Look At to Me heads the list of seven confirmed fillies for the Gran Premio Selección
The winner of the Polla de Potrancas will break from post position 5 this Saturday at Hipódromo de Palermo as she faces Robate Un Beso once again; Keratea and Fly Cast emerged as the two defections from the original list of entries
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Special for Turf Diario).— The path toward championship honors among 3-year-old fillies faces one of its decisive chapters this Saturday. With seven confirmed runners and Look At to Me (Dabster) as the marquee headliner, the stage is set for the Gran Premio Selección (G1) over 2,000 meters on the dirt track at Hipódromo de Palermo, testing the classic aspirations of the division's elite.
The "Oaks" will serve as the centerpiece of a blockbuster meeting that also features the Clásico Eduardo Casey (G2) over 2,200 meters for 3-year-old colts—the traditional final prep toward the Gran Premio Nacional (G1), which is covered separately in this edition.
From the nine initial nominees, Keratea and Fly Cast emerged as the two defections. The absence of the former, recent winner of the Clásico Francisco J. Beazley (G2), deprives the contest of a key contender capable of bringing a distinct formline separate from the Polla de Potrancas. According to information obtained by Turf Diario, the chestnut filly completed her final morning breeze, but subsequent physical issues forced her connections to scratch.
Under this scenario, the spotlight will center heavily on a renewed rivalry between Look At to Me and Robate Un Beso (Uncle Chuck), the main protagonists of the division's opening legs on the capital main track. The former will break from post 5, while her rival will start from post 7 on the far outside.
Representing Al Adiyaat and trained by Juan Saldivia, Look At to Me arrives backed by her authoritative victory in the Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (G1), where she drew off to score by four lengths over Robate Un Beso. That dominant exhibition placed her at the summit of the division, though she must now maintain her standing as she stretches out from a mile to ten furlongs.
For the Bonne Chance Farm colorbearer under the care of Alfredo Gaitán Dassié, the Selección offers a chance to reclaim the supremacy she established in the Clásico General Luis María Campos (G2), when she narrowly defeated the eventual Polla heroine. With one win apiece in their head-to-head clashes, the added distance introduces a compelling element to their rubber match.
The third contender emerging from the Polla is Candy Unica (Señor Candy), who finished fifth that afternoon after having previously captured the Clásico Manuel J. Güiraldes (G3). The Pedro Armada trainee, campaigning for Stud Patero, will depart from post 4 seeking to regain top standing within the generation.
In the absence of Keratea, the form of the Beazley will be represented by The Great Funny (The Great Day) and Coni Chic (Marconi), third and fourth in that contest, respectively, albeit well behind the winner. The Stud Firmamento homebred trained by Lucas F. Gaitán will break from post 2, while the Marconi filly representing Stud Santa Lucía for trainer Matías Zanettin will start from post 1.
Injecting cross-track classic form from La Plata is Derry, who finished third behind Personal Filly (Dabster) in the Gran Premio Selección de Potrancas (G1). The daughter of Nicholas will carry the colors of Stud El Tatita under trainer Gastón O. Villarroel from post 6.
The lineup is completed by Tantas Veces, who was assigned post 3. The Cosmic Trigger filly, owned by Stud El Olimpo and conditioned by Luis A. Sánchez, placed third in the Güiraldes before finishing fourth in the Clásico Federico de Alvear (G2).
The complete gate layout is ordered as follows: 1, Coni Chic; 2, The Great Funny; 3, Tantas Veces; 4, Candy Unica; 5, Look At to Me; 6, Derry; and 7, Robate Un Beso.
The Selección was announced with a total purse of 149,100,000 pesos, of which 70,000,000 pesos will be awarded to the winner—less than half of the total distribution. With an entry fee of 2,982,000 pesos per runner, the seven confirmed starters contribute a collective 20,874,000 pesos from their respective owners.
For Look At to Me, Saturday presents the ideal opportunity to build upon her sparkling Polla performance and solidify her crown at the top of the division. The 2,000-meter trip will have the final say. If she prevails, there will be no remaining doubt as to who reigns supreme over this generation.
The event will be broadcast live on Global Media Turf, with exact programming schedules to be announced in the coming hours.
