Coronita In Red winning the GP Torneio Início under jockey Vicente Barros on Saturday at the Jockey Club de Sorocaba.

© Eduardo Custodio

By Turfeeunapolis

SOROCABA, BRAZIL–MARCH 25, 2026–The GP Torneio Início is the competition that opens the new season for the freshman generation at the Jockey Club de Sorocaba, in the state of São Paulo, the most important Quarter Horse racing track in South America.

This year, the race featured 27 colts and fillies, divided into six Trials, run on March 7, with only the respective winners qualifying and remaining alive in the dispute for the total purse of R$ 225,000 (equivalent to US$ 43,000).

The jockey Vicente Barros and the filly Coronita In Red. © Eduardo Custódio

Bred by Érico Braga, of Haras Prata, one of the greatest Brazilian breeders of all time, Coronita In Red qualified with only the fourth-fastest time among the winners, with a mark of 16.606 seconds, at a distance of 330 yards.

However, it was a very controlled victory, which brought hopes of improvement for the decisive event, where she faced Xtra Jumpim 3M, Maquina de Correr, Encantado Boudro, Granite Surprise (holder of the fastest qualifying time, with 16.548 seconds), and Bet On Granite Sjor.

On March 21, all six finalists returned to the track to decide the title of the competition, on a sunny afternoon in Sorocaba. In the race, Coronita In Red broke well, but saw the gray Encantado Boudro be even sharper, already opening an advantage over her and the others.

However, ridden by jockey Vicente Barros, Coronita In Red representing Tocantins managed to take the lead and was never headed, becoming the champion of the GP Torneio Início.

Owned by Fazenda Jequitibá, Coronita In Red confirms the absolute success of the American stallion Red Hawk Cartel in his first crop of offspring competing on South American tracks. The stallion, born in California, was bred by Martha F. Wells and won the 2018 Breeders Freshman Stakes at Los Alamitos.

He won 4 races and earned US $227,619 in prize money. A son of Favorite Cartel and out of Red Hawk Chick, by Hawkinson, he was exported to Brazil in 2022, under the partnership of Érico Braga (Haras Prata) and Ademir José Rorato (Haras Fazenda São José).

The dam of Coronita In Red is Coronita Cartel (Corona Cartel x Dashin Follies, Strawfly Special), also an American broodmare, born in Texas. She won 2 of the 3 races she recorded at Remington Park in 2007.

Trainer I. Nascimento, popularly known as “Guaxinim,” captured another title at the Jockey Club de Sorocaba. In 2025, he finished the season by winning the Campeão dos Campeões. Now, he kicks off the season by winning the GP Torneio Início.

“This victory is for the entire state of Tocantins, which is very well represented here,” said Gleisson Avelino, owner of Coronita In Red, who purchased her for R$ 234,000 (equivalent to US $44,000) at the 2024 Leilão Velocidade Haras Prata. His filly now has 2 wins from 2 starts, totaling R$ 112,500 (equivalent to US $21,500) in earnings.

The runner-up of the GP Torneio Início was Encantado Boudro, who delivered a standout performance in the race. He is a son of Chicks Boudro and Lambada Fly (by Signed To Fly). Granite Surprise, Xtra Jumpim MRL, Bet On Granite Sjor, and Maquina de Correr completed the order of finish

Quartel Fantastic winning the I Derby, he recorded a time of 16.620 seconds at a distance of 330 yards. © Eduardo Custódio

Another competition that had its final run last on March 21 in Sorocaba was the GP Pres. do Centro Hípico do Oeste, Mr. Jonatas Dantas, the I Derby, whose winner was the horse Quartel Fantastic. At 3 years of age, he defeated Lasvegas Cowgirl MRL, the winner of the Campeão dos Campeões do Brasil in 2025. Golden Verde finished third.

Quartel Fantastic (Fantastic Corona Jr x Fortuna Fly, by Magnífico Fly) is trained by Everton Maciel and was ridden by Ronaldo Pereira, the same duo that finished as runner-up in the Torneio Início with Encantado Boudro, also bred and owned by the traditional Haras São Matheus.

Mr. Jonatan Weisheimer, the new president of the Jockey Club de Sorocaba, spoke exclusively to StallioneSearch.com. “For me, it is a great honor to take on this new commitment of managing the largest racecourse in Latin America."

Jonathan Weisheimer, the new president of the Jockey Club de Sorocaba. © Eduardo Custódio

The next race meeting in Sorocaba will be on April 11 (Trials) and 12 (final), when the Brazilian Futurity, the main race in Brazil, will take place, with R$ 1,000,000 (equivalent to US$ 190,000) in total purse, at a distance of 320 meters.

In the same week, the final of the GP Super Sprint - Sylvio Wagih Abdalla will take place, along with the Haras Portofino Auction, a traditional breeder and owner that also maintains connections in the United States.

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