La Puketa and a perfectly timed rally to win

The In the Dark filly nailed Tormenta China late to capture the Palermo handicap

Racing wide, La Puketa made her presence felt in the final strides / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

With a touch of suspense, practically on the wire, La Puketa (54 kg) justified her favoritism and captured the Handicap Alfonso L. Salvati (1000 meters), the feature event of a rather modest Monday card at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo, contested over a heavy dirt track.

Coming off a conditional victory and now a 6-year-old, the daughter of In the Dark showed she’s still got plenty left in the tank, thanks to a perfectly judged ride by jockey Gonzalo Borda, one of the brightest talents in the local colony.

Tormenta China (Malenchini, 56) went straight to the front over a demanding surface, clocking the opening 400 meters in :22.90 and the 800 in :44.77. By then, La Puketa had already launched her run on the outside.

Rider Jairo Flores tried to fend her off by drifting out with the pacesetter, but the María F. Álvarez and Walter Suáreztrainee had already hit full stride—she drew alongside and edged past to prevail by a neck.

Well back, Una Felicidad (In the Dark, 57½) returned from a layoff to finish third, six lengths behind, with Señora Bagaces (Lizard Island, 57½) rounding out the superfecta. The final time was a solid :56.91, quite respectable considering the track conditions.

Bred privately by Gustavo Martín Argentino Zavalla and racing for Stud Los Amigos of Paraná, La Puketa earned the fifth and most significant win of her 22-start career.

With this kind of form—and despite the breeding season already underway—La Puketa looks ready to keep making noise in races of this kind.