Thursday, November 21, 2013
Original article presented online by Primera Hora / Puerto Rico on 11/20/2013.
by Joe Bruno Ortiz
(translated by Angel Contreras)
Dominican Republic Has Two Representatives in the Serie Hipica del Caribe
After several years of absence due to economic reasons, the Dominican Republic is back this year as a participant in the Serie Hipica del Caribe, to be held on December 14 and 15 at the Hipodromo Presidente Remon in Panama. The Dominicans do not participate in these international events since 2009, when they presented four contenders: Daniela Sophia in the Copa Dama del Caribe, Sicotico in the Copa Confraternidad del Caribe, Bamboleo in the Copa Invitacional para Importados, and Estruendo in the Clasico del Caribe-G1. The country will be represented this year by 3 year-olds Mon Gateau and Time To Tango.
"Originally, the Dominican representation was to be composed by 5 horses, but due to injuries and poor prep races, it has been reduced to two", stated Angel Contreras, owner of Rancho San Antonio Stable, for which Time To Tango races.
She is a daughter of the stallion Tango Tales out of Blizz Honor, by Kissin Kris , raised by Contreras and trained in Dominican Republic by Juan Jimenez. She will participate in the Copa Dama del Caribe under the training of Eugenio Deschamps. Time To Tango has a record history of 5 wins, 5 seconds and 5 thirds in 19 career starts. Her wins have come in distances ranging from a 1000 m, 1200 m, 1300m, to 1700 meters. In her most recent race, on November 12th, she finished second, two lenghts behind Mon Gateau, over 1800 meters at the swift Hipodromo V Centenario.
Mon Gateau, is the daughter of the stallion Blueformer out of Mandeville, by Langfuhr, property of the La Aurora Stable, of Cesar Prieto, Ricardo and Ramon Contreras. She was raised in Rancho San Antonio and is also trained by Jimenez. This filly will run in the Copa Velocidad del Caribe under the handling of Eugenio Deschamps. She is a winner of 7 races in 14 starts, with 3 seconds and 1 third. She has the ability to dominate from the start and also to attack from off the pace. She won the Clasico de Criadores Version Hembras-G1, clocking 1:26 4/5 for 1400 meters on November 24, of 2012, her only major victory so far.
With Mon Gateau and Time To Tango, the Dominican Republic will seek it's second victory in a Serie Hipica del Caribe, after Sicotico gave the country it's first victory in the Clasico del Caribe-G1 in 2008.