George Washington Scores Berth to Breeders' Cup Turf

Stud Happy Again's George Washington swept down the center of the course and passed frontrunning Taksim inside the final furlong to capture the 87th running of the Grande Premio Brasil (G1) by 3 1/2 lengths over Or Noir June 9 at Hipodromo Gavea. The 3-year-old earned an automatic starting position into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of 86 stakes races whose winners receive free berths and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled for Nov. 1-2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

As a part of the benefits of the series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for George Washington to start in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Cup Turf. Breeders' Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside North America to compete in the World Championships.

Sunday's win gave trainer Luis Estevez his third consecutive score in the Grande Premio Brasil. He won with Voador Magee in 2017 and Quarteto de Cordas last year.

George Washington, a bay son of Redattore out of Princesa Carina, by Know Heights, won for just the second time in 13 starts and the first in his past eight races since winning a 1 1/8-mile race at Gavea in August.

Breaking from post 10 under jockey Marcelo Goncalves, George Washington was reserved in midpack of the 14-horse field while 3-year-olds Taksim and Olympic Icecream, who was part of the favored entry along with Olympic Hollywood at 5-1, set a solid early pace.

Coming out of the far turn, Taksim eased comfortably to the lead, opening by as many as seven lengths and showing the form that brought him a group 1 win in March when he captured the Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado by 2 3/4 lengths at Gavea. But approaching the eighth pole, Taksim began to tire and George Washington, Or Noir along the rail, and Leviatan, also trained by Estevez, took up the chase.

With 100 yards remaining, George Washington overtook Taksim in a flourish, and Or Noir passed Taksim for the place spot. Olympic Hollywood finished fourth. George Washington completed the 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.94 over a course listed as heavy. He came into Sunday's race following an eighth-place finish in the April 20 Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazilian Derby, G1).

The Grande Premio Brasil was the fourth of five Breeders' Cup Challenge races to be run in South America for the 2019 season. Il Mercato qualified for the Breeders' Cup Turf when he won the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1) in December at San Isidro, Entropia won the Gran Premio Criadores at Palermo in Argentina to earn an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), and Tamburo di Oro won the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella (G1) to gain a Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) berth.