Breeders' Cup Distaff: History is against Corona Del Inca

ARCADIA, Calif. – While foreign shippers have won many Breeders’ Cup races on grass, only a handful have won on dirt. Arcangues, Arazi, Sheikh Albadou, and Calidoscopio won Breeders’ Cup races on dirt in their first start in North America. It is not impossible.

But at least one Breeders’ Cup race on dirt has proven elusive – the Distaff for fillies and mares. Eight foreign shippers have tried the Distaff. None has hit the board.

So, yes, Corona Del Inca, a shipper from Argentina, is up against it Nov. 4 in the toughest Distaff ever. The field will include the champions Songbird, Stellar Wind, and Beholder.

That didn’t stop Argentine trainer Guillermo Frenkel from kidding around after a sharp half-mile workout by Corona Del Inca one recent morning at Santa Anita.

“Beholder? … meh,” Frenkel said dismissively. Then he busted up laughing. It was a joke. Frenkel arrived from Argentina with a sense of humor, respect for the competition, and a very good mare.

Corona Del Inca has won 4 of 10 starts, including a win in the Group 1 Gran Premio Criadores on May 1 at Hipodromo de Palermo in Argentina. The race was legit – runner-up Kiriaki came back to win a Group 1 by four lengths in her next start.

Argentina-breds have won three Distaffs, but Bayakoa (1989-90) and Paseana (1992) had extensive U.S. campaigns going in. Corona Del Inca will be the first Distaff starter directly from Argentina. Her last start was May 1; she arrived in the U.S. in early August.

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Corona Del Inca made it into the Distaff because the 1 1/4-mile race she won almost six months ago is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series. Corona Del Inca’s nose victory earned her a fees-paid berth.

The inclusion of South American races in the BC Challenge series is part of the Breeders’ Cup mission that includes global expansion of the brand. Another objective, according to BC senior vice president of racing and nominations Dora Delgado, is to generate stallion nominations to the BC International Stallion program.

“By placing Challenge races in each country whose breeders are supporting the program, we provide them an incentive to nominate and an incentive to run,” Delgado said. “Corona Del Inca is coming up against one of the most highly rated Distaff fields we have ever carded, but her connections feel that she will be competitive.”

Corona Del Inca certainly has the right trainer. Frenkel, 66, is a leading Argentine trainer and has won top races in both hemispheres. He trained Calidoscopio to win the 2012 BC Marathon at Santa Anita; his best horse was Interprete, a multiple Group 1 winner and later a top sire in South America.

Corona Del Inca, a large-sized 5-year-old, has been with Frenkel from the beginning. Just like Calidoscopio, she was sired by Luhuk, bred by Haras La Quebrada, and is owned by the Dona Pancha Stable of Juan Echeverz.

“From the first time she came to my barn, I had a very high concept of this mare, then she had problems,” Frenkel said. “At 5 years old – Group 1!”

Due to her size, she has made just 10 starts. “She’s a big, beautiful filly,” Frenkel said. Her late development – the Criadores was her first start in a Group 1 – is typical for progeny of Luhuk. Frenkel said Corona Del Inca “had little problems because she’s a big filly.”

Frenkel said he hasn’t started Corona Del Inca recently in order to point specifically to the Breeders’ Cup. She has had three months to acclimate, worked one mile in 1:41.40 on Monday, and is scheduled for another long workout this coming Monday.

As for the challenge of preparing Corona Del Inca to fire in her first start back, Frenkel said, “No problem. She’s big, and the [Distaff] pace is very strong.” Corona Del Inca’s style is to rally from behind.

Corona Del Inca’s rider, Pablo Falero, is due for a Breeders’ Cup mount. Falero was booked on Calidoscopio for the 2012 BC Marathon but was injured and unable to ride.

Local jockey Aaron Gryder picked up the mount, and Falero traveled from Argentina to offer Gryder firsthand insight on the horse’s idiosyncrasies. Gryder used the information to guide Calidoscopio to victory. Falero, 49, recently won his 8,000th race in Argentina.

Yes, it is true that Corona Del Inca is up against it. She would not be the first foreign shipper to win a Breeders’ Cup race on dirt, but she would be the first to win the Distaff.