Carreras de las Estrellas

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Inspired by the American Breeders' Cup series, founded in 1984, the Fundación Equina Argentina (FEAR), a nonprofit association consisting of various Argentine breeders, decided to create a similar series of races in Argentina in a meeting on October 24, 1989.^[2] The initiative was led by Pedro Blaquier, who died shortly after FEAR was founded.^[5]

The first Carreras de las Estrellas meet was run on June 29, 1991, at Hipódromo de San Isidro, and consisted of three races, all of Group 1 status and for two-year-olds: the Potrillos (1600 meters for colts), Potrancas (1600 meters for fillies), and Produtos (1000 meters). These eventually became the Juvenile, Juvenile Fillies, and Junior Sprint, respectively. Intérprete, winner of the Potrillos, would go on to be named the Argentine Champion Two-Year-Old colt of that year.^[5]

The following year added the Classic, Sprint, and Provincias Argentinas, with the former two having Group 1 status and the latter being ungraded. The Classic, run over 2000 meters, and Sprint, run over 1000 meters, were restricted to three-year-olds only. The Provincias Argentinas, run over 1200 meters, was restricted to two-year-olds who had only run in the interior. In the following years, the Classic and Sprint would be opened to older horses.^[2][6]

The 1997 edition produced the first three-time winner of a Carreras de las Estrellas race when Wally won the Gran Premio Estrellas Sprint for the first time, and set a record betting handle of $2,130,874 with an attendance of 23,517.^[7]

The Bonus Estrellas Plus program, which provides bonuses to breeders for wins in other races, was started in 2000.^[2]

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the races were postponed from their usual date in late June to September and run without spectators.^[8] They were the first major races to be run in Argentina in the wake of the pandemic.^[9]

Purses were doubled from 2021 to 2022.^[10]

In 2023, the races were split over two days and purses were raised by Arg$81,600,000 with more than Arg$8,160,000 for breeders.^[11] In 2024, total prizes were Arg$343,200,000, including Arg$312,000,000 in purses and Arg$31,200,000 in breeder bonuses,^[12] triple their previous values.^[3]

In 2024, the first dead heat in a Carreras de las Estrellas race occurred when Folie Ninja and Bronx were declared the joint winners of the Gran Premio Estrellas Mile following the disqualification of El Eminente.^[13]

The Carreras de las Estrellas alternate between Hipódromo de San Isidro and Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, generally every other year. When run at Hipódomo de San Isidro, the races are run on turf, and when run at Hipódromo de Palermo, the races are run on dirt.^[6]

Hipódromo de San Isidro: 1992–1994, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2023–2024

Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo: 1995–1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018–2022, 2025

The only restricted race in the series until 2024, the Clásico Estrellas Provincias Argentinas is often run separately from the rest of the series.

The time gap between the Provincias Argentinas and the rest of the series means that horses can run in the Provincias Argentinas and then another race, such as Bona Speed did in 2015, winning the Provincias Argentinas on June 7 before finishing third in the Junior Sprint on June 27.^[14]

The Clásico Estrellas Provincias Argentinas has been run over a variety of distances:^[6]

• 1300 meters: 2014
• 1200 meters: 1992–2013
• 1100 meters: 2021
• 1000 meters: 2015–2019, 2022–

In 2010 and 2011 the race was restricted to maidens.^[6]

• Hipódromo de San Isidro: 1992–1994, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011
• Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo: 1995, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010
• Hipódromo de Tucumán: 1996, 1999, 2001
• Hipódromo Independencia: 1997, 2000
• Jockey Club Cordoba: 1998, 2002
• Hipódromo de La Punta: 2012–2019, 2022–2025
• Hipódromo Río Cuarto: 2021

ƒ indicates a filly

^[15]

Speed record

• :56.60 – Frack Sand (2023)

Greatest winning margin

• 16 lengths – Crazy Mama (1998)

Most wins by a jockey

• 2 – Ángel G. Cardozo (1999, 2001)
• 2 – Lautaro E. Balmaceda (2012, 2015)
• 2 – Facundo M. Quinteros (2016, 2017)

Most wins by a trainer

• 2 – Luis Fuentes (1997, 2000)
• 2 – Mario C. Ciccio (2007, 2011)
• 2 – Justo Luis Alonso (2009, 2021)
• 2 – Mario Luis Glades (2017, 2018)
• 2 – Oscar Antonio Rebora (2019, 2022)

Most wins by an owner

• 2 – Stud L. & R. (1997, 2000)
• 2 – Stud Rodolflo (1999, 2011)
• 2 – Stud Esquina Alta (2019, 2022)

Most wins by a breeder

• 6 – Haras Abolengo (1992, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023)

Introduced in 2024, the Clásico Estrellas Dirt Junior is run over 1300 meters on the dirt for two-year-olds who have raced exclusively in the interior (and thus not Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, Hipódromo de San Isidro, or Hipódromo de La Plata). Unlike other races in the series, it is run exclusively on the dirt.^[3][16]

^[17]

Speed record

• 1:16.45 – Neon Boy (2025)

Greatest winning margin

• 31⁄2 lengths – Apple of My Eye (2024)

Introduced in 2024, the Clásico Estrellas Dirt is run over 1300 meters on the dirt for fillies and mares three-years-old and up. Unlike other races in the series, it is run exclusively on the dirt.^[3]

^[18]

Speed record

• 1:17.44 – Zootopia (2024), Pecadora Joy (2025)

Greatest winning margin

• 2 lengths – Pecadora Joy (2025)

Race	Group	Qualifications	Distance	Years
Gran Premio Estrellas Classic	GI	3+ years old	2000 metres (1.2 mi)	1992–
Gran Premio Estrellas Distaff	GI	3+ years old fillies and mares	1800 metres (1.1 mi)	1993–
Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile Fillies	GI	2 year old fillies	1600 metres (0.99 mi)	1991–
Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile	GI	2 year old colts	1600 metres (0.99 mi)	1991–
Gran Premio Estrellas Sprint	GI	3+ years old	1000 metres (0.62 mi)	1992–
Gran Premio Estrellas Mile	GI	3+ years old	1600 metres (0.99 mi)	2008–
Clásico Estrellas Junior Sprint	GIII	2 year olds	1000 metres (0.62 mi)	1991–2008, 2011–
Clásico Estrellas Provincias Argentinas	Listed Restricted	2 year olds racing in the interior	1000 metres (0.62 mi)	1992–2019, 2021–
Clásico Estrellas Dirt	Ungraded	3+ years old fillies and mares	1300 metres (0.81 mi) (Dirt)	2024–
Clásico Estrellas Dirt Junior	Ungraded	2 year olds racing in the interior	1300 metres (0.81 mi) (Dirt)	2024–