NEWS
Chilean champion Last Impact retired
Posted: Monday, February 15, 2010 2:58 PM
by Michael Burns
Chilean 2008-'09 champion older horse, champion grass horse, and Horse of the Year Last Impact has been retired by owner Stud Agricola Rapallo after suffering a fracture in his left ankle following a routine morning gallop on Saturday in preparation for South America’s forthcoming Latinoamericano in March.
The seven-year-old Stuka horse, who also was the 2007-‘08 champion grass horse, had earned a berth to represent the host track in the Latinoamericano on March 7 after capturing the Clasico Verano-Arturo Cousiño Lyon (Chi-G2) for an unprecedented four straight year at Club Hipico de Santiago on January 29.
A winner of 28 races from 41 starts, including the Clasico Club Hipico de Santiago (Chi-G1) and Gran Premio Hipodromo Chile (Chi-G1), Last Impact bankrolled approximately $388,545 during five racing seasons to become Chile’s all-time leading money earner.
Trained in Chile by Patricio Baeza and bred by Haras Don Alberto, Last Impact is out of the Stagecraft (GB) mare Angel de Furia. He is a full brother to last year’s El Derby (Chi-G1) (Chilean Derby) winner Amor de Pobre, winner of this year’s Crown Prince Cup and third in Saturday’s King’s Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Last Impact is schedule to be paraded at Club Hipico de Santiago during the Latinoamericano card, allowing Chilean race fans to bid farewell to the great champion. No stud plans have yet been announced.
Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
