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The Clásico El Ensayo, also known as the Clásico El Ensayo Mega for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Chile open to three-year-olds, run at Club Hípico de Santiago in Santiago, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (1.5 mi). First run in 1873, it is the fourth oldest horse race in the Americas (after the Queen's Plate, Travers Stakes, and Belmont Stakes), and the oldest in Latin America.

It is generally considered the most important horse race in Chile, on par with the Epsom Derby, the American classics, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France, and the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini in Argentina. It is the first race in the Chilean Triple Crown.

El Ensayo is restricted to only horses that have won at least one race.

History

The Clásico El Ensayo was first run at a distance of 1200 meters, and has been contested at a variety of distances:

• 1200 meters: 1873-1880
• 1500 meters: 1881-1883
• 1600 meters: 1884-1892
• 1800 meters: 1893-1904, 1908
• 1900 meters: 1905-1907, 1909
• 2000 meters: 1910-1920
• 2300 meters: 1921-1925
• 2400 meters: 1926 to present

Of the first eight editions contested, six were won by horses sired by Fanfarrón.

The greatest upsets were the 104-1 victory of Parral in 1947 and the 98-1 victory of Cambridge in 2018.

In the early twentieth century, imported horses could run in the race, but by the 1950s, the race was restricted to Chilean-bred horses only, a restriction which lasted until 1984.

Starting gates were first used in the 1971 edition.

The running of 1999 was considered the 'feast of fillies', with fillies coming in first, second, third, and fourth.

Since 2004, the race has been consistently timed to one-hundredth of a second.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the race was run in December instead of its usual date in late October or early November.

Records

Speed Record:

• 2:23.21 – Wolf (1990)
• 2:23 2/5 – Monroe (1986)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 7 – Carlos M. Zavala (1877, 1881, 1882, 1883, 185, 1887, 1891, 1895)
• 6 – Luis Torres (1995, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2013)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 10 – Patricio Baeza (2006, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
• 7 – Juan Cavieres Mella (1922, 1930, 1934, 1938, 1945, 1954, 1960)
• 6 – Juan Cavieres A. (1982, 1983, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2004)

Most wins by an owner (since 1954):

• 5 – Stud Don Alberto (2006, 2008, 2016, 2021, 2022)
• 4 – Stud Matancilla (1980, 1983, 1989, 1992)

Most wins by a breeder:

• 9 – Haras Don Alberto (1994, 2006, 2008, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)
• 8 – Haras Santa Isabel (1927, 1963, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1978)
• 8 – Haras Matancilla (1976, 1980, 1983, 1989, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2009)
• 7 – Haras de Pirque (1988, 1998, 2000)
• 7 – Haras Santa Amelia (1968, 1971, 1982, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2004)

Winners since 1954

ƒ indicates a filly winner

Earlier winners

• 1873: Dinorah* ƒ
• 1874: Pensamiento* ƒ
• 1875: Gavilán*
• 1876: Reina Mora* ƒ
• 1877: Danubio
• 1878: Pilpilco*
• 1879: Moro*
• 1880: Godolphin*
• 1881: Liguria*
• 1882: Pisco
• 1883: Miraflores ƒ
• 1884: Esperanza† ƒ
• 1885: Cachaporal
• 1886: Genovés
• 1887: Wanderer
• 1888: Querelema* ƒ
• 1889: Orompello*
• 1890: Rosicler*
• 1891: Sky ƒ
• 1892: Floriana* ƒ
• 1893: Thunder*
• 1894: Triunfo*
• 1895: Toldería ƒ
• 1896: Gibelet
• 1897: Oro
• 1898: Orbetello*
• 1899: Game*
• 1900: Paulette* ƒ
• 1901: Nanette ƒ
• 1902: Rebeca ƒ
• 1903: Yolanda* ƒ
• 1904: Nutmeg* ƒ
• 1905: Petrarque*
• 1906: Hasard
• 1907: Pehuenco*
• 1908: Jongleur
• 1909: Turín
• 1910: Jaque Mate*
• 1911: Belle Etoile* ƒ
• 1912: Iscariote
• 1913: Sándalo*
• 1914: Rochela ƒ
• 1915: Dorama ƒ
• 1916: Captain*
• 1917: Epsom
• 1918: Cervantes
• 1919: Ugolin
• 1920: Auvernia
• 1921: Flapper
• 1922: Greenock
• 1923: Almodovar
• 1924: Urbión
• 1925: El Ocho
• 1926: Decurión
• 1927: Tutti Frutti
• 1928: Melchor
• 1929: Pierre Loti
• 1930: Freire
• 1931: Trampiato
• 1932: Kashmir ƒ
• 1933: Chansonnier
• 1934: Quemazón ƒ
• 1935: Rokof
• 1936: El Mago
• 1937: Rosarina ƒ
• 1938: Grimsby‡
• 1939: Fouché
• 1940: Filibustero
• 1941: Rival
• 1942: Figaro
• 1943: Quemarropa
• 1944: Barranco
• 1945: Tábano
• 1946: Florete
• 1947: Parral
• 1948: Taimado
• 1949: Olimpo
• 1950: Empire
• 1951: Liberty
• 1952: Antar
• 1953: Saint Oregon

* "Mestizo"; not a pure Thoroughbred. Many early Chilean races, including El Ensayo, were open to "mestizo" horses who weren't full Thoroughbred.

ƒ indicates a filly winner

†Esperanza was declared the winner after the disqualification of Stockwell.

‡Dead-heat between Grimsby and Valeriano, with the win awarded to Grimsby.

Notes

1. The 2019 winner Look Pen was later exported to Hong Kong and renamed Panfield

References

1. 2021 IFHA Blue Book
2. ^ "El Ensayo Mega 2021". CHS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-01-09.
3. ^ Badal, Javier (2019). Club Hípico de Santiago, 150 años (1869-2019) (in Spanish). Chile: Ocho Libros SpA. ISBN 978-956-335-496-6.
4. Jainaga, Gerardo (2014-10-31). "El Ensayo: La historia se cita en el Club Hípico". La Tercera. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
5. ^ Salinas Castillo, José (1987). 100 años del Clásico St. Leger en Chile (in Spanish). Chile: Hipódromo Chile.
6. ^ "El Ensayo". www.tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
7. ^ "Resultados CHS". CHS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-01-09.
8. ^ Somarriva Lira, Manuel (1994). La hípica en Chile: 37 años de historia (in Spanish). Chile: Hipódromo Chile.
9. "El Ensayo Mega 2021". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
10. ^ "Revista CLUB HÍPICO by Fernando Varas - Issuu". issuu.com. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
11. "quemazón". TheFreeDictionary.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
12. "2024 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
13. "2023 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
14. "2022 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
15. "2021 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
16. "2020 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
17. "2019 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
18. "2018 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
19. "2017 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
20. "2016 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
21. "2015 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
22. "2014 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
23. "2013 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
24. "2012 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
25. "2011 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
26. "2010 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
27. "2009 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
28. "2008 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
29. "2007 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
30. "2006 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
31. "2005 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
32. "2004 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
33. "2003 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
34. "2002 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
35. "2001 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
36. "2000 Results". Club Hípico de Santiago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
37. "Today's Horse Racing Results From Club Hipico de Santiago". Horse Racing South America. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
38. "Calendario de Carreras 2020". calendario.clubhipico.cl. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
39. Torres, Juan Antonio (2002). El Ensayo, 1986-2002 (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile: Ocho Libros Editores.

External links

• Official website

• Horse races in Chile
• Graded stakes races
• Flat horse races for three-year-olds
• Recurring sporting events established in 1873