Renewed at 90 years old, the Brazilian Grand Prix of horse racing will feature food trucks and attractions for children.
The biggest competition on the annual Brazilian horse racing calendar, the Grande Prêmio Brasil Festival, turns 90 at the end of this month. When it was first created, authorities mingled in the grandstand with elegantly dressed men and women. The event hasn't lost its elegance, but a shift is visible within the Jockey Club Brasileiro and the festival itself towards the democratization of the Grand Prix. Along the track and in grandstands A and B, food trucks and stalls selling hot dogs, açaí, ice cream, and other treats show that a relaxed atmosphere is welcome. On the third floor of the Social Grandstand, Formidable, by chef Pedro de Artagão, accepts reservations.
According to Raul Lima Neto, president of the Jockey Club, this change is intentional:
— Renewal and tradition need to go hand in hand. Besides the excitement of horse racing, there's no shortage of attractions and gastronomic options, which attracts new audiences and reinforces the importance of the event for the economy and tourism of our city. The Grande Prêmio Brasil is recognized for the elegance of those who attend the main event, which is Sunday, June 26th, but horse races take place year-round, from Sunday to Tuesday, always with free admission. For those who wish, bets can be placed starting from R$ 2, both at the racetrack and online. The Jockey Club is entertainment, a great program for the whole family — says Lima Neto.
Even the children will be catered for. Besides being charmed by the pungas, those docile horses that roam the track before the races, there will be a special appearance by the Gloob cable TV channel and the characters Ladybug and Cat Noir in Tribune B, a space entirely dedicated to families and children, with recreational activities and exhibitors from the Burburinho children's fair, which will be celebrating its tenth edition during the festival on Saturday and Sunday.
The mood at the Jockey Club is one of recovery. In previous years, due to the pandemic, much smaller versions of the Grand Prix were held. In 2020, the competition took place without an audience. In 2021, thanks to the progress of vaccination and the easing of restrictive measures by municipal authorities, an edition with a reduced audience took place, also in a smaller format.
With free admission, the Grand Prix will be held next Saturday and Sunday starting at 13 PM. And on Friday and Monday, the 27th, there will be races starting at 17 PM.
The main race, called the Grande Prêmio Brasil, which has been held at the Gávea Hippodrome since 1933, will take place on Sunday the 26th. It is expected to start between 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM. This race is expected to feature veteran riders like Jorge Ricardo, as well as new talents such as Leandro Henrique and Bruno Queiroz, in addition to jockey Jeane Alves. Since Jeane, from Ceará, won the Grande Prêmio de São Paulo last month with the same horse she will ride in Rio, Roxoterra, there is a real chance she could repeat the feat and become the first woman to win a Grand Prix.
Women will be prominent among the jockeys.
Men, women, jockeys, and female jockeys of varying ages will be competing for the most important trophy in Brazilian horse racing.
But the one who will literally be at home throughout the event will be Victoria Mota, whose residence is located in the village within the Jockey Club, which encompasses four neighborhoods in the South Zone: Jardim Botânico, Gávea, Leblon, and Lagoa. In fact, Victoria not only lives there, she was born and raised there.
— I started riding in 2015. In 2016, I started competing in races. I fell in love with horse racing because it was a family passion. My grandfather was a trainer. My father was a jockey; my mother, a horse trainer. It's a passion that comes from the cradle, and I couldn't do anything different. The passion for horses came before the passion for horse racing. One thing connects to the other, and it was the best decision I ever made.
Victoria hasn't yet been confirmed for the Grand Prix race, but she is expected to ride the classic Imprensa race, with a chance of winning (because she has already won twice with the same mare, La Toscana). The 23-year-old jockey admits that the week leading up to the biggest event in Brazilian horse racing is tense:
— It causes anxiety. What ends up changing in training is that the horses we train with run in the most important races. So, we have to be more delicate and sensitive in preparing them. They have to be in their best shape.
Victoria says she takes care of her physical and mental health in the way she enjoys most: outdoors.
Photo exhibition and light show
"Having the beach for an afternoon run, the lagoon for exercise and enjoying the scenery, while also focusing on physical fitness and the tasks I need to do... All of this is very important for relieving tension and focusing 100% on work," she says.
The behind-the-scenes workings of equestrian centers and the professionals who care for the horses competing in races at the racetrack will be revealed at the Betting Hall by photographer Christian Odevall. In an exhibition, he will bring together images that are part of his book "Backstage". According to the president of the Jockey Club, Raul Lima Neto, the event has changed and sought to better understand its audience.
"We seek to understand how we can make the most of our space to provide good experiences. Nothing is more Carioca (from Rio de Janeiro) than enjoying an afternoon outdoors, being able to choose between draft beer and açaí, and also selecting between a dish created by a chef and a snack from a food truck," he says.
The closing ceremony will be worthy of the 90th anniversary of the Brazilian Grand Prix. After Sunday's race, the racetrack will host a light show with more than one hundred drones.
On Sunday, smart casual attire for the Grande Prêmio Brasil Festival is mandatory only for those attending the grandstands and the social tribune area. Throughout the festival, shorts will not be permitted in the social tribune. On other days and in all locations, there are no clothing restrictions, except for team or political t-shirts and flip-flops. Spaces are subject to capacity limits. ( Globo Online – Zona Sul – Jacqueline Costa — Rio de Janeiro)
