Nineteen to Line Up for Grande Premio Brasil

The 3-year-olds Olimpo, Olympic Hollywood, and Or Noir lead a wide open field of 19 runners entered for the June 10 Grande Premio Brasil (G1) at Hipodromo Gavea for an automatic berth into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).

The 1 1/2-mile Grande Premio Brasil, for 3-year-olds and up, is the fourth Breeders' Cup Challenge race to run in South America this year.

Owned by Stud Sao Jose da Serra and trained by Dulcino Guignoni, Olimpo comes into Sunday's race with victories in two of his last three starts. The son of Rettadore finished second in the 1 1/4-mile Grande Premio Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1) March 4 at Gavea, but was declared the victor following the disqualification of Arrocha.

A four-time career winner, Olimpo finished sixth in his next start as the 14-5 second choice in the April 8 Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazilian Derby, G1) going 1 1/2 miles, but rebounded May 12, capturing the group 2 Grande Premio Doutor Frontin over the same distance at Gavea by 2 1/4 lengths.

Three other starters from the Brazilian Derby have also been entered in Sunday's race, including runner up Or Noir, a chestnut son of Soldier of Fortune who lost by a nose to Olympic Hanoi. Owned by Haras Doce Vale and trained by Venacio Hahid, Or Noi finished fourth in the one-mile Grande Premio Estado do Rio de Janeiro (G1) Feb. 18, and was eighth in the 1 1/4-mile Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paul Machado March 4.

Another son of Soldier of Fortune is Haras Regina's 3-year-old homebred Olympic Hollywood. Trained by Roberto Solanes, Olympic Hollywood won three consecutive races this season, including the Feb. 25 Clasico Coaraze at Gavea, before his fourth-place finish in the Brazilian Derby, 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner.

Hahid also has entered Orange Box, third in the Brazilian Derby, for Haras Doce Vales. 

Haras Estrela's Arrocha was the heavy favorite in the Brazilian Derby, but wound up last of 10 starters. Prior to that, the bay son of Pounced finished in a dead heat for second in the one-mile Grande Premio Estado do Rio de Janeiro (G1) for trainer Roberto Solanes.

Stud San Francisco Da Serra's Silence is Gold, a 3-year-old filly, won the 1 1/4-mile Grande Premio Diana (G1) at Gavea by 1 1/4 lengths March 4 for trainer Julio Cesar Sampaio. A bay daughter of Agnes Gold, Silence is Gold has six career wins, including last year's group 1 Premio Margarida Polak Lara at one mile.

Among the older horses is Stud Perdudu's 4-year-old Emperor Roderic, a dual group 1 winner who captured the 1 1/4-mile ABCPCC Classica-Mathias Machline in August and last year's Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive free entries and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Churchill Downs in November.

Breeders' Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. If not Breeders' Cup eligible, the Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of October 22 to receive the rewards.