. We got the pace and were just behind chilling. When I asked him to go, he just went.”

Trainer Vicki Oliver said the distance was too short for Kentucky Ghost to be most effective. “He ran really well,” she said. “That was our biggest concern, that it would be too short for him. He's always been a mile and an eighth-type of horse. His mom was a mile-and-a-half type of horse. We were hoping to get the pace that we got. We just couldn't close into it at a mile and 70 yards.”

Kentucky Ghost's jockey Rafael Bejarano thought he was in a winning position until Achard made his decisive, clever move.

“I had a good trip. I saved ground and had a beautiful position coming down the lane,” Bejarano said. “I let him out in the stretch and my horse gave me a good run, a good finish, but the winner today he stole the race. He had a good trip inside and he kept going.”

Though born in Brazil, In Love raced in Argentina in 2019 before Bonne Chance farm owner Alberto Figueiredo sent him to Lobo in the United States, where he's now won three of seven starts. The only times he wasn't competitive was in the slop in a Keeneland allowance. He also finished eighth, beaten 6 1/2 lengths, in his only previous U.S. stakes, Churchill Downs' Grade 2 Wise Dan.

“Since he came here, he's run very well,” the Lexington-based Lobo said. “The day of the Wise Dan, after the race he came back a little sick with a virus. I think that's why he didn't perform well that day.”

Since he wasn't born in Kentucky, In Love wasn't eligible for the $100,000 in Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund purses that help fatten the pot for each $400,000 division of the TVG. But he still earned a healthy $178,560 to more than double his earnings to $279,700 off a 4-2-2 record in 12 starts.

Even without racing for the maximum purse, In Love still provided the 30-year-old Achard his biggest victory since coming to America three years ago. Earlier this year the Indiana Grand-based jockey won Arlington Park's Grade 3 Chicago Stakes, but that race was worth $100,000, with Abby Hatcher earning $57,600.

“Now it's even better,” Achard said of this victory.

In Love is a son of the Japanese Sunday Silence stallion Agnes Gold and out of the Brazilian mare Last Bet, who is by the Irish-bred Know Heights.

“We bred him in Brazil, and we send our best stock to race in Argentina,” said Figueiredo. “This horse is no exception. When all the COVID started to stop all the races over there, we put him on a plane with two others. It was well worth the bet we made on him.

“This horse never disappoints us. And to be frankly honest, I always expected a little bit more from him. Even in his time in Argentina. He was always a horse that worked so well. Sometimes he did not do the same in the afternoon. But with time and more experience, and now maybe with the blinkers, I think we'll figure out more of him.”

A year ago, Figueiredo and Lobo brought the Brazilian-bred Ivar to Kentucky Downs, finishing third in the race now known as the WinStar Mint Million but in his next start won Keeneland's Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile. Ivar subsequently finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

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