What a Man, Earth God and an Anchorena that will crown the season’s top turf miler

The traditional mile has drawn 20 possible starters, a group that also includes Storm Sound Kopke and Qué Tarde Gris

Earth God arrives off his victory in the Gran Premio Palermo / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The turf mile in Argentina has passed through several hands throughout the 2025 season. But it certainly feels as though whatever happens on December 13 in the G1 Gran Premio Joaquín S. de Anchorena will ultimately decide who truly stands atop the division.

A traditional pillar of Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini day, the Anchorena drew 20 nominees, with the headline names being What a Man (Mastercraftsman) and Earth God (Cosmic Trigger).

What a Man arrives off a commanding victory in the G1 Gran Premio San Isidro, while Earth God returned to peak form with a sharp score in the G1 Gran Premio Palermo on the dirt at Hipódromo Argentino.

They will, however, face no shortage of genuine challengers. Storm Sound (Hi Happy), fresh off a powerful win in the G2 Joaquín V. González that crowned him the division leader in La Plata, aims even higher. Fellow Hi Happy son Kopke, winner of the G2 Ecuador, runner-up in the San Isidro, and fourth in the Palermo, is also in the lineup.

Qué Tarde Gris (Il Campione) returns to the conditions under which he captured the G2 Clásico 9 de Julio, while top-class mares Fiesta Porteña (Fortify) and Escolastic Girl (Suggestive Boy)—the latter also entered in the G1 Copa de Plata—could take a swing at the boys. Descamisado (Cosmic Trigger), so consistently close all year long, will try once more to turn near-misses into a signature Grade 1 breakthrough.

Rounding out an evenly matched and highly competitive cast are Adorado Rim (Remote), Bluclette Rim (Remote), El Despertar (Il Campione), El Ernesto (Il Campione), Footing Hit (Hit It a Bomb), Hi Scottish (Hi Happy), Le Bang (Le Blues), Nux (Cityscape), One Thing (Verrazano), Real World (Cityscape), Talented Hit (Hit It a Bomb)—expected to be coupled with What a Man—and Yak Sport (Glory Seattle).

Final confirmations and rider assignments for the Anchorena are due by midday Monday. The total entry cost is ARS 1,500,000, and the race will distribute ARS 100,000,000 in purse money, with ARS 50,000,000 reserved for the winner.