Chilean promise Il Campione looking for Triple Crown Success

Chilean promise Il Campione looking for Triple Crown Success: The Chilean bred Il Campione is the new sensation Chile since he won the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Clasico Ensayo (G1) over 1 ½ miles in the grass. After the amazing victory in the first leg, Il Campione’s connections decided to try the Triple Crown, although the second leg is in the dirt instead of the turf.

The Chilean Triple Crown consists of three races; The Clasico Ensayo in Club Hipico de Santiago over 1 ½ m in the turf, the Clasico St. Leger in Hipodromo de Chile over 2200 meters ( 1 3/8 m) on the dirt, and finally the Clasico El Derby in Valparaiso Sporting Club over 1 ½ m. The change of the surfaces makes the Chilean Triple Crown a goal really tough to reach. There hasn’t been a Triple Crown winner since the 1990 -1991 season, when Wolf swept all three legs.

Because Il Campione is a proven specialist on the turf, his connections studied to possibility to run in the prestigious Clasico Carlos Pellegrini (G1) in Argentina instead the St Leger in the dirt, but they finally made the decision to gives Il Campione a shot in the Triple Crown second leg.

Il Campione is a son of Scat Daddy – Global Gold by Pleasant Tap and has a record of 6 wins and 1 second in seven starts, all of the races in the turf. The horse is ridden by Hector Berrios, trained by Sergio Inda, and his owner is the Chilean soccer player Arturo Vidal in partnership with the breeder Pedro Hurtado.

Evidently, the Clasico St Leger will be a tough test for Il Campione because it will be his first race on the dirt. Now the question is, Can Il Campione handle the dirt? This question will be answered on December 6, 2014 when the son of Scat Daddy is set to compete in the Chilean second leg.

Clásico “El Ensayo Mega” GI Replay: