by Michael Burns

The 25th running of the Gran Premio Internacional Asociacion Latinoamericana de Jockey Clubes e Hipodromos, one of South America’s most prestigious races, will be held at Sao Paulo's Jockey Club Cidade Jardim racecourse in 2009.
 
The announcement was made at a press conference held by members of the Asociacion Latinoamericana de Jockey Clubes immediately following the group's board meeting on March 14 at the Country Club Hotel in Lima, Peru.
 
The multinational 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) Group 1 turf race for three-year-olds and older will be held on March 14 and is expected to carry a purse higher than the $210,000 offered in this year's running in Lima.
 
Similar to the Breeders’ Cup, the Gran Premio Asociacion Latinoamericana de Jockey Clubes is hosted at various venues each year in South America . The race features a unique qualifying and invitation-only format for horses designated by the associated Jockey Clubs.
 
Next year will mark the third time the race will be staged by the Sao Paulo Jockey Club. The event was last held at Hipodromo Cidade Jardim in 1991.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent