Cool Day Wins Carlos Pellegrini, Secures BC Berth

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 12/19/2020 - 15:19
Link: 
Cool Day Wins Carlos Pellegrini, Secures BC Berth
Image: 
Description: 

Photo: Courtesy of Hipodromo San Isidro
Cool Day wins the Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini at Hipódromo de San Isidro

In a thrilling stretch drive, Francisco Pérez Werthein's 3-year-old Cool Day surged to the front in the final yards Dec. 19 to win the Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini (G1) by a half-length at Hipódromo de San Isidro.

Prevailing over Pinball Wizard and Village King  in Saturday's 1 1/2-mile event, the son of the Irish-bred stallion John F Kennedy  earned an automatic berth into the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled next year on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar.

The Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini, South America's most prestigious race, was the first Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race of the upcoming season.

Making just his fourth start, Cool Day, ridden by Eduardo Ortega Pavon and trained by Alfredo Gaitan Dassie, completed the distance in 2:27.78. The victory was the sixth Pellegrini score for Gaitan Dassie.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Cool Day to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf and a $40,000 international travel allowance.

Sent off at 9-1 in a 13-horse field, Cool Day saved ground just off the rail in the early going as longshot Senor Fancy set the pace, establishing a four-length advantage over 6-1 Village King through the first mile. At the end of the far turn, Village King closed the gap on Senor Fancy and took the lead at the top of the stretch. The 3-1 second choice, Pinball Wizard, then found his best stride to the inside and engaged Senor Fancy in the final quarter-mile, taking a half-length lead. Pavon, aboard Cool Day, swiftly followed Pinball Wizard along the rail and slipped inside his two rivals to prevail at the wire.

Tetaze, the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth.

Cool Day won his second race of the year. He broke his maiden in his second start at 1 1/8 miles Oct. 20 at San Isidro and came back on Oct. 31 in the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club (G1) over the same course, finishing second by 1 1/2 lengths. He was bred by Abolengo out of the Equal Stripes  mare Cool Side.