Look At to Me and Fletcher deliver another majestic double in the Pollas for Saldivia and Pellegatta
- Turf Diario
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Just as in 2021 with Carta Embrujada and Irwin, pupil and master shone at the start of the Triple Crown on the Palermo dirt
By Diego H. MitagsteinH
There are partnerships built on results, but sustained by something far deeper. By trust, by unwritten codes, by admiration, by years shared together. The one between Roberto Pellegatta and Juan Franco Saldivia belongs to that very special group. Master and pupil once again experienced one of those unforgettable afternoons on Saturday at Palermo Racecourse, dominating the Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (G1-1600 m, dirt) and Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (G1-1600 m, dirt) with Look At To Me and Fletcher.
It was not the first time. In 2021, Carta Embrujada (Storm Embrujado) and Irwin (Seek Again) had delivered the same double at the opening of the national Triple Crown. Both were presented back then under Saldivia's name. Five years later, with both officially at the helm alongside Pellegatta, history repeated itself. The names, colors, and circumstances changed, but not the essence of a team that knows how to work in silence and show up on the big days.
Look At To Me and Fletcher left no room for doubt. They won with authority, with solvency, and with that clear superiority that turns hope into certainty. Behind both was enormous confidence, sustained even after a minor setback. And both responded as top horses respond: on the track and when it matters most.
The first joy arrived with Look At To Me, capable of turning her rematch with Robate Un Beso (Uncle Chuck) into sweet revenge, after having lost to her by just half a length a few weeks earlier in the Clásico General Luis María Campos (G2).
This time the story was completely different. William Pereyra, who replaced Juan Carlos Noriega, waited patiently while Gran Gotera (Made You Look) set the tempo, and when the race entered its decisive stage, he gave the daughter of Dabster her cue. The chestnut filly accelerated down the center of the track, took the lead with no apparent effort, and pulled away with unexpected ease, given the caliber and parity promised by the field.
Robate Un Beso rallied from behind to secure second place, and La Santa Cándida (Le Blues) completed the trifecta, but neither could threaten the victory of Al Adiyaat's representative, who crossed the wire 4 lengths clear. The revenge was absolute: she ended her conqueror's undefeated record from the Campos and secured the first G1 success of her career.
Look At To Me is a imposing filly, tipping the scales at 535 kilos, with the physical presence and pedigree to feel even more comfortable as distances stretch. Because of this, the way she resolved the Polla allows one to look toward the Gran Premio Selección (G1-2000 m) with massive expectations. There, she should find an even more favorable scenario for her stamina.
Of course, her immediate future keeps an open door. The possibility of her being shipped to the United Arab Emiratesis on the table and will be evaluated by her connections. As it happens, she is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, who maintains a breeding center and development operation in our country to project his horses toward higher-profile racing jurisdictions. If she remains in Argentina, the Oaks will be the natural next step, with a concrete chance to keep building her own Triple Crown bid.
Shortly after came the turn for Fletcher, who carried the pressure of overwhelming favoritism. The sale of Colorado del Monte (Strategos)—as reported in Saturday's edition of Turf Diario—had left the top spot of the generation vacant, and the son of Gershwin had to prove he was ready to step up and claim it. He did so without hesitation.
The bold maiden Buin (Daddy Long Legs) tried to break away in front, but Pereyra never lost his cool. He placed Fletcher close, allowed him to find his stride, and waited until the stretch. When he asked him for the ultimate effort, the race was over. The colt powered past, opened up daylight rapidly, and once again left Linguado (Cosmic Trigger) 6 lengths back, the exact same margin he had established between them in the Clásico Miguel Cané (G2).
If that previous performance had been a promise, the Polla was the ultimate confirmation. Fletcher achieved his crowning moment, added the first G1 of his career, and established himself as the new benchmark among 3-year-old colts. For Stud Chos Malal, which experienced so many emotions with Belleza de Arteaga (Cosmic Trigger) and Cima de Areco (Cima de Triomphe), another star has emerged to dream big once again.
The only blemish on Fletcher's record remains his performance in the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile (G1) over the heavy turf at San Isidro. It was a setback too uncharacteristic to be conclusive and stands in sharp contrast to his four consecutive victories on the dirt. However, if the intention is to keep the Triple Crown dream alive, he must return to the grass to contest the Gran Premio Jockey Club (G1-2000 m).
Therein lies the major question mark. It will not be a matter of talent, as Fletcher has already made it clear how much engine he possesses, but rather one of surface. Returning to the turf where he failed or choosing a different path will be a decision that Pellegatta, Saldivia, and his owners will need to analyze without haste.
William Pereyra also enjoyed a perfect day. The jockey piloted both winners, achieving a rare Polla double reserved for a select few. Furthermore, Fletcher allowed him to reunite with a race he had already won in 2021 aboard Irwin. The confidence of his rides reflected the security surrounding both horses.
Five years later, Pellegatta and Saldivia once again made the opening leg of the Triple Crown their own. In 2021 it had been Carta Embrujada and Irwin. Now it was Look At To Me and Fletcher. Back then, both victories were credited under the pupil's name; this time they went officially onto the master's ledger.
In the end, it matters very little. Because the victories belonged to both. To a partnership that transcends any name written on the official program and once again proved that, when it comes to the races that make history, it always finds a way to be there.
Comments