Page 18 - 30 March 2012

BRAZIL’S CHALLENGE
Dash Glory Ease wins the South American Championship Challenge.
by Caio Margutti, Western Magazine
Having this race in Brazil has a fantastic impact on our market, given the visibility and importance of the Challenge.
The Jockey Club de Sorocaba opened its 2012 racing season with the South American Championship Challenge. Brazil’s only racetrack officially recognized by the American Quarter Horse Association, the Jockey Club de Sorocaba ran the qualifying races on Jan. 28 and the South America Challenge finals on Feb. 11.
This is a classic race to elect the South America horse to race in the United States at the end of the year in the Bank Of America AQHA Challenge Championship-G1 for a purse of $350,000. Having this race in Brazil and having a horse qualify to race in the U.S. has a fantastic impact on our market, given the visibility and importance of the Challenge.
On Jan. 28, there were three qualifying races for the Challenge. A total of 18 horses competed for six positions in the final. According to AQHA rules, the distance of each race was 402 meters, open lane, as it would be in the final.
The final of the South American Championship Challenge, with a purse of R$180,477 ($104,700 U.S.), occurred on Feb. 11 at the Jockey Club de Sorocaba. The winner in a time of :21.47 was Dash Glory Ease, ridden by J.A. Gomes. Starting in the second lane, Dash Glory Ease very quickly got to the center of the track, positioning herself ahead of the competitors before the first half and winning to earn R$90,238.50 of the total purse.
Dash Glory Ease (Holland Ease-Medvedev-
PSI), was bred by Haras Fazenda Bela. According to Wellington Germano de Queiroz, owner of Fazenda Bela, “She had potential since the beginning of train- ing. Starting the season winning the Challenge is
very special to us, because it is a great race with great importance for our racetrack.”
Four of the Challenge finalists were bred and owned by Haras Fazenda Bela.
de Queiroz went on to say that they searched for a good PSI mare (English Thoroughbred) to mate with the best stallion of the Haras, Holland Ease. When they found Medvedev they knew they would have success and a quality foal. They accomplished that on the very first breeding attempt with Dash Glory Ease. J. Sampaio, Dash Glory Ease’s trainer says, “We always believed in this horse; we delayed her debut a little because we per- ceived that her specialty would be the 400 meters.”
Sampaio also said that Dash Glory Ease made it to the Challenge in great condition. The year before she won the GP Encerramento at the end of the year (November 2011) and had everything it takes to be the Challenge champion.
“We’re very happy because our bet paid off. Now we’ve a lot of training and follow up to be sure she will race in the USA,” finished the trainer.
Besides being a great accomplishment of Fazenda Bela, it is good to have Brazilian horses ready to do well in the States.
In second place by a head was Splash Refuge (Splash Bac-Pressthetrack) with a time of :21.50. The property of Sergio Reinaldo Gimenez Silveira, Splash Refuge had the best time in qualifying.
There were two other special matches (races)
on Feb. 11. Princess Gloria scored a victory with Harmonio Appeals in :21.92, and Vince Genco won with Speed Verde in :22.40. A ceremony was held to award plaques to the owners of the winners.
Dash Glory Ease wins the South American Championship Challenge at the Jockey Club de Sorocaba.
16 SPEEDHORSE, March 30, 2012
AROUND THE GLOBE
Caio Margutti