Juan Saldivia, on another Selección: “Look At To Me arrives in top form and will be highly competitive”
Following his victory in the Gran Premio Selección at La Plata with Personal Filly, trainer Juan Saldivia will aim for a double at Palermo with Saturday's market choice. The anticipation of another landmark success comes amidst a unique period following the Fletcher case
By Diego H. Mitagstein
Between the joy following the triumph of Personal Filly (Dabster) and the distress triggered by the Fletcher(Gershwin) case, Juan Saldivia is navigating days of mixed emotions. With little time to dwell on either, the trainer faces another exhilarating opportunity this Saturday at Hipódromo Palermo, where he will send out Look At To Me, the favorite in the Gran Premio Selección (G1-2000 m, dirt), aiming to complete a double that began just weeks ago at La Plata and could deliver another immense satisfaction.
The Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (G1) winner enters the assignment in precisely the condition her conditioner envisioned. “The filly is in great shape, very competitive. We had the opportunity to breeze her over 2000 meters and she came out of it extremely well. She is a filly who demands work, needing continuous training and exercise, and fortunately we were able to execute everything as planned. She arrives in peak condition,” noted Saldivia, satisfied with the preparation completed over recent weeks.
The stretch-out in distance stands as one of the most anticipated aspects, though for the professional it was never an unknown quantity. On the contrary, he had been eagerly awaiting this opportunity to confirm what he had envisioned long before the filly ever set foot on a racetrack.
“Even before she made her debut, I knew she was a filly built for this distance. I was waiting for these types of races, especially the Selección, because I believe 2000 meters is her optimal distance,” he explained, making clear that Saturday's challenge forms part of a path mapped out long ago.
Naturally, confidence does not mean overlooking the quality of her rivals. Several key protagonists from the Polla will reoppose, now tackling an additional 400 meters that could significantly reshape the form.
“It will be a very competitive G1. The fillies coming off top performances in the Polla are back, and it will undoubtedly be a tough race. There are some very good fillies in here and we will have to earn it,” analyzed the trainer, fully aware that favoritism must be validated on the track.
Regarding race tactics, Saldivia harbors few concerns. One of the principal virtues of the daughter of Dabster is her tactical versatility, a trait that allows her jockey to adapt to how the race unfolds.
“Once the gates open, the running style will be up to Pereyra [William, the jockey]. The filly is very versatile; she can lay close to the pace or settle a bit further back. That gives us peace of mind, because she doesn't require a specific race setup to deliver her best,” he stated.
He concluded his breakdown with a reflection summarizing his outlook ahead of such a major commitment: “The key thing is that the filly arrives healthy and exceptionally well-prepared; that is what counts. That is what gives us confidence. After that, you have to run the race.”
For Juan Saldivia, the Gran Premio Selección holds special personal significance. He previously captured the classic with Summer Love (Freud) in 2018, Carta Embrujada (Storm Embrujado) in 2021, Nos Dijimos Todo (Cosmic Trigger) in 2022, and Inconmensurable (Cosmic Trigger) in 2024—the first three in fundamental partnership with Roberto Pellegatta. It is a record of success that highlights his mastery in developing top-tier fillies.
Inevitably, mention of Pellegatta brings up the unusual chapter the stable is currently traversing. The confirmation of the positive test for Fletcher and his subsequent disqualification from the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos dealt a severe blow. Because the colt was officially entered under Pellegatta’s name, he received a 6-month suspension issued by Hipódromo Palermo, alongside a sanction for the runner—an episode that stood in stark contrast to a season filled with extraordinary results, leaving a bitter aftertaste.
Against that backdrop, Personal Filly’s victory in the Selección at La Plata provided another demonstration of the stable's athletic resilience. That filly is preparing to travel to the United States to continue her racing career, leaving Look At To Me as the banner-bearer entrusted with sustaining high hopes in one of the premier events on the Argentine calendar.
The classic double is within reach. Saldivia possesses experience in abundance, a favorite who meets every expectation, and the reassurance of a flawless preparation. On Saturday, across the dirt track at Palermo, the time will come to see if Look At To Me can translate that confidence into another G1 triumph.
