Barolo earns BC Turf ticket in GP Brasil; Peru's Salama secures BC Distaff spot

Barolo earns BC Turf ticket in GP Brasil; Peru's Salama

secures BC Distaff spot

Two Breeders' Cup Challenge events were staged Sunday, both in South America.

In the Grande Premio Brasil (Brz-G1) at Gavea, Barolo (Northern Afleet)

outdueled Concilium (Sulamani) to land a spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1),

while Peruvian-based Salama (Desert Party) captured Monterrico's "Win & You're

In" for the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), the Cesar del Rio Suito (Per-G3).

Barolo, a homebred campaigned by Haras Santa Rita da Serra, had been well

beaten by Bal a Bali (Put It Back) in all three legs of Brazil's Triple Crown in

2014. But the Venancio Nahid charge earned his first stakes placing when third

in the Premio Escorial this season, and he moved forward to register his first

stakes victory on a grand stage in the 83rd running of the Grande Premio Brasil.

Ridden by Waldomiro Blandi, Barolo rallied on the outside as the field swung

into the stretch, but older Group 1 star Concilium was already sweeping to the

fore himself. The two settled down to a rousing battle of the shadow rolls,

Concilium sporting bright yellow and Barolo's accessory in white. Concilium

appeared to have the upper hand until the final yards, when Barolo just

prevailed. On top by a half-length crossing the wire, Barolo covered about 1 1/2

miles in 2:34 2/5 on a heavy turf course.

Barolo was produced by Offshore (Vettori), herself a half-sister to Velodrome

(Booming), who captured the 2005 Grande Premio Brasil for Nahid. She is also a

half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Pavillion (Booming), later successful at

the Grade 3 level in the United States.

Kentucky-bred Salama was likewise recording her first black-type success in

the Cesar del Rio Suito in Peru. She races for Haras Santa Maria, which was also

listed as her trainer.

Last early under a patient Edwin Talaverano, the three-year-old filly gained

ground rounding the final turn, and gradually wore down former Peruvian Horse of

the Year Azarenka (Street Hero). Salama pulled 1 1/4 lengths clear in a final

time of 2:06 1/5 for about 1 1/4 miles on the dirt.

Salama was bred by Frankfort Park Farm in the Bluegrass State. She sold twice

at Keeneland, fetching $20,000 as a short yearling in January 2013 and $13,000

at the September Sale. Her dam, the unraced Royal Academy mare Duchess Maggie,

is a half-sister to multiple stakes victor Mountain Forum (Open Forum).

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