Chilean Furia Cruzada Earns 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Spot

Chilean Furia Cruzada Earns 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Spot: The first South American “Win & You’re In” for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Series was contested on Friday, May 1, 2015 at Hipodromo de Palermo in Argentina. The Chilean-bred Furia Cruzada won the Gran Premio Criadores (GI) over 1-1/4 miles on the dirt and earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) that will be run on Friday, October 30, 2015, at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.

After a good start, Top Juliette was sent to the lead, followed by Carinosa and Perugia Top in third. Furia Cruzada patiently stalked the pace in fourth while the favorite Kalitea traveled wide. The race varied little for most of the race with Top Juliette remaining on the lead until the field pressed and approached her into the stretch. The gray Kalithea made an aggressive wide move while Furia Cruzada, literally blocked by a wall of horses, simply waited for room. In the stretch, Kalithea looked like the winner, but Carinosa did not give up and bravely tested her. Finally, the tiny Furia Cruzada found room, and with a powerful late kick, she passed them very easily to win the race by one length over a gutsy Carinosa in second and Kalitea in third.

Furia Cruzada is a three-year–old daughter of Newfoundland out of Nuestra Machi (CHI), by Hussonet. Newfoundland is by Storm Cat and has produced good runners in Chile, but he has mostly been overshadowed by leading sire Scat Daddy.

Furia Cruzada clocked 2:02.07 for the 1¼ miles and now has a record of six wins, two seconds, and two thirds in fourteen starts. Furia Cruzada was ridden by Juan Villagra, is trained by Alfredo Gaitan Dassie, and is owned by Haras Cachagua. Earlier this week, Haras Cachagua received disappointing news when their promising horse Galicado (Arg) injured himself during a workout at Santa Anita, thus ending his career. However, good fortune has certainly returned. Everything indicates that Furia Cruzada’s connections will give her a shot in the Breeder’s Cup Distaff, and as such she is definitely a filly to follow.

Related Links:
2015 Breeders’ Cup Tickets
Breeders’ Cup Travel Tips 2015

Gran Premio Criadores Replay: