RIO DE JANEIRO (June 8, 2018) – The 3-year-olds Olimpo (BRZ) and Olympic Hollywood (BRZ), and Or Noir (BRZ) lead a wide open field of 19 runners entered for Sunday’s 1 ½-mile Grande Premio Brasil (G1) at Hipodromo Gavea for an automatic starting position into this year’s $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) through the international Breeders’ Cup Challenge.

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive free berths and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which will be held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 2-3.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Grande Premio Brasil, for 3-year-olds and up, to start in the 1 ½-mile Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. If not Breeders’ Cup eligible, the Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of October 22 to receive the rewards.

Owned by Stud Sao Jose da Serra and trained by Dulcino Guignoni, Olimpo comes into Sunday’s race with wins in two of his last three starts. A bay son of Rettadore (BRZ) out of the New Colony mare Op Conony (BRZ), Olimpo finished second to Arrocha (BRZ) in the 1 ¼-mile Grande Premio Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1) at Gavea on March 4, but was declared the victor following disqualification of Arrocha. A four-time career winner, Olimpo finished sixth in his next start, the 1 ½-mile Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul (G1) (Brazilian Derby) on April 8 as the 14-5 second choice, but rebounded on May 12, capturing the Group 2, 1 ½- mile Grande Premio Doutor Frontin at Gavea by 2 ¼ lengths.

Three other starters from the Brazilian Derby have also been entered in Sunday’s race, including runner up Or Noir (BRZ), who lost by a nose to Olympic Hanoi (BRZ). Owned by Haras Doce Vale and trained by Venacio Hahid, Or Noi, a chestnut son of Soldier of Fortune (IRE), finished fourth in the one-mile Grande Premio Estado do Rio de Janeiro (G1) on February 18, and was eighth in the 1 ¼-mile Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paul Machado on March 4.

Another son of Soldier of Fortune is Haras Regina’s 3-year-old homebred Olympic Hollywood (BRZ). Trained by Roberto Solanes, Olympic Hollywood won three consecutive races this season, including the Clasico Coaraze at Gavea on February 25, before his fourth-place finish in the Brazilian Derby, 1 ¼ lengths behind the winner.

Hahid also has entered Orange Box (BRZ), third in the Brazilian Derby for Haras Doce Vales. A 3-year-old son of Wild Event out of the Roi Normand mare Forty Carrots (BRZ), Orange Box also registered a third-place finish in the Grande Premio Eduardo de Paula Machado.

Haras Estrela’s Arroacha was the 17-10 favorite in the Brazilian Derby, but wound up last of 10 starters. But prior to that, this bay son of Pounced finished in a dead heat for second in the one-mile Grande Premio Estado do Rio de Janeiro (G1) for trainer Roberto Solanes.

Stud San Francisco Da Serra’s Silence is Gold (BRZ), a 3-year-old filly, won the 1 ¼ mile Grande Premio Diana (G1) at Gavea by 1 1/4 lengths on March 4 for trainer Julio Cesar Sampaio. A bay daughter of Agnes Gold (JPN), Silence is Gold has six career wins, including last year’s Group 1 Premio Margarida Polak Lara at one mile.

Among the older horses is Stud Perdudu’s 4-year-old Emperor Roderic (BRZ), a two-time Group 1 winner, who captured the 1 ¼ mile Copa ABCPCC Mathias Machline last August and last year’s Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul.

The 2018 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, now in its 12th year, is being held at many of the world’s premier racetracks in 12 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Japan, Ireland, Peru, South Africa and the United States.

The Grande Premio Brasil is the fourth Breeders’ Cup Challenge race to be run in South America this year. On May 25, the filly La Extrana Dama (ARG) won the Gran Premio 25 de Mayo at San Isidro in Buenos Aires and earned an automatic berth into the Longines Turf. On May 21, the 4-year-old Nuevo Maestro (CHI) won the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella (G1) in Santiago, Chile for a free berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), and on May 1, the 5-year-old mare Sinfonia Fantastica (ARG) won the Gran Premio Criadores (G1) at Palermo and earned an automatic berth into the Longines Distaff.

About Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 races (13 Grade 1 events) with purses and awards totaling more than $30 million, will be held November 2-3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.