by Michael Burns

Favorite Belle Watling became the fourth consecutive filly to land the Clasico El Ensayo-Cristal (Chi-G1), the first leg of the Chilean national Triple Crown, at Club Hipico de Santiago on Sunday.

Entering off victories in the Polla de Potrancas (Chi-G1) and Nacional Ricardo Lyon (Chi-G1), the three-year-old Dushyantor filly rallied powerfully in the stretch under Hector Isaac Berrios to capture South America’s oldest classic by 3 ½ lengths.

Casablanca Smile, a Group 1-winning daughter of Ocean Terrace, earned second over another Dushyantor colt, Hoy Si.

Trained by Patricio Baeza, who also saddled the runner-up and tallied his second Ensayo victory, Belle Watling covered 2,400 meters (11.93 furlongs) on turf rated as firm in 2:24.50 to capture her third consecutive Group 1 victory. Her record improved to six wins from nine career starts.

With the victory in Club Hipico’s premiere classic, Belle Watling stands one race shy of sweeping the track’s Quadruple Crown series, which concludes with the Gran Clasico Coronacion (Chi-G2) on the meet’s closing day, December 27. The series offers a $500,000 bonus for sweeping all four races.

Campaigned by Joaquin Seidemann’s Stud Don Theo, Belle Watling was bred in Chile by Haras Matancilla. She is out of the Great Shark mare Biala and is a full sister to champion juvenile Scarlet, group stakes winner Tigrita, and group stakes-placed Bar Crillon.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent