Stewart bringing over pair of Southern Hemisphere fillies for Breeders' Cup

Two Southern Hemisphere fillies who have won or placed in Group 1 races are scheduled to start in the United States in the coming months with the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2 as a long-term goal.

Owner John Stewart said last weekend that Tutta La Vita, an Australian-bred filly who has finished second or third in three Group 1 races in that country since September, is scheduled to join trainer Ignacio Correas’s stable later this summer.

Princess Calla, the 2023 Horse of the Year in South Africa, is currently in quarantine and will be trained by Chad Brown.

Stewart, who races as Resolute Racing, co-owns Didia, who was 10th in the BC Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita last November. Didia won the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Saratoga on June 7.

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Tutta La Vita will be flown to the United States on July 15.

“That was the first available flight we could get her on with all the quarantine and veterinary work that has to be done,” Stewart said.

“We’ll evaluate a path to try to get to the Breeders’ Cup this year.”

Tutta La Vita’s pending transfer to this country was first reported by Bloodhorse.com.

Tutta La Vita, trained in Australia by Chris Waller, was held out of the Group 1 Queensland Oaks last weekend at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane in favor of the move to the United States.

By the Redoute’s Choice stallion The Autumn Sun, Tutta La Vita has won once in 12 starts, and is winless in her last nine appearances, frequently racing against 3-year-old fillies. She was foaled in November 2020 and will be recognized as a 4-year-old if she starts in this country later this year.

Tutta La Vita was second in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney on March 30, but fifth in the Group 1 ATC Oaks in April and eighth of 16 in the Group 2 The Roses Stakes at Doomben Racecourse on May 25.

“We felt like her form wasn’t up” to a start in the Queensland Oaks, Stewart said.

“We think she’s a very good horse.”

Didia began her career in Argentina, where she was a three-time Grade 1 winner in 2021. Stewart is hoping to capitalize on Correas’s success with that Southern Hemisphere filly to propel Tutta La Vita to a prominent role in the American older filly and mare turf division.

“It’s the same kind of challenge,” he said. “He has a lot of experience with South American horses.”

Earlier this year, Stewart completed a private purchase of Princess Calla, who finished third in the Group 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes in South Africa in March. Princess Calla won four Group 1 races in South Africa in 2023 and earlier this year.

“It will be some interesting stuff with some new names in the mix,” Stewart said.

Downes to call Santa Rosa

Bill Downes, who called the races at the Golden Gate Fields meeting that ended on Sunday, will be the announcer at the Sonoma county fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., the track announced earlier this month.

Downes replaces Matt Dinerman, who is calling the races at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

Santa Rosa will have a nine-day meeting from Aug. 2-18. The first two weekends will be held in conjunction with county fair events, while racing will be the primary focus of activity on the fair grounds on the final weekend.

In his career, Downes has called races at tracks in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

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