Il Campione (CHI)
August 5, 2011 – Living
Scat Daddy (USA) x Global Gold (USA), by Pleasant Tap (USA)
Family 1-x
August 5, 2011 – Living
Scat Daddy (USA) x Global Gold (USA), by Pleasant Tap (USA)
Family 1-x
The dominant horse of his generation in Chile, Il Campione was a champion at both 2 and 3 and earned Horse of the Year honors in the latter season. He was then sent to the United States to race but made only one start there before going to Argentina to enter stud. He is off to an excellent start at stud, leading the 2022 Argentine general sire list while represented by only three crops of racing age.
Race record
11 starts, 8 wins, 1 second, 1 third, US$384,594 (includes converted Chilean earnings)
2014:
2015:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds for his performance in El Derby on the Longines World's Best Racehorses Rankings for 2015, 15 pounds below top-rated American Pharoah's rating for the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) but second only to Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (ARG-G1) winner Hi Happy (120 pounds) among South American-based horses.
As an individual
A powerfully made bay, Il Campione has a good shoulder and is short-coupled with the strong body and hip typical of the Storm Cat line. On the race course, he was a free-running type who coupled blistering speed with the ability to finish strongly.
As a stallion
Il Campione entered stud in 2017 at Haras El Paraiso, Argentina. He earned the Pellegrini Award as Argentina's "Stallion of the Year" in 2022,
Sire rankings
Per the Stud Book Argentino (www.studbook.org.ar):
Notable progeny
Doña Yerba (ARG), Edict (ARG), El Musical (ARG), Escape Hatch (ARG)
Connections
Il Campione was bred by Pedro Hurtado's Haras Paso Nevado. He raced in Chile for the partnership of his breeder and soccer star Arturo Vidal's Stud Alvidal, racing in the colors of the latter after Vidal acquired a majority interest for a reported £58,000 (about US$90,000). The colt was trained by Sergio Inda. Following the end of his 3-year-old season, Il Campione was sold to Lane's End Racing and Head of Plains Partners for a reported US$2 million and was sent to the barn of Chad Brown. He made only one start for his new connections, finishing third as the favorite in the 2015 Poker Stakes. Il Campione entered stud in 2017 at Haras El Paraiso in Argentina.
Pedigree notes
Il Campione is inbred 3x3 to two-time American champion sire and nine-time American champion broodmare sire Mr. Prospector. He is much the best runner produced from the winning Pleasant Tap mare Global Gold, who was exported to Chile following the birth of her first foal but was repatriated to the United States following Il Campione's racing successes.
Global Gold is out of the Mr. Prospector mare Golden Honor, whose dam Glowing Honor (by Seattle Slew) won the Diana Handicap (USA-IIT) in 1988 and 1989. A full sister to stakes winner Seattle Glow, Glowing Honor is a half sister to 1993 Kentucky Derby (USA-I) winner Sea Hero (by Polish Navy), to multiple Grade G1 winner Hero's Honor (by Northern Dancer) and to Grade 2 winner Wild Applause (by Northern Dancer), dam of 1990 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eastern Echo (by Damascus), Grade 2 winner and 2004 Argentine champion sire Roar (by Forty Niner), Grade 2 winner Yell (by A. P. Indy; dam of stakes winner Cheery, by Distorted Humor) and Grade 3 winner Blare of Trumpets (by Fit to Fight). Glowing Honor is also a half sister to Grade 3 winner Coronation Cup (by Chief's Crown); to Grade 3 winner Mackie (by Summer Squall), dam of Grade 2 winner Mr. Mellon (by Red Ransom) and Japanese Group 3 winner Seeking the Best (by Seeking the Gold) and second dam of 2012 Doomben Cup (AUS-G1) winner Mawingo; and to Victoria Cross (by Spectacular Bid), dam of 2001 European champion sprinter Mozart (by Danehill) and Grade 3 winner England Expects (by Topsider).
Glowing Honor and her siblings are out of multiple Grade 2 winner Glowing Tribute (by Graustark), the 1993 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. A descendant of the great matriarch La Troienne, Glowing Tribute is a half sister to Courting Days (by Bold Lad), dam of Irish Group 2 winner and useful sire Magesterial (by Northern Dancer), and to Wealth of Nations (by Key to the Mint), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Lite Light (by Majestic Light).
