The Chilean capital Santiago is the home of the Club Hipico de Santiago racecourse, a right handed oval turf track, with some sanded area, with a circumference of 2400 metres which enables races to be run throughout the year. It was founded in 1869 and hosted its first meeting on 20th September 1870. Devastatingly in 1892 the course suffered a horrific fire which completely obliterated the main grandstands. Spectacular new stands were designed by the Chilean-American architect Josue Smith Solar, based on European models, which opened in 1923. Nine years before it opened the course welcomed President Theodore Roosevelt in 1914. Such was the high esteem in which the course was held that it welcomed Queen Elizabeth II in 1968.
Its principal race is the Group 1 Premio El Ensaya which is for 3 year olds and run in November over 2400 metres. It also hosts the Chilean Oaks for 3 year old fillies over 2000 metres each December. The course has a number of other feature races, including the Nacional Ricardo Lyon, the Gran Clasico Coronacion , the Alberto Vial Infante and the Arturo Lyon Pena.
The Polla de Potrillos for 3 year olds over 1700 metres was first run in 1897, but more recently was won in 2017 by Robert The Bruce ridden by Jorge A Gonzalez, and in 2018 by The Rogue ridden by Guillermo Pontigo. The Polla de Portrancas for 3 year old filles over 1700 metres is run at the track in September, and in 2018 was worth £36,090 to the winner Dafonda trained by Juan G Silva and ridden by Gonzalo Ulloa.
