The San Martín and the promise of the division's top stayers

Neat Colt, Equal Mostaza, Out of the Blue, and The Gladiator's Hat headline the nominations for the final leg of the Campeonato de Oro Verde

Equal Mostaza (left) and Out of the Blue (center) are set to clash once more in the San Martín JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The Campeonato de Oro Verde will reach its grand finale on Saturday, September 5, with the running of the Gran Premio General San Martín (G1), contested over 2,400 meters on the turf course at Hipódromo Palermo for 4-year-olds and up under weight-for-age conditions.

As is tradition, the race will share the spotlight on the same afternoon as the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (G1) and Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (G1), promising a contest of exceptional quality.

Only 9 runners were entered to gate up, featuring the anticipated return of Neat Colt (Treasure Beach), the Stud Tramo 20 star who pulled off a major upset in late June by capturing the Gran Premio Estrellas Classic (G1) over 2,000 meters on the San Isidro turf.

The Gustavo Romero trainee will face the two stayers who have set the pace throughout the series: the Brazilian-bred Out of the Blue (Drosselmeyer) and Equal Mostaza (Equal Stripes), respective winners of the Clásico Chacabuco(G2) and Clásico Comparación (G2), having edged each other out by slim margins in their recent duels.

The San Martín could feature another G1 winner in The Gladiator's Hat (Hat Trick), hero of the most recent Gran Premio Dardo Rocha (G1), third-place finisher in this season's Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1) at Monterrico in Peru, and coming off a third-place effort in the aforementioned Comparación.

Graded stakes winner Time to Think (Seahenge) will try to rediscover his winning form, while Mozo de Bar(Bodemeister) takes another shot in top-level company following a successful comeback effort from a long layoff.

The emerging Cazador de Areco (Long Island Sound), Full Keynote (Full Mast), and stakes winner Santo Rey(Santillano) complete a highly competitive field.

The Gran Premio General San Martín offers a purse of just 30,000,000 pesos to the winner (approximately $13,700 USD after deductions), out of a total purse of $63,900,000 pesos. The total entry and ratification fee that each owner must cover amounts to 1,278,000 pesos.

Final ratifications and jockey assignments are due by noon next Monday, with the official post-position draw taking place later that afternoon.