Fun facts
Last updated: November 28, 2023
Race record
11 starts, 8 wins, 1 second, 1 third, US$384,594 (includes converted Chilean earnings)
2014:
- Won Clasico El Ensayo (CHI-G1, 2400mT, Santiago)
- Won Clasico Polla de Potrillos (CHI-G1, 1700mT, Santiago; new course record 1:37.52)
- Won Clasico Nacional Ricardo Lyon (CHI-G1, 2000mT, Santiago)
- Won Clasico Criadores Machos (CHI-G2, 1600mT, Santiago)
- Won Clasico Cotejo de Potrillos (CHI-G3 1300mT, Santiago)
- 2nd Clasico Alberto Vial Infante (CHI-G1, 1600mT, Santiago)
2015:
- Won El Derby (CHI-G1, 2400mT, Valparaiso)
- Won Clasico Copa Jackson (CHI-G2, 1900mT, Valparaiso)
- 3rd Poker Stakes (USA-G3, 8FT, Belmont)
Honors
- Chilean Horse of the Year, 2014/2015
- Chilean champion 2-year-old turf male, 2013/2014
- Chilean champion 3-year-old male, 2014/2015
- Pellegrini Award, Argentine Stallion of the Year (2022)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds for his performance in El Derby on the Longines World's Best Racehorses Rankings for 2015, 15 pounds below top-rated American Pharoah's rating for the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) but second only to Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (ARG-G1) winner Hi Happy (120 pounds) among South American-based horses.
As an individual
A powerfully made bay, Il Campione has a good shoulder and is short-coupled with the strong body and hip typical of the Storm Cat line. On the race course, he was a free-running type who coupled blistering speed with the ability to finish strongly.
As a stallion
Il Campione entered stud in 2017 at Haras El Paraiso, Argentina. He earned the Pellegrini Award as Argentina's "Stallion of the Year" in 2022,
Sire rankings
Per the Stud Book Argentino (www.studbook.org.ar):
- Led the Argentine general sire list in 2022.
Notable progeny
Doña Yerba (ARG), Edict (ARG), El Musical (ARG), Escape Hatch (ARG)
Connections
Il Campione was bred by Pedro Hurtado's Haras Paso Nevado. He raced in Chile for the partnership of his breeder and soccer star Arturo Vidal's Stud Alvidal, racing in the colors of the latter after Vidal acquired a majority interest for a reported £58,000 (about US$90,000). The colt was trained by Sergio Inda. Following the end of his 3-year-old season, Il Campione was sold to Lane's End Racing and Head of Plains Partners for a reported US$2 million and was sent to the barn of Chad Brown. He made only one start for his new connections, finishing third as the favorite in the 2015 Poker Stakes. Il Campione entered stud in 2017 at Haras El Paraiso in Argentina.
Pedigree notes
Il Campione is inbred 3x3 to two-time American champion sire and nine-time American champion broodmare sire Mr. Prospector. He is much the best runner produced from the winning Pleasant Tap mare Global Gold, who was exported to Chile following the birth of her first foal but was repatriated to the United States following Il Campione's racing successes.
Global Gold is out of the Mr. Prospector mare Golden Honor, whose dam Glowing Honor (by Seattle Slew) won the Diana Handicap (USA-IIT) in 1988 and 1989. A full sister to stakes winner Seattle Glow, Glowing Honor is a half sister to 1993 Kentucky Derby (USA-I) winner Sea Hero (by Polish Navy), to multiple Grade G1 winner Hero's Honor (by Northern Dancer) and to Grade 2 winner Wild Applause (by Northern Dancer), dam of 1990 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eastern Echo (by Damascus), Grade 2 winner and 2004 Argentine champion sire Roar (by Forty Niner), Grade 2 winner Yell (by A. P. Indy; dam of stakes winner Cheery, by Distorted Humor) and Grade 3 winner Blare of Trumpets (by Fit to Fight). Glowing Honor is also a half sister to Grade 3 winner Coronation Cup (by Chief's Crown); to Grade 3 winner Mackie (by Summer Squall), dam of Grade 2 winner Mr. Mellon (by Red Ransom) and Japanese Group 3 winner Seeking the Best (by Seeking the Gold) and second dam of 2012 Doomben Cup (AUS-G1) winner Mawingo; and to Victoria Cross (by Spectacular Bid), dam of 2001 European champion sprinter Mozart (by Danehill) and Grade 3 winner England Expects (by Topsider).
Glowing Honor and her siblings are out of multiple Grade 2 winner Glowing Tribute (by Graustark), the 1993 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. A descendant of the great matriarch La Troienne, Glowing Tribute is a half sister to Courting Days (by Bold Lad), dam of Irish Group 2 winner and useful sire Magesterial (by Northern Dancer), and to Wealth of Nations (by Key to the Mint), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Lite Light (by Majestic Light).
Fun facts
- Appropriately, Il Campione means “the champion” in Italian.
- Il Campione was tried only once on dirt, this in the second leg of Chile's Triple Crown series, El St. Leger (CHI-G1). Unfortunately, he lost his rider at the break, costing him the Triple Crown (he won the other two legs easily) and leaving the question of how he might have handled dirt open.
Last updated: November 28, 2023