Special Do Iguassú remains the best undefeated filly of the 2022 generation in Brazil
- Lineage Bloodstock
- Aug 4
- 7 min read
Special Do Iguassú (Forestry) extended her unbeaten record to 5-for-5 in the Margarida Polak Lara – Taça de Prata (G1), during a special day organized by the Brazilian Association of Breeders and Owners of Racehorses (ABCPCC) at the Cidade Jardim Racecourse in São Paulo.
The Copa dos Criadores day hosted by ABCPCC was a festival of Paraná-bred talent. João Moreira won five races, while Río Iguassú—the silks of Paulo and Luis Felipe Pelanda—won with Special Do Iguassú (G1). Obataye (Courtier) qualified for the Gran Premio Latinoamericano by winning the Mathias Machline (G1), the fillies’ classic went to Q’luz Do Iguassú (Forestry), and Tyrion (Salto) captured a Listed Stakes. Moreira also won with Rick The Great (Going Somewhere), completing a 1–2 for Haras Phillipson in a two-mile G3.
Boasting over 5,700 international wins, four-time champion in Hong Kong and twice in Japan, Moreira was raised near the eucalyptus groves of Curitiba. Whenever he returns to Brazil, he reconnects with the São Paulo fans—at Cidade Jardim the announcer nicknamed him “The Ghost of Cidade Jardim” because, back in early 2010, he seemed to win with any horse that wasn’t expected to. At the end of the day, still at Cidade Jardim, the Troféu Mossoró ceremony honored him as the best jockey of Brazil’s 2024–2025 season.
As soon as the gates opened, João Moreira took the lead with Special Do Iguassú, letting her settle comfortably off the pace while maintaining close contact with firm fractions. In the stretch, “The Magic Man” decisively challenged the leader, daily took over with ease—but Perfect Plastic (Goldikovic), ridden by Dylan Machado on the inside, launched a sharp late run, adding drama to the final meters. Not to be denied, the Forestry filly dug in, showing the bravery and class that define her—holding off the challenge by a neck. She covered the mile in a superb time of 1:33.03, a new race record—even faster than the male winners posted just 30 minutes later.
The record of Special Do Iguassú (Forestry) is flawless: a win on debut in a conditional over 1,000m at Tarumã; a Listed Stakes at the same track; victory in the João Cecilio Ferraz (G1) at São Paulo; and most recently the Pegasus Fillies at Tarumã against quality fillies. Once again, she proved superior to all competitors. She is the undefeated standout of her generation and only needs to face Odalisca (Sangarius), another unbeaten filly who won the Paula Machado (G2) in Gávea during the international week of the Grande Prêmio Brasil—the highlights of Brazilian racing. Special Do Iguassú also earned the "Troféu Mossoró" for “Best 2-Year-Old Filly” during Saturday night’s ceremony.
Special Do Iguassú was bred and is owned by Haras Río Iguassú, though her maternal line was developed at Haras Santa Maria de Araras. Back in 1977, Julio Bozano purchased Perusa (Pardallo)—the fourth dam of our filly—for his Argentine operations. Her first foal, Sport Lady (Banner Sport), won five races in Argentina, including the Gilberto Lerena (G1). At the same Mar del Plata farms where she was born, Sport Lady entered the broodmare band and produced Special Lady (Lode), winner of two local conditional races. Exported to Brazil, she went on to G1 glory at Gávea, nearly achieving a triple crown: winning the Grande Prêmio Henrique Possolo (G1), placing third in the Grande Prêmio Diana (G1), and then capturing the Marciano de Aguiar Moreira (G1).
After retiring, Special Lady was moved to Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, as a broodmare where she produced black-type winners by sires like Wild Event (Wild Again), Royal Academy (Nijinsky), Ghadeer (Lyphard), and Put It Back (Honour and Glory). From Special Lady and Wild Event came Variety Lady, dam of our undefeated champion.
Family {3‑b} is an iconic Argentine matriarchal line that traces back to Whirlwind (Thormanby), imported in foal to Galliard (Galopin) from England in 1884 by Santiago Luro. Whirlwind was granddaughter of the prolific English producer Midia (Scutari). In short, Whirlwind’s pedigree embodied genetic excellence typical of elite breeders. Whirlwind produced Asteria (Gay Hermit), founder dam of Haras Ojo de Agua. She also produced Casiopea (Kendal), winner of the Jockey Club (G1) against males on grass at San Isidro, and shortly before had won on dirt against top fillies. Her daughter Dogaresa (Your Majesty) produced Veneta (Foxglove), whose descendants paired powerfully with the stallion Advocate (Fair Trial), producing La Dogana, Venise and Trevisa, all influential Argentine broodmares.
In terms of broodmare value, being from such a prolific female family is a major asset—it often correlates with fertility and the ability to transmit class. Genetically, Special Do Iguassú blends influential and complementary lineages. On the sire side, she is by Forestry (Storm Cat), an American speed stallion who came to Latin America via shuttle: Argentina in 2010–2011, Peru in 2013, and then imported to Haras São José da Serra in Paraná in 2014. He stood until 2021 and died in December 2023 of old age.
