by Michael Burns

Immortelle, a Group 2 winner on dirt, proved her versatility with a victory on Sunday in the Grande Premio Diana (Brz-G1), the second leg of Rio de Janeiro's Triple Crown for fillies, on the turf at Jockey Club Brasileiro Hipodromo La Gavea.

Under a timely ride from Tiago Josue Pereira, Immortelle closed strongest in deep stretch to defeat Sherikan by three-quarters of a length.

Quadriglia was third in the field of 16 Southern Hemisphere three-year-old fillies.

Haras Santa Maria de Araras’ homebred Que Fuerza, brilliant winner of the first leg, made a run at the leaders but faded in the stretch to finish ninth.

Conditioned by Eduardo Garcia, Immortelle covered 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) in 1:59.45 on turf rated soft to earn her most significant career victory and third win from six career starts. The Vettori filly entered off a three-quarter-length victory over older females on a wet fast track in the Grande Premio 25 de Janeiro (Brz-G2) in Sao Paulo. 

The Triple Crown series for fillies concludes with the 2,400-meter (11-93 furlong) Grande Premio Zelia Gonzaga Peixoto de Castro (Brz-G1) on April 8.

Bred in Brazil by Mario Moglias Haras Fronteira, breeder of 2004 Brazilian Horse of the Year and three-time Grade 1 winner Pico Central (Brz), Immortelle is out of the winning Beau Genius mare Baby Rafaela.

Michael Burns is a South American-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent