Bailarín de Venecia captured his first Group 1 in a Maipú marred by a botched start

The son of Angiolo secured his maiden Group 1 victory, though a starting-gate malfunction left five runners behind—including Lissette Island and El Epecuén—sparking widespread outrage

BY DIEGO H. MITAGSTEIN

A large crowd was still filling the grandstands when the Gran Premio Maipú (G1-1,000m), the final Group 1 on Saturday’s card, delivered a scene as unexpected as it was unfortunate. The starting gates malfunctioned, forcing officials to declare a false start and leaving five horses scratched from the race without ever getting the chance to compete in one of the season’s pivotal sprints—a blemish on what had otherwise been a spotless Saturday.

With 19 runners spread across two starting-gate units, the release mechanism failed to operate uniformly: several doors sprang open before the official dispatch, while others remained shut. Naturally, the horses whose gates flew open bolted forward, primed as sprinters are for an immediate burst of speed.

The outrider stationed near the outside rail stepped out to signal the false start, yet several jockeys never saw the flag—nor did the wide alignment of the field help matters. Pulling up a top-flight sprinter once fully unleashed is no simple task.Just Fun (Le Blues), Claro Key (Claro Oscuro), Lissette Island (Lizard Island), El Epecuén (Il Campione), and El Riel (Grand Reward) all ran all the way through the wire and were consequently barred from taking part in the restart.Among them were two of the race’s premier contenders: Lissette Island and El Epecuén.

The racing rules account for such incidents, and the stewards relied on those provisions to scratch the five runners and order a fresh start. Out of the 19 starters set to break—Naranccello (Le Blues) had been withdrawn earlier—only 14 remained. While strictly within the regulations, the ruling did little to appease jockeys, owners, and connections who had invested time, money, and preparation to reach this stage.

The sporting fallout was unmistakable. All six top finishers in the official result were horses spared that wasted early exertion. That takes nothing away from those who competed, yet the race undeniably lost part of its competitive complexion—particularly without Lissette Island and El Epecuén in the lineup. Ultimately, the malfunction prevented every entrant from competing on equal terms.

Amid that backdrop, Bailarín de Venecia stepped forward to claim his long-awaited first victory at the highest level.Favored even before the gate mishap, the son of Angiolo out of Brandina arrived with strong credentials, having strung together four consecutive stakes wins before finishing third in the Gran Premio Suipacha (G1). His breakthrough at the top came at Palermo.

With Brian Enrique in the saddle, Bailarín de Venecia dueled early with El Madrugador (Il Campione), who held firm until the final 100 meters before the winner began to edge clear. At the wire, a length and a half separated the pair,with El Luciano (Il Campione) rounding out the trifecta two lengths farther back. Claro Bombón (Claro Oscuro),Ask for Wild (Angiolo), and Lyon (Lenovo) completed the top six. The final time was a sharp 57.04 seconds, with the winner returning $2.30.

For Stud El Perejil, based in Laboulaye, Córdoba, the triumph sparked immense joy, as it did for trainers María Fernanda Álvarez and Walter Suárez, who were already familiar with winning this very race. Now five years old,Bailarín de Venecia notched the tenth victory of his 21-start career.

Still, what transpired cannot simply be brushed aside as a footnote. Starting gates are mechanical devices and, like a car or a computer, are susceptible to failure. Acknowledging that reality, however, in no way excuses what happened.Officials owe a clear explanation of what went wrong, must thoroughly inspect the equipment, and need to implement safeguards to minimize the risk of a repeat.

Owners of the scratched runners also deserve answers, having paid entry fees only to be denied a start through no fault of their own. Palermo should clarify whether those fees will be refunded and how claims from affected connections will be handled.

On the wagering front, refunds are owed on all bets placed on the scratched horses, though the massive attendance led to long lines at the betting windows, leaving some fans unable to cash or resolve their tickets on the spot. Both on-track patrons and those wagering through online accounts must be provided with clear procedures to process refunds—and clear avenues to file complaints with track authorities should any issues arise.

Bailarín de Venecia was a thoroughly deserving winner; the celebration belongs to him, and nothing diminishes his achievement. Yet the 2026 Maipú will also remain linked to a botched start that sparked anger and frustration—and still demands accountability—marking an unwelcome closing note to an otherwise extraordinary festival of racing.