By Michael Burns
Argentina spoiled the party for the host team when G1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini winner Sixties Song (Arg) (Sixties Icon {GB}) prevailed in the 33rd running of South America's multi-national Group 1 championship in Vina del Mar, Chile.
Sixties Song sat in a perfect stalking position before putting away pacesetter California One (Scat Daddy) entering the stretch and drawing clear to win convincingly over Chilean Derby winner Full of Luck (Chi) (Lookin at Lucky) in South America's continental championship race.
Race favorite Full of Luck was disqualified from second and placed third behind original third-placed finisher Tinku (Chi) (Lookin at Lucky), runner-up to the latter in last month's Chilean Derby. Three-year-olds swept the top three placings.
Sixties Song gave Argentina its first 'away' triumph since Latency (Arg) (Slew Gin Fizz) scored at Maronas in 2006 in a race the nation was winning for the fifth time.
Trained by Alfredo Gaitan Dassie, who celebrated his first Latinoamericano victory, Sixties Song clearly stamped himself as South America's leading 3-year-old on the grass after recording back-to-back major Group 1 victories in South America's prestigious Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini and Latinoamericano.
After 33 runnings of the Latinoamericano, Brazil lead the championship with 10 victories. Peru is the runner-up with nine, one more than Chile; followed by Argentina with five and Uruguay with one. The Gran Premio Latinoamericano moves on to Maronas in Montevideo next year.
Sunday, Valparaiso Sporting Club, Chile
LONGINES GRAN PREMIO LATINOAMERICANO-G1,
$500,000, Valparaiso Sporting Club, 3-5, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:24.88, fm.
1–SIXTIES SONG (ARG), 122, c, 3, by Sixties Icon (GB)
1st Dam: Blissful Song, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Celestial Bliss, by Relaunch
3rd Dam: North of Eden (Ire), by Northfields
O-Stud Santa Elena; B-Haras Firmamento (Arg); T-Alfredo
Gaitan Dassie; J-Juan Cruz Villagra. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Arg,
7-4-2-0; $300,000. *1/2 to Celestial Candy (Arg) (Candy Ride
{Arg}), MGSW-Arg, $147,427. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tinku (Chi), 122, c, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Tiaras (Chi), by
Powerscourt (GB). O-Stud Los Pickles; B-Haras Paso Nevado
(Chi); T-Olivero Martinez. $100,000.
*3–Full of Luck (Chi), 122, c, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Fusaichi, by
Fusaichi Pegasus. O-Stud Quinchao; B-Haras Nevado (Chi);
T-Patricio Baeza. $50,000.
*Full of Luck finished second and was demoted to third.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 9.40, 6.30, 3.30.
Also Ran: Deep End (Brz), Kodiak Boy (Per), Eleito (Brz), Ordak Dan (Arg), Top Casablanca (Chi), Must Go On (Arg), Gandhi Di Job (Brz), Paso Real (Per), California One, Smart Choice (Arg), Big Daddy (Chi), Color Rosa (Chi), Porto Fino (Chi).
Click for the Valparaiso Sporting Club chart, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Valparaiso Sporting Club Video.
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