Mage, beaten a length by Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite Forte in the April 1 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa, returned to the Gulfstream Park work tab Sunday morning, breezing an easy five furlongs in 1:01.09, as reported by Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch.
The lightly raced son of Good Magic, trained by Gustavo Delgado and owned by OGMA Investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC, and CMNWLTH, galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.27 and seven furlongs in 1:28.40 while running in the middle of the track.
“What we usually do after a big race like we had, we try to go nice and easy. That seems to be what he did today,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., assistant to his father.
Making only his third career start in the Florida Derby, Mage made a sweeping move from 12th to take the lead at the top of the stretch, appearing as though he may have gotten a good enough jump to hold off Forte, but trainer Todd Pletcher's champion colt strode out through the stretch to pull out the victory.
Mage turned in an eye-catching debut at Gulfstream Jan. 28 while romping to a 3¾-length victory in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race. He subsequently showed a lot of grit while finishing fourth behind Forte in the Fountain of Youth (G2), in which he experienced gate trouble, bumping, and a wide trip.
Mage went about his Sunday morning workout with a lot of energy.
“You might have thought he was going slower, but 1:01 is still cruising,” Gustavo Delgado Jr. said. “He's full of himself. He continues to give you another kind of personality, maybe because he's maturing and everything seems to be in a momentum.”
Mage, who collected 40 points for his runner-up Florida Derby finish and 10 points for his game effort in the Fountain of Youth, sits 16th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, assuring the Kentucky-bred colt a stall in the starting gate for the first leg of the 2023 Triple Crown at Churchill Downs May 6.
The $290,000 purchase from the Sequel Bloodstock consignment at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale could remain at Gulfstream for another breeze before shipping to Kentucky.
“If the weather stays like this here, he may have another work here,” said the younger Delgado on a sunny Sunday morning. “It will all depend on how he behaves. We already know what we have.”
Second favorite Sol Oriens claimed this year's first leg of the Japan's Triple Crown, the $3,298,000 Satsuki Sho (G1) (Japanese 2000 Guineas), Saturday at Nakayama Racecourse.
Entering undefeated in just two career starts since his November debut as a 2-year-old and coming off his latest victory in the Keisei Hai (G3) run over the Guineas 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) distance at Nakayama, the son of Kitasan Black became the first colt to land the Satsuki Sho in just his third career start, the shortest in Japan Racing Association history.
Sol Oriens was a fraction slow out of the gate under Takeshi Yokoyama, who thereafter guided further off the rails as the track on the inside was considerably roughed up from the heavy rain on Saturday.
Traveling near the rear and well off the brisk pace set by Granite, who covered the first 1,000 meters (about five furlongs) in :58.5 on the ground rated as yielding, Sol Oriens circled the whole field that had already spread wide turning for home then unleashed a terrific late charge that carried him instantly from second last to the lead soon after the 100-meter marker.
Sol Oriens, who won by 1 1/4 lenghts, completed the trip in 2:00.6.
“I'm thrilled to have been able to show the colt's strength and win this Group 1 title,” Yokoyama said. “He's still very green, especially at the turns, with only a short career coming into this race, but as he's already shown in his previous start, I know firsthand the power and speed which this colt possesses and so, while we had a lot of ground to cover from way behind, I knew that if I could keep him in good rhythm up to the straight, he would be able to show his full potential to win this race.”
Fifth pick Tastiera broke smoothly and was rated outside a rival in mid-division, switched a little further out into the stretch, unleashed a swift rally to assume command at the furlong pole and continued on willingly, holding off all but the winner to finish second.
Race favorite Phantom Thief was rated in midpack, further behind than expected, after the break as horses rushed to take a good position from both sides and traveled at a rapid pace. The Harbinger colt lost a shoe somewhere along the backstretch, lugged in after entering the stretch, and while showing effort thereafter, was unable to match the strides of the top two finishers, finishingthird, three lengths behind the winner.
Sol Oriens is trained by Takahisa Tezuka for owner Shadai Race Horse Co. Ltd. He was bred in Japan by Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm from the Motivator mare Skia, a Group 3 winner in France. He is from the second crop of Shadai resident sire Kitasan Black.
Juddmonte's 3-year-old colt Flight Leader (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Principal Role, by Empire Maker) was last seen graduating in an Oct. 12 nine-furlong maiden at Chantilly and put his hat into the ring for June's G1 Prix du Jockey Club back there after battling to a game victory on seasonal return in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The eventual winner, who had earlier posted a Sept. 1 debut ninth behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at this venue, broke from the outside stall and found cover off the tempo in fifth after the initial strides. Coaxed along passing the quarter-mile marker, the 19-5 chance came under sterner urging entering the final furlong and was driven out in the latter stages to prevail by a short-neck from Harry Way (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in brave fashion. In a blanket finish, Fabrice Chappet nominee Fortune (Fr) (De Treville {GB}) was a neck adrift in third.
“When this horse first ran Andre Fabre had mentioned him as a potentially very good one, but unfortunately he missed out on debut,” said Juddmonte's on-course representative. “He won well second time out over nine furlongs, proving already that he stays, and he should be better on good ground. He will come on for the run and has made a step forward to the [June 4 G1] Prix du Jockey Club. Andre Fabre will discuss his programme with Barry Mahon and the [Abdullah] family. There are plenty of opportunities and the trainer knows how to handle these situations, so we have no worries.”
Flight Leader, who becomes the 79th pattern-race winner for his sire (by Galileo {