Its still only 2024, not 2025, and Intense For Me is the first ‘win and your’re in’ for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships to be held at the Del Mar on 1 November next year.
In taking out the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini Internacional at Hipodromo de San Isidro, Intense For Me is the first automatic starter for the $5m Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf run over 1½ miles.
As the first of the International Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, Intense For Me scored a driving home straight half-neck victory in the hands of jockey Martin Valle winning in a time of 2:23.17.
In running down the 2-1 favourite El Kodigo on the line, Intense For Me started from Gate 18 of the 20 starters, and racing mid-field had 10 horses in front of him in rounding the home bend.
With El Kodigo, Argentina’s Top Older Horse, and leading Intense For Me by 2 lengths at the top of the straight, he passed the race leader Crazy Talent and tried to hold-off Intense for Me.
In this being Intense for Me eight win from 13 starts, he stormed down the center of the track inside the final furlong, it was Don Feres who closed strongly for third, followed by Crazy Talent.
As the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini Internacional is Sth America’s most prestigious race with starters from Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, its Nicolas Martin Ferro who trains Intense For Me.
Coming off a third to El Kodigo on 2 November in the Copa de Oro Alfredo Lindor at San Isidro, Intense For Me won two Group 2 stakes races in winning the America in March and the Forli in June.
Bred in Argentina by Abolengo and owned and raced by Stud Torquemero, he’s a 4yo chestnut son of Godolphin lightly raced Distorted Humor sire Fortify out of Intense Look by Halo Sunshine.
At the International Horse Sports Confederation General Assembly on 6 December it was Ingmar De Vos as was the newly elected President, and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as Vice President.
“It’s a big honour for me to serve as the IHSC President during the two last years of my term in office as the FEI President,” the newly elected IHSC President Ingmar De Vos said.
“I would like to thank Winfried for his leadership and for the many new initiatives that have been developed during his presidency and I look forward to continuing our excellent cooperation.”
“The need for both our organisations to work together in the framework of the IHSC and alongside the World Organisation for Animal Health is more relevant than ever before.”
“The main focus for the coming years will be on preserving horse wellbeing and I look forward to the initiatives that we will develop together in this domain,” as Ingmar De Vos concluded.
IFHA Chair Engelbrecht-Bresges is also CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Chair of the Asian Racing Federation with 29 racing authorities across Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East.
“I am very pleased with Ingmar’s election as the new IHSC President and I strongly believe that the Confederation will benefit greatly from his capable leadership,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges.
“The IHSC’s efforts have been vital to ensure the sustainable development of horse sports. I look forward to supporting Ingmar in continuing the important work done by the IHSC.”
“In particular around equine welfare and international movement of horses, during what is an exciting, but challenging, time for both equestrian and racing globally.”
“The IHSC was established in 2013, when the FEI and the IFHA joined forces to create the first formal vehicle for cooperation between the world’s leading bodies for equestrian sport.”
