Super Shine Seeks BC Berth in Gran Premio Criadores

Led by multiple group stakes winners Super Shine and Belleza de Arteaga, a field of eight fillies and mares have been entered for the 1 1/4-mile Gran Premio Criadores (G1) on dirt May 1 at Hipódromo de Palermo. The winner of the Gran Premio Criadores will earn an automatic starting position into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In. 

Now in its 16th season, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which are scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Stud Parque Patricios's 3-year-old Super Shine demonstrated her dominance and versatility with two victories this year at Palermo, taking the one-mile Clasico Miguel Angel y Thomas Juarez Celman (G2) on turf Feb. 19 by four lengths and then producing a front-running, eight-length tour de force March 4 in the Clasico Arturo R. y Arturo Bullrich (G2) at 1 1/4 miles on dirt.

Trained by Maria Munoz, the daughter of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver   out of Sunshine Allie by Southern Halo, has won four of nine starts, including the Clasico General Luis Maria Campos (G2) at Palermo in her third career start last year. A win on Monday would be her first group 1 triumph.

Chos Malal's 5-year-old veteran Belleza de Arteaga, trained by Roberto Pellegatta, has won her last seven starts dating back to Oct. 8. Her first three victories in the streak were on dirt and the last four were on turf, culminating with a two-length group 1 triumph in the Clasico Gilberto Lerena (G1) at Palermo April 1. A chestnut daughter of Cosmic Trigger, Belleza de Arteaga has won nine times in 21 starts.

Marking her first start since December, La Validada , also trained by Pellegatta, is the defending champion. Owned by Buenos Muchachos, La Validada nosed out stablemate Summer Rae  to capture the 2022 Gran Premio Criadores, for her first group 1 win. In subsequent starts at Palermo, she finished second by a half-length in the Estrellas Distaff (G1) and was third in the Ignacio e Ignacio F. Correas (G2), but returned with a bang on Nov. 4, winning the Clasico Ramon Biaus (G2) by nine lengths. La Validada returns to the dirt surface after finishing sixth in December in the 1 1/4-mile Grand Premio Copa de Plata Roberto Vazquez Mansilla (G1) on turf at nearby San Isidro.

Another daughter of Super Saver, the 4-year-old Super Bijou, has been entered by trainer Carlos Etchechoury for Stud Firmamento. A three-time winner on dirt, Super Bisou finished third, defeated by 2 1/2 lengths in the Clasico Apertura (G2) at Palermo Jan. 7 as the 5-2 favorite. In her most recent start, she finished fourth in the Bullrich.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Gran Premio Criadores winner to start in the 1 1/8-mile Breeders' Cup Distaff. Breeders' Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.