Correas, Blue Prize Take Momentum Into Breeders' Cup

With no shortage of connections in Argentina for Ignacio Correas IV, where his family has been breeding top horses since the 1870s, it figures those ties supplied the North American-based trainer with his first grade 1 winner.

Correas spent Oct. 7 talking with, and reading texts from, friends and family congratulating him on his first top-level victory after Blue Prize rallied from eighth to win the Oct. 7 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. 

"It's very important for everybody to win at the top level, in particular for me, because I'm not that young. I'm not in my 20s or 30s, I'm in my late 50s, so it helps," said Correas, who worked for California-based trainer Bill Currin until his death in 2014, and then as a private trainer at Kevin Plank's Sagamore Farm before shifting to a public racing stable. "I've heard from friends all over the world, they've called me, texted me. It's been very nice."

Bluegrass Thoroughbreds Services' John Stuart and Peter Bance brokered a private purchase of Blue Prize for John Moores and Charles Noell's Merriebelle Stable from owner Bullines S.A. in Argentina, where she captured the 2016 Gran Premio Seleccion (G1) in her final start in that country. Bullines president Ignacio Pavlovsky recommended Correas take over training duties.

"That's how it comes around," Correas said.

Now Correas will aim to add another successful chapter for Argentine-bred horses in the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs as Blue Prize will enter the 1 1/8-mile test off three straight wins—all graded stakes including two at the Louisville, Ky., track. It will be the second Breeders' Cup start for Correas, who saddled Sagamore's Humble and Hungry to an eighth-place finish in the 2010 Juvenile Turf (G2T).

"The filly belongs there, she has the class," Correas said. "Whether she wins or not, that's a different story, but she has the class and I feel that she belongs in that field. It's a good feeling when you go with a horse that really belongs and is sharp."

Blue Prize would have the opportunity to become the third Argentine-bred horse to win the Distaff, joining Bayakoa, who won in 1989 and 1990; and Paseana, who scored in 1992. Ron McAnally trained both of those future Hall of Famers, who like Blue Prize, prepped in the Spinster ahead of their Breeders' Cup wins.

Correas credits Merriebelle Stables with giving Blue Prize time off to get acclimated to North America from her final start in Argentina in October of 2016 until her United States debut at Saratoga Race Course in June 2017. He said that's often critical for a horse moving from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere.

"The owners gave her eight months—very patient. They didn't rush her. They did things right for the filly," Correas said. "I think she had the talent all along and we gave her the opportunity to show it."