Master Jane Showed Heart to Edges Out La Watson in the Handicap Miss Grillo
The daughter of Mastercraftsman prevailed by a half-neck following a thrilling duel over 2200 meters at Palermo; Juan Cruz Villagra was her partner in a victory that rewards perseverance
Side by side, asking and giving no quarter, with the winning post looming closer with every stride. Master Jane (Mastercraftsman) and La Watson (Hurricane Cat) transformed the home straight of the Handicap Miss Grillo(2200 m, dirt)—Monday's second feature race at Palermo—into the kind of spectacle that makes the wait entirely worthwhile. The former took the honors by a mere half-neck following a thrilling tussle that was decided virtually at the wire.
Favorite La Watson seemed to possess every argument needed to prevail, but Master Jane found one final response on the outside to wear her down in 2m18s45/100. The daughter of Mastercraftsman never surrendered, even as her rival fought valiantly to defend every meter of ground. It marked the most significant victory of a career that is hitting its peak right after turning six years old.
The race unfolded with Always Funny (Fortify, 52 1/2) setting the early pace, while the two main protagonists bided their time from off the speed without rushing in the early stages. Turning into the home stretch, the picture changed dramatically: Master Jane and La Watson moved into position to settle the issue, exchanging micro-margins with neither able to break away. Only in the final desperate yards did Juan Martín Benesperi's charge get her head in front and hold it there to the post.
Several key factors weighed heavily on the outcome. La Watson carried top weight of 58 1/2 kilos compared to the 56 assigned to the winner—a non-negligible 2 1/2-kilo advantage after traversing 2200 meters. Furthermore, she again exhibited a tendency to drift outward in the stretch, which repeatedly complicated matters for jockey Jorge Peraltawhen calling for maximum effort. Yet attributing the result solely to those circumstances would do a disservice to Master Jane, who showed tremendous courage and absolute determination to best a top-class adversary.
For Juan Cruz Villagra, reunited once more with the grey mare, it was a particularly rewarding triumph. Representing Stud Blue Comm, she was coming off an allowance victory over 2000 meters at Palermo on September 21, and she now delivered the step-up in class her back form had hinted at. Back in 2024, she had finished third in this very handicap and, most notably, second in the Clásico Ignacio e Ignacio F. Correas (G2), alongside fourth-place finishes in the Clásico Partícula (G2) and Clásico Paseana (G2). Seeing her perform at this level was no surprise; she simply needed to cap it off with a defining stakes victory.
Bred by Haras Firmamento, she boasts plenty of pedigree depth to support her credentials. She is out of Aldeana Jane (Johannesburg), a four-time winner and stakes performer who also produced The Great Village (The Great Village), third in the Clásico General Luis María Campos (G2). Further back in her damline appears Aldeana Fitz(Fitzcarraldo), winner of the Clásico Miguel L. Morales (G2), and the extraordinary Saldeable (New Dandy), champion 2-year-old filly of her crop.
This rich maternal line is also responsible for G1 winners Kali Baby (Aptitude), Saleroso Fitz (Fitzcarraldo), and Saltarín Dubai (E Dubai)—a magnificent family that forms part of the long-standing tradition of Firmamento, a farm that also bolstered its broodmare ranks with acquisitions from the late Francisco Lococco's memorable Haras Happy End.
Meanwhile, Master Jane now boasts four victories from 16 starts and $33,254,350 pesos in career earnings. The statistics illustrate her steady progression, yet they fail to capture the true highlight of the afternoon: the sheer grit of two mares battling to the absolute limit, giving the crowd a finish worthy of applause.
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