Summer do Iguassu Made History in the Copa ABCPCC Clássica and Succeeded Obataye

The mare from Haras Rio Iguassu defeated Mc Arrocha by a head in a thrilling finish, becoming only the third female to win the most prestigious event of the Brazilian Breeders' Cup; the stud farm repeated the victory achieved in 2025 with the champion

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Special for Turf Diario).— The Copa ABCPCC Clássica - Matias Machline (G1) once again saw Haras Rio Iguassu take center stage. While last year they celebrated with the unforgettable Obataye(Courtier)—recently crowned Horse of the Year here—this time it was Summer do Iguassu who kept the crown at home. She achieved this with an unforgettable victory over 2,000 meters on the Gávea turf, becoming only the third mare in history to defeat the males in the signature event of the Breeders' Cup festival.

The daughter of Camelot Kitten and Catch A Wave (Wild Event), homebred for Haras Rio Iguassu and sporting their colors, earned the biggest triumph of her career following a heart-stopping finish, prevailing by just a head over Mc Arrocha (Arrocha), who also put on a remarkable display.

The race unfolded dynamically. After a brief early battle for the lead, Outubro Chove (Alpha) took command, opening up a comfortable advantage over the heavy favorite Oderich (Drosselmeyer). Meanwhile, João Moreira kept Summer do Iguassu biding her time in a tracking third position, showing no rush and trusting in his mount's powerful closing kick.

Upon turning into the homestretch, Oderich looked poised to tackle the leader, but once he struck the front, he was unable to sustain his bid. Launching their attacks from further out, Summer do Iguassu and Mc Arrocha gained ground rapidly, turning the final 100 meters into a thrilling duel.

The pair surged almost stride for stride down the stretch, exchanging the lead until the mare edged ahead right at the wire. The victory triggered wild celebrations from her connections and delivered a finish for the ages, echoing historic battles featuring Kew Gardens (Millenium), Oferu Bird (Court Road), and Fantastic Dancer (Henri Le Balafre).

Finishing third after a late charge from the back of the field was Huge Moon (Drosselmeyer), while Oderich and Outubro Chove rounded out the paid places. Further back came Zen Life (Verrazano), Olympic Príncipe(Drosselmeyer), Odalisca (Sangarius), To Sir With Love (My Cherie Amour), Quero Te Mucho (Going Somewhere), Zero Zero Sete (Verrazano), Elton (Outstrip), and Open The Door (Hofburg). Dopodomani(Drosselmeyer) was scratched.

For trainer Antônio Marcos Oldoni, the win marked his second victory in the Copa ABCPCC Clássica, repeating the success achieved just a year ago with Obataye. The conditioner is enjoying the pinnacle of his career, continuing to amass top-flight victories both in Brazil and on the international stage.

Summer do Iguassu, meanwhile, elevated her record to 4 wins from 10 starts, confirming a steady line of progression. She had already demonstrated her class by winning the Grande Prêmio Barão de Piracicaba (G1) and was coming off a fifth-place effort against the males in the Grande Prêmio Brasil (G1), a performance that signaled she was ready to make a major breakthrough.

Stopping the clock in 1m59s54/100 for the 2,000 meters, the Haras Rio Iguassu defender earned the crowning achievement of her career. She joined Smile Jenny (Wild Event) and Beach Ball (Put It Back) as the only mares to win the feature event of the Brazilian Breeders' Cup, proving that females can also reign supreme in the continent's premier middle-distance contests.

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