Orange Riviera and Torres García, in the second leg of the Rio de Janeiro's Triple Crown
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On the turf of the Hipódromo da Gávea, the filly prevailed in the Grande Premio Diana (G1) and the colt claimed the Grande Premio Francisco e Linneo de Paula Machado (G1)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Special for Turf Diario).– The Hipódromo da Gávea hosted another landmark Sunday with the continuation of the Rio de Janeiro Triple Crown for the 2022 generation, featuring the second legs for both fillies and colts. While the female division once again showcased the incredible form of Haras Belmont, the victory of Torres Garcia among the males confirmed his status as one of the top names in the selective process.
The first of the major events was the Gran Premio Diana (G1) – Haras Santa Maria de Araras, the second step of the series for fillies, where the spotlight once again belonged to the silks of the Franceschi family. Following recent successes by Veil (Can the Man) in the Gran Premio Henrique Possolo (G1) and Perfect Plastic (Goldikovic) in the São Paulo Diana (G1), the stable exerted its power once more with Orange Riviera, who won with a closing charge as decisive as it was spectacular.
A daughter of Put It Back and Go To Riviera (Wild Event), bred by Haras Santa Maria de Araras—the race sponsor—she was guided with remarkable patience by João Victor, who kept her far back for much of the trip. Up front, Wendy Rose (Can the Man) set a strong pace, opening up a four-length lead over Odalisca (Sangarius). Meanwhile, Orange Riviera traveled comfortably in tenth.
Her moment came in the homestretch. As Odalisca took the lead and fought off Mc Riva and a wide-charging Veil, Orange Riviera appeared along the rails, finding the necessary gaps under a determined drive. In the final 150 meters, her action was unstoppable. The filly surged past to secure a 1-length victory over Oh Promise Me (Hofburg). Veil finished third, ahead of Odalisca and Mc Riva. Trained by Maurício Oliveira, Orange Riviera notched her fourth win in nine starts, clocking 1m58s99/100 for the 2000 meters.
Later, the program continued with the Gran Premio Francisco Eduardo & Linneo Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1), the second leg for colts. Torres Garcia successfully defended his position among the generation leaders. The son of Il Doge and Another-Quitz (Nedawi), a homebred for Stud Red Rafa, allowed his stable to win this traditional race for the third time in the last four years, following Quantify (2023) and Sinsel (2025).
The race saw Tá Legal (Can the Man) lead early, followed by Zucca Baby (Hofburg). In the straight, Zucca Baby took command at the 400-meter mark, but Torres Garcia immediately emerged as a threat. The finish echoed the vibrant duel of the Estado do Rio de Janeiro (G1), where Torres Garcia had previously been a protagonist.
Passing the final 100 meters, Torres Garcia managed to break Zucca Baby's resistance, though his rival fought back gamely. However, with the final energy of Leandro Henrique in the irons, the favorite held on to win by a half-head. Oderich (Drosselmeyer) finished third. Prepared by Luiz Esteves, Torres Garcia achieved his third win in nine outings, stopping the clock at 1m58s52/100.
The Rio Triple Crown continues to take shape, with Orange Riviera consolidating Haras Belmont's dominance among the fillies and Torres Garcia asserting his leadership among the colts in a generation that promises more high-voltage chapters in the coming weeks.
