Succeso Earns Automatic Berth Into Breeders' Cup Mile
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Don Mario's 3-year-old Succeso forged to the front with a powerful stretch drive to win Sunday's 1 1/4 mile Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella (G1) on the turf at Club Hipico de Santiago by 1 3/4 lengths over longshot Aucar. With this victory, Succeso earned an automatic starting position into this year's $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of 84 stakes races where the winners receive free berths and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif., on Nov. 5-6.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Succeso to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.
Succeso, a chestnut son of Midshipman out of Agropolitana by Total Impact , is trained by Patricio Baeza and was ridden to victory by Jaime Medina. Succeso completed the 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.28 for his first Group 1 score and his third win in seven starts.
Following the race, connections of Don Mario confirmed to Breeders' Cup South American representative John Fulton, that Succeso will be pointed to the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar in November.
Sent away at the 9-1 sixth choice in the 13-horse field, Succeso was prominent early, staying two lengths behind the pacesetter Vitral through 800 meters in 47.86. Passing the 1200 meter mark in 1:11:48, Medina moved Succeso out to the middle of the course and put him into the lead with about two furlongs remaining. Toplucky, last year's Group 1 Club Hipico Santiago winner, made a bid for the front inside the final 400 meters, but could not sustain a drive to the finish.
The 4-year-old Aucar (37-1), ridden by Jorge Rivera, took over second place along the inside, but could not challenge Succeso at the finish. The Kentucky bred 3-year-old filly La Poetisa, the 5-1 third choice, finished third. The major disappointment in the race was multiple Group stakes winner Keltoi, who finished seventh.
Succeso came into today's race off a third-place finish, beaten just a length, in the Gran Clasico Coronacion Pablo Baraona (G2) on March 12. He won the Copa Juan S. Jackson (G2) on Jan. 3 at Valparaiso.