Champion Kenlova Leads Grande Premio Brasil

Stud Magia's homebred Kenlova, Brazil's 2023 champion 3-year-old filly, leads a stellar field of 16 runners, including five group 1 winners, in the June 23 1 1/2-mile Grande Premio Brasil (G1) at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio de Janeiro. The winner will receive an automatic starting position and fees paid into the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

Kenlova, a 4-year-old daughter of Didimo, has won nine of 15 starts, which includes three group 1 wins, and four group 2 triumphs. Trained by Emerson Garcia, Kenlova won six of eight races in the 2022-23 season, highlighted by last May's Organizacion Sudamericana de Fomento de Sangre Pura de Carrera (G1) at Hipodromo de Cidade Jardim in Sao Paulo, and the Roberto e Nelson Seabra (G1) five weeks later at Gavea. Those wins catapulted her to her championship title.

She added her third career group 1 this year when she captured the May 19 Sao Paulo going 1 1/2 miles at Jardim by a nose over Obataye.  

Known for his close finishes, Haras Rio Iguassu's 3-year-old Obataye won three consecutive races─all by a nose─prior to his defeat in the Sao Paulo. Trained by Antonio Oldoni, Obataye, a son of Courtier, took the Parana (G3) at Taruma in December and secured two more victories at Cidade Jardim, taking the Feb. 3 Linneo de Paula Machado (G3) and the 14 de Marco (G3) March 9. 

Another main challenge to Kenlova could come from Haras Doce Vale's homebred Underpants. A 3-year-old son of Emcee out of the Elusive Quality mare Kissingafool, Underpants has won three of five starts for trainer Ildefonso Coelho De Souza. In his latest outing, Underpants earned his first group 1 triumph by taking the April 7 Cruzeiro do Sul at Gavea, winning the 1 1/2-mile race by 1 3/4 lengths.

Haras Do Morro's 3-year-old Mapa Do Brasil, another son of Emcee, finished third in the Cruzeiro do Sul, but came right back in the May 12 Nove de Maio (G2) at Gavea and scored the most impressive win of his 11-race career with a four-length victory as the odds-on favorite. Trained Luiz Claudio Costa, the Nova de Maio triumph ended a four-race losing streak for Mapa Do Brasil, since he captured the Sandpit (G3) last November at Gavea.  

The 5-year-old Online, owned by Stud Verde and trained by Luiz Claudio Costa, won the Feb. 4 Escorial (G3) going 1 1/4 miles at Gavea over a heavy course for ninth career win. The son of Agnes Gold picked up his top-level win in 2022 when he captured the Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1), also at Gavea.  

Stud Red Rafa's 4-year-old Quantify, winner of the 2023 Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado, and Stud H E R's 6-year-old Olympic Kremlin, who captured the 2021 Cruzeiro do Sul, are the other group 1 winners in the field.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Grand Premio Brasil to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf. Breeders' Cup will also provide a 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. 21 to receive the rewards.