La Divina, Smart Choice Head Gran Premio Pamplona

Led by Stud Unicornio's 3-year-old filly La Divina (PER), a winner of her last four starts, and the consistent Smart Choice (ARG), 13 fillies and mares have been entered for Sunday's 1 1/4- mile Gran Premio Pamplona (G1) at Hipodromo Monterrico for an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of 82 stakes races, whose winners receive automatic starting positons and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, Nov. 2-3.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Gran Premio Pamplona to start in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which this year will be run at 1 3/8 miles.  Breeders' Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all 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.

La Divina, a black daughter of Southdale, trained by Luis A. Olivares and ridden by Rafael Herrara from post 2, will try her hand on the turf after four consecutive dirt starts, including a dramatic, all out sprint to the wire to capture the March 18, Group 3 Clasico Felipe Pardo y Barreda at 1 1/4 miles by a half-length. In her most recent start, La Divina, a winner of 6 of 8 races lifetime, captured the 1 1/8- mile Clasico Portada on May 13, with a front-running 2 3/4- length victory.  

Stud Starbucks's Smart Choice, trained by Juan Suarez, making her 13th career start, has been in the money for her last six races, and also testing male competitors, including a second-place finish by 2 3/4-lenghts last time out in the listed 1 1/4 mile Ernesto Ayulo Pardo on April 18. A 4-year-old bay daughter of Grand Reward out of the Victory Speech mare Sweet Victory (ARG), Smart Choice won the1 1/4-mile Premio La Brava last August. Smart Choice will be ridden by Martin Chuan from post 14.

Breaking from post 8 under Rito Almanza is Kentucky-bred Zurda from Stud Dona Licha and trainer Arturo Morales. A 3-year-old Cape Blanco filly, Zurda won the Ernesto Ayulo Pardo on April 1 defeating Smart Choice. In her next start, Zurda finished fourth in the Grade 3 Republica Argentina at 1 1/4 miles, beaten 5 1/4 lengths. Zurda was bred by Omega Farm LLC and Mike Maenza.

Another runner from Stud Starbucks, who could draw attention is the 5-year-old Chicuela (PER) making her 28th career start for Suarez, and ridden from post 4 by Carlos Trujillo. A bay daughter of Yazamaan, Chicuela was second, 2 1/2 lengths behind SI Que Es Buena (ARG) in the Republica Argentina, which was her first start of 2018.  

Si Que Es Buena (Juan Enriquez, post 11), a 4-year-old daughter of Equal Stripes (ARG), is owned Stud Aurora and trained by Armando Filipuzzi. She made the Grand Republica her second win of the year. On February 11, she won the 1 1/8-mile Ala Manza by 1 3/4 lengths.

The Gran Premio Pamplona is the fifth of five Breeders' Cup Challenge races run in South America this year.  Sinfonia Fastastica (ARG) won the Gran Premio Criadores (G1) at Palermo to earn a free berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1); Nuevo Maestro (CHI) secured a "Win and You're In" tally  for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) when he won the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella (G1) in Santiago Chile; the filly La Extrana Dama (ARG) beat male rivals in the Gran Premio 25 de Mayo (G1) at San Isidro in Buenos Aires for a berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf  Quarteto de Cordas (BRZ) also won a Breeders' Cup Turf position when he won the  Grande Premio Brazil at Gavea in Rio de Janeiro,.