Pecadora Joy Dead-Heats With Escolastic Girl for a Shared Levalle Crown
- Turf Diario
- hace 18 horas
- 2 Min. de lectura
The Firmamento mare got up on the wire to join the longtime leader, who secured her second straight Levalle—this time, “in partnership”
LA PLATA.- In a finish that sparked no shortage of controversy, the always-appealing Clásico Marcos Levalle (G2, 1600 meters, dirt)—a sort of mini Copa de Plata within the Dardo Rocha meeting—ended in a dead heat between Escolastic Girl(Suggestive Boy) and Pecadora Joy (Fortify). The former successfully lifted the trophy for the second consecutive year, while the latter secured the most significant victory of her career.
Both mares are admirably genuine, though their campaigns have unfolded in markedly different ways. While the chestnut from Pozo de Luna has dominated the local dirt-mile division for the past 18 months, the Firmamento-bred dark bay only began performing to her full potential in recent months—despite having been held in high regard by her team since day one.
There was little mystery to the race shape. Escolastic Girl went straight to the front, bold and committed, under a perfectly measured ride from Martín La Palma. A bit farther back, Martín Valle settled Pecadora Joy in fourth, and by the time the field reached the far turn, she was already set in pursuit of the favorite.
Into the lane, the pacesetter tried to slip away along the rail, but Pecadora Joy never let her out of her sights, grinding down the margin meter by meter. At the wire, she managed to draw even—though forced to share the glory thanks to the dead-heat verdict delivered by the photo finish.
Truth be told, 90 percent of the racecourse believed Pecadora Joy had won outright, which explains the surprise from the Juan Carlos Bagó team when the official result was posted. The images didn’t help. The television feed barely differentiates silks, and the camera filming the finishes does so from behind, often creating the illusion that the outside horses hold an advantage. These are issues the Administration must address: in an era of such advanced technology, it is simply unacceptable to continue operating with broadcast quality reminiscent of the 1980s. The investment may be substantial, but it is urgently needed—especially considering that, in its current state, the signal cannot be exported.
Even so, the Levalle delivered a spectacular stretch battle, with Escolastic Girl and Pecadora Joy offering a stirring, wholehearted finale worthy of the race’s prestige.
