El Nacional, with its 14 confirmed runners, sees Stay Tune starting from gate 3
The post-position draw was conducted Friday at Palermo, brought forward due to the papal visit. The Gran Premio Maipú (G1) confirmed 20 runners, while the Gran Premio Palermo (G1) secured a nine-horse field for the trio of Group 1 features on Saturday, November 14
From the initial entry list to the final field, the Gran Premio Nacional (G1) lost only a single runner. On Friday,Hipódromo de Palermo finalized starting fields and conducted the post-position draw for its flagship meeting on Saturday, November 14—a procedure moved forward due to the upcoming visit of Pope Francis. A field of 14 sophomores locked in for the Nacional, 20 sprinters remained for the Gran Premio Maipú (G1), and nine contenders stood firm for the Gran Premio Palermo (G1), forming the core trio of G1 features.
Stay Tune (Fortify) headlines the 2500-meter showcase. Fresh off his victory in the Gran Premio Jockey Club (G1)on the San Isidro turf, the Stud Las Monjitas representative aims to extend his divisional dominance, drawing starting gate 3. Trainer Carlos Daniel Etchechoury will also send out Sifnos (Equal Stripes, post 1) in a classic test of stamina carrying a winner's purse of 150 million pesos.
It will be no easy task for the Jockey Club hero. Cool Bro (Pneumatic), winner of the Clásico Eduardo Casey (G2)at Palermo, drew post 8 as he seeks to prove his stamina over the demanding 1 9/16-mile distance. Hi Pocho (Hi Happy), runner-up to Stay Tune at San Isidro, lands in post 10 aiming for revenge. Cahuel Win (Gershwin),assigned gate 13, also commands attention among the prime contenders.
Rounding out the 14-horse lineup are Satrapa (Pneumatic, post 2), Paulo Sil (Treasure Beach, post 4), Tolve (Daddy Long Legs, post 5), Festín de Mar (Equal Stripes, post 6), Marc Weather (Marconi, post 7), The Golden Disk(Made You Look, post 9), Pancho Gio (Caravaggio, post 11), Giannino (King Guillermo, post 12), and Mister Volare (Hi Happy, post 14). The field offers a diverse mix of running styles and form backgrounds, setting up a tactical test where pace management will prove paramount.
The 1000-meter Gran Premio Maipú attracted the largest field of the three G1 events, retaining 20 of its original 21 entries. El Epecuén (Il Campione), the 2025 winner and one of the country’s top sprinters, launches his title defense from gate 10. Lissette Island (Lizard Island), another top-tier sprinter with proven big-race credentials, breaks from post 8.
Claro Bombón (Claro Oscuro, post 13), Naranccello (Le Blues, post 3), Bailarín de Venecia (Angiolo, post 20),Ask for Wild (Angiolo, post 18), and El Luciano (Il Campione, post 16) bolster a speed-packed field that promises frantic action from the break. In a field of this size, clean breaks and early positioning will be as vital as raw speed.
The day's third top-level contest, the Gran Premio Palermo over the mile, was trimmed from 13 entries to nine confirmed runners. Proven graded stakes campaigner Drive Joy (Fortify), one of the division's benchmarks, starts from post 8. Linguado (Cosmic Trigger), who was awarded the Polla de Potrancas (G1) following the disqualification of Fletcher (Gershwin), starts from post 7 as one of the key threats.
Roberts Orpen (Emotion Orpen, post 1), Speedmaster (Fortify, post 2), Zaatar (Hurricane Cat, post 3), Benvolio(King Guillermo, post 4), Grand Canyon (Long Island Sound, post 5), Charir (Il Mercato, post 6), and Hop On(Endorsement, post 9) complete the field for a mile contest rich in quality.
The countdown is officially on. The Nacional will crown the generation's premier stayer, the Maipú brings together the country's top sprinters, and the Palermo gathers elite milers. Three G1 titles are on the line, with post positions set for one of the highlight dates on the Argentine racing calendar.
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