Confirmed positive test, six-month suspension, and the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos goes to Linguado

Palermo also suspended Roberto Pellegatta for six months; no split sample was requested, and the colt was disqualified from the first leg of the Triple Crown

By Diego H. Mitagstein

The Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (G1) officially has a new winner. The Racing Committee of Hipódromo de Palermo confirmed the positive drug test for Fletcher, disqualified him from the opening leg of the Triple Crown, and imposed a six-month suspension on both the colt and Roberto Pellegatta, the trainer who presented him that afternoon. Consequently, Linguado (Cosmic Trigger) was declared the official winner of a race whose ultimate outcome was decided off the track.

The decision was adopted on October 1 and establishes that both suspensions run from September 23—the date of the provisional suspensions—through March 22, 2027, inclusive. For Fletcher, this means losing the most important victory of his career and remaining on the sidelines for six months at a crucial stage of his racing development.

According to the official report, the San Isidro Chemical Laboratory detected prohibited substances falling under Category 2 (clenbuterol) in the urine sample taken from Fletcher during the September 5 meeting. The ruling bases the penalty on the violation of Article 36 of the General Racing Regulations.

An important detail is that the split sample (Bottle B) was not opened or tested. Palermo noted that Pellegattasubmitted his written defense on September 29, but did not exercise his option to request the split sample analysis within the allotted timeframe. As a result, the initial findings were confirmed. Thus, it was not a case of a second test confirming the original result, but rather the standard procedure following the absence of such a request.

As stated by the committee, the trainer did not challenge the test results or the presence of the substance, though he denied that either he or any member of his stable staff had administered it. The governing body rejected those arguments, holding that under racing regulations, ultimate responsibility lies with the trainer of record, without any requirement to prove who actually administered the drug.

The document also mentions that the trainer’s defense made reference to a criminal complaint. On that point, the committee indicated it had no official knowledge of any such complaint, nor was it aware of its scope or terms, and therefore did not consider it a valid ground to overturn the sanction.

The situation carries an additional layer of controversy that has surrounding it from the outset. Pellegatta presented Fletcher because Juan Saldivia, the colt's regular trainer, was serving a one-month suspension at the time. Now, the six-month penalty falls on the professional officially listed as responsible for the colt in the Polla.

In its reasoning, Palermo placed strong emphasis on the prestige of the race. The authority deemed that a positive test in an event of such magnitude and status damages the reputation of Argentine Thoroughbred racing, justifying an exemplary sanction. The case had sparked immense uproar across the industry.

The disqualification permanently alters the official order of finish: Linguado is promoted to first, followed by El Volka(Vekoma), Autorretrato (Angiolo), Cavaradossi (Cosmic Trigger), and Los Llanos (Le Blues). The victory in the first jewel of the Triple Crown thus changes hands nearly a month after the race was run.

Beyond the sporting consequences lies a heavy commercial fallout. Fletcher had been sold, but reports indicate the deal collapsed once news of the positive test emerged. While separate from the official ruling, that outcome adds another layer of fallout to a situation that completely altered the horse's immediate future.

For the colt, the outcome is exceptionally bitter: he loses the Polla, his racing career is halted, and he must remain off the track until his suspension is served. The very race that was supposed to launch his spring campaign ended up marking the start of a lengthy exile.