Eccentric's Late Push Wins Gran Premio Hipico Falabella

Facing off against familiar female rivals as well as males, Haras Don Alberto's homebred Eccentric (CHI) would not be denied in the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella (G1) at Club Hípico de Santiago May 31. Turning the tables on rivals Noche Sublime (CHI) and Nartella (CHI) came when it mattered most: clinching a spot in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In. The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of which receive automatic starting positions with fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships, to be held at Keeneland Oct. 30-31. The 3-year-old Ivan Denisovich (IRE) filly had been playing second fiddle to Noche Sublime in the early parts of the season: finishing second to her in December's Las Oaks (G1), fifth while Noche Sublime was second in February's El Derby (G1), and third while her rival was second in March's Gran Clasico Coronacion Pablo Baraona U (G2). Then, when finally getting away from Noche Sublime, she finished second to Las Oaks third-place finisher Nartella in the May 4 Carlos Campino (G2). But Sunday was the Patricio Baeza trainee's day to shine despite some showery conditions in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) contest. Ridden by Oscar Ulloa from post 11, Eccentric raced in mid-pack behind cover in a strung-out field. The pace was moderate up front, and once into the stretch, Ulloa got his filly into the clear. Her turn of foot was instant, motoring down her rivals to take command with 200 meters to go. Her rival, Noche Sublime, was weaving through traffic and finally popped outside into clear running space as Eccentric took the lead. That last furlong was a dash to the finish, Eccentric holding off Noche Sublime's late rally to win by a head. My Way (CHI) finished third. Eccentric completed the distance in 1:57.89. The Breeders' Cup Turf will prove a challenge for the filly, but she has proven a consistent runner with her fifth in the Derby being her lone off-the-board finish in 12 starts. The Derby was over the same 1 1/2 miles as the Turf, but she was beaten just 2 1/2 lengths total. Her other start at 12 furlongs was a third in group 1 company last October. She did prove Sunday she is capable of beating males. Seeing fillies or mares travel from overseas to compete against the boys in the Turf is not uncommon. The last to do so successfully was Irish-bred Tarnawa, a 4-year-old filly, who won in 2020 at Keeneland.