Palermo Win Earns Furia Cruzada BC Berth
Description:
Chilean-bred filly Furia Cruzada rallied strongly from off the pace to deny Carinosa a victory in the Gran Premio Criadores (Arg-I) May 1 at Palermo
The daughter of Newfoundland, ridden by Juan Villagra for prominent Argentine trainer Alfredo F. Gaitan Dassie, found a wall of horses into the stretch but was deftly angled out for running room. She finished the 2,000-meter (about 1 14-mile) contest in 2:02.07, notching the third group I win of her career and earning an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) later this year at Keeneland.
Carinosa tracked pacesetter Perugia Top from second throughout before taking a narrow lead in the stretch as the rival weakened and faded. But she could not keep pace when Furia Cruzada, once clear, steadily closed ground down the center of the track and powered past to win by about one length.
Carinosa bested Argentine champion 3-year-old filly Kalithea (by Exchange Rate ) for second in the eight-horse field.
The Gran Premio Criadores is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series and the first of five Challenge races to be held in South America this year. The $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff will be run at 1 1/8 miles Friday, Oct. 30 at Keeneland.
Furia Cruzada captured the 2014 Alberto Solari Manasco (Chi-I) last November and the Haras de Chile (Chi-II) in December, both at Hipodromo Chile. She entered Friday's race off a victory in the Gilberto Lerena (Arg-I) April 4 at Palermo. Those races bookend starts against males in the El Derby (Chi-I), in which she was sixth of 16 runners in February, and Gran Premio Longines Asociacion Latinoamericano (Arg-I) in which she was 11th in March.
Furia Cruzada was bred by Haras Dadinco from the winning Hussonet mare Nuestra Machi and is from the family of Chilean Horse of the Year Val Gardena. Haras Dadinco campaigns her in partnership with Haras Cachagua. With Friday's win her record improves to 6-2-2 from 14 career starts.
Fernando Fantini of Haras Cachagua told Turf Diario that the Breeders' Cup Distaff would be under consideration for Furia Cruzada.
"Almost sure we will be at Keeneland to take a shot on the Distaff, but first we need to talk with the team. If you ask me, Furia Cruzada will take the plane tomorrow," Fantini said.