Forestry delivers the speed and precocity of Storm Cat (Storm Bird), known for muscular power and competitive spirit. He also carries through Pleasant Colony (His Majesty) on the dam side, adding size and stamina. This Storm Cat–Pleasant Colony blend gives Special Do Iguassú a strong genetic frame: speed with middle-distance stamina.
Given her quality female line, she should be capable of stretching out in distance. Dam-side, Variety Lady is a daughter of champion Wild Event (Wild Again), a multiple-time leading sire in Brazil and top broodmare sire. Wild Event, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is out of North of Eden (Northfields), a prolific producer of middle-distance winners (about 10 furlongs), imparting stamina. He is half‑brother to U.S. grass champions Paradise Creek and Forbidden Apple, combining Nearctic/Man o’ War via Wild Again and Northern Dancer via Northfields.
Lode (Mr. Prospector) adds stamina through the dam line plus the genetic influence of Raise a Native. In Special Do Iguassú’s pedigree, Raise a Native appears twice (5D × 5D) through Lode and Banner Sport (sire of Sport Lady), creating a mild inbreeding on the dam’s side—Raise a Native being recognized as a sire-of-sires for his speed. Special Lady (G1 winner) earlier carried a stronger inbreeding (3S × 3D).
There are also distant duplications of Northern Dancer, Storm Bird, and Northfields, which reinforce valuable genes while avoiding excessive inbreeding—a line-breeding strategy that yields consistency without loss of variety. Meanwhile, Storm Cat and Wild Again lines remain outcrossed to Mr. Prospector, adding genetic diversity. This mix of moderate line-breeding and outcross produces uniform offspring.
Beyond racing success, Special Do Iguassú would be a highly desirable broodmare. Considering her pedigree and known successful nicking patterns in the region, several Brazilian stallions could ideal complement her genetics—like Pimper’s Paradise, Game Winner, or Courtier.
Pimper’s Paradise (Put It Back) brings strong stamina into a pedigree that lacks it. He is free of Storm Cat and Mr. Prospector, creating low inbreeding (F≈2%). His dam, Bye Bye Caroline, adds the Nijinsky line via Royal Academy, known in South America for reinforcing stamina and turf adaptation—exactly what Special Do Iguassú needs. This match combines Forestry’s early acceleration with Pimper’s Paradise’s proven stamina (winner of Brazil’s G1 Grande Prêmio and G1 Matias Machline), producing potentially versatile G1 foals. His family descends from Court Lady (Locris), founder of the Stud TNT and the base dam of Doce Vale.
Genetically, this cross generates a 5x5 duplication of Northern Dancer and a Rasmussen Factor 4x5 involving the Reine-de-Course Crimson Saint (Crimson Satan) of family {8‑c}. The duplication emerges through two distinct maternal lines, one via Royal Academy (Nijinsky), the other via Terlingua (Secretariat), mother of Storm Cat. Since the repeat occurs through both male and female lines, it balances chromosomal contribution without excessive homozygosity on the X chromosome, making Pimper’s Paradise an excellent match for Special Do Iguassú.
If the goal is to reinforce the Mr. Prospector/Raise a Native sire line, Game Winner (Candy Ride) is a very attractive option—his first breeding season in Brazil is set for 2026. Plans include possible participation in the São Paulo Triple Crown, the equivalent Rio juvenile series early next year, and final retirement during Grande Prêmio Brasil week. Crossing Special Do Iguassú with Game Winner, the first son of Candy Ride entering Brazilian breeding, would result in inbreeding 5x5 to Secretariat (Bold Ruler). As discussed in the article about Game Winner’s arrival in Brazilian bloodstock, the Candy Ride × Storm Cat cross is highly effective for classic winners, such as Gun Runner, Shared Belief, Sidney’s Candy, and Evita Argentina. On dam lines by Forestry, which are rare, Candy Ride’s sire line has produced top foals like Ag Bullet (G1 winner, U$S 1.6 million earnings), Chewing Gum (G2 winner and G1 placed), and Candy Man Rocket (G3 winner).
Also notable is Courtier (Pioneer of the Nile), a stallion well-known to the Pelanda family and sire of their standout Obataye. Courtier comes from a maternal line featuring Coup de Génie (Mr. Prospector), a French champion daughter of Coup de Folie (Halo), central to family {2‑d}. A Courtier × Special Do Iguassú mating would repeat Mr. Prospector only as a 5x5 inbreeding.
Courtier’s stud profile reinforces his appeal: his progeny include Dashing Court, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul champion at two; Ethereum, named Brazil’s Horse of the Year and best 3-year-old filly in 2024–2025 (out of a dam by Wild Event, same maternal grandsire as Special Do Iguassú); and Obataye, newly qualified for the Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1) at Gávea. Indeed, Courtier over mares by Forestry has already produced promising runners like Rihanna Do Iguassú, Grand Diamond (two wins, U$S 9,200), and Crak Court (one win and three placings at two).
On September 6 at Cidade Jardim, the Barão de Piracicaba (G1)—the first leg of the São Paulo Triple Crown for fillies—will be run, and Special Do Iguassú is firmly in the frame as a leading contender. With a springtime campaign approaching, the countdown is on. Race after race, rival quality rises—but none have beaten her yet. In the São Paulo Triple Crown, the ultimate truth awaits. Special Do Iguassú is truly special, because "she doesn’t just run, she parades."
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