The Premio Gran National Augusto B. Leguia (PER-G1) is the last top-level race of the calendar year for Peruvian 3-year-olds and is the country’s closest equivalent to England’s Derby Stakes as it is contested over 2400 meters on turf. This year, it drew a field of 10, with Radoslav and Compasión both coming in off Group 2 wins over the Hipódromo de Monterrico turf course, but neither proved equal to the challenge. Instead, the filly Maria Luisa flew the target from the outset and hung on gamely to hold off Argentine-bred Puppi’s Husband by a diminishing head.
While Maria Luisa was bred in Peru and upheld the honor of the home team, her five-generation pedigree shows only one ancestor bred anywhere in South America. Bred and owned by Stud Benedicta, Maria Luisa is by Irish-bred Singe the Turf, a product of Jim Bolger’s remarkable breeding program. How much talent Singe the Turf had is open to question, as the son of Galileo and stakes winner Affianced (by multiple Grade 1 winner Erins Isle) won at first asking in his only start at two, defeating future multiple Group 1 winner Declaration of War by six lengths. That seemed highly promising, but Singe the Turf finished off the board in his first outing at 3 and never ran again. As a full brother to 2007 Irish Derby (IRE-G1) winner Soldier of Fortune and Group 3 winner Heliostatic, he had plenty of pedigree for the export market. He was sent to Peru in 2013 and has stood at Haras Rancho Fatima since then. His top runners include Peruvian champions Don Feres and Saudita, but Maria Luisa is his first Group 1 winner.
Maria Luisa was produced from Peruvian-bred Candynsky, whose sire Bandini (by Fusaichi Pegasus) won the 2005 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) and 2006 Skip Away Handicap (USA-G3) and set track records for 7 furlongs and a mile at Gulfstream Park. A winner on the track, Candynsky is out of unraced Wings of Song (by Unbridled’s Song), whose half sister Somalia (by Mineshaft) is the dam of Canadian Grade 3 winners Lookin for Eight (by Lookin At Lucky) and Miss Mo Mentum (by Uncle Mo) as well as stakes winner Disco Pharoah (by American Pharoah).
Wings of Song and Somalia are out of multiple stakes-placed Cosmic Wing (by Halo), a half sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Charley Tango (by Maria’s Mon) and to Myrtle Beach (by Kingmambo), dam of Grade 1-placed multiple listed stakes winner Barcola (by Old Trieste). Produced from 1992 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Ziggy’s Act (by Danzig), Cosmic Wing is also a half sister to Issaqueena (by Mr. Prospector), dam of 2009 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (USA-G2) winner Tizaqueena (by Tiznow) and listed stakes winner New Trails (by Medaglia d’Oro), and to Miss Carolina (by Unbridled), whose son Bow Beaver was a multiple champion in Saudi Arabia. In addition, Cosmic Wing is a half sister to Saratoga Summer (by Smart Strike), dam of 2017 Orchid Stakes (USA-G3) winner Summersault (by Rock Hard Ten). The female line traces back to Summer Time, a full sister to five-time American champion sire Bull Lea.
The Peruvian breeding industry produces only a few hundred Thoroughbred foals annually. Ordinarily, that would mean that it would be nearly impossible to judge how good Maria Luisa actually is unless she left her native land to go raiding in Argentina, Brazil, or Chile. But in 2026, the best racehorses of South America will come to her as the Group 1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano (which rotates between South America’s major tracks) will be run at Monterrico to coincide with the 80th anniversary celebration of the Jockey Club del Perú---and in 2024, when the Latinoamericano was last run in Peru, Peruvian-based Manyuz made off with the prize. To be sure, Manyuz was Kentucky-bred, and a Peruvian-bred has not won the Latinoamericano since 2015, when Peruvian Horse of the Year Liberal came to Argentina’s Palermo track and won over multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Dont Worry. Still, the filly has now established home field advantage, and a win for her would do much to enhance Peru’s prestige in South American Thoroughbred circles. It has happened before, and it could happen again.
While Maria Luisa was bred in Peru and upheld the honor of the home team, her five-generation pedigree shows only one ancestor bred anywhere in South America. Bred and owned by Stud Benedicta, Maria Luisa is by Irish-bred Singe the Turf, a product of Jim Bolger’s remarkable breeding program. How much talent Singe the Turf had is open to question, as the son of Galileo and stakes winner Affianced (by multiple Grade 1 winner Erins Isle) won at first asking in his only start at two, defeating future multiple Group 1 winner Declaration of War by six lengths. That seemed highly promising, but Singe the Turf finished off the board in his first outing at 3 and never ran again. As a full brother to 2007 Irish Derby (IRE-G1) winner Soldier of Fortune and Group 3 winner Heliostatic, he had plenty of pedigree for the export market. He was sent to Peru in 2013 and has stood at Haras Rancho Fatima since then. His top runners include Peruvian champions Don Feres and Saudita, but Maria Luisa is his first Group 1 winner.
Maria Luisa was produced from Peruvian-bred Candynsky, whose sire Bandini (by Fusaichi Pegasus) won the 2005 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) and 2006 Skip Away Handicap (USA-G3) and set track records for 7 furlongs and a mile at Gulfstream Park. A winner on the track, Candynsky is out of unraced Wings of Song (by Unbridled’s Song), whose half sister Somalia (by Mineshaft) is the dam of Canadian Grade 3 winners Lookin for Eight (by Lookin At Lucky) and Miss Mo Mentum (by Uncle Mo) as well as stakes winner Disco Pharoah (by American Pharoah).
Wings of Song and Somalia are out of multiple stakes-placed Cosmic Wing (by Halo), a half sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Charley Tango (by Maria’s Mon) and to Myrtle Beach (by Kingmambo), dam of Grade 1-placed multiple listed stakes winner Barcola (by Old Trieste). Produced from 1992 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Ziggy’s Act (by Danzig), Cosmic Wing is also a half sister to Issaqueena (by Mr. Prospector), dam of 2009 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (USA-G2) winner Tizaqueena (by Tiznow) and listed stakes winner New Trails (by Medaglia d’Oro), and to Miss Carolina (by Unbridled), whose son Bow Beaver was a multiple champion in Saudi Arabia. In addition, Cosmic Wing is a half sister to Saratoga Summer (by Smart Strike), dam of 2017 Orchid Stakes (USA-G3) winner Summersault (by Rock Hard Ten). The female line traces back to Summer Time, a full sister to five-time American champion sire Bull Lea.
The Peruvian breeding industry produces only a few hundred Thoroughbred foals annually. Ordinarily, that would mean that it would be nearly impossible to judge how good Maria Luisa actually is unless she left her native land to go raiding in Argentina, Brazil, or Chile. But in 2026, the best racehorses of South America will come to her as the Group 1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano (which rotates between South America’s major tracks) will be run at Monterrico to coincide with the 80th anniversary celebration of the Jockey Club del Perú---and in 2024, when the Latinoamericano was last run in Peru, Peruvian-based Manyuz made off with the prize. To be sure, Manyuz was Kentucky-bred, and a Peruvian-bred has not won the Latinoamericano since 2015, when Peruvian Horse of the Year Liberal came to Argentina’s Palermo track and won over multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Dont Worry. Still, the filly has now established home field advantage, and a win for her would do much to enhance Peru’s prestige in South American Thoroughbred circles. It has happened before, and it could happen again.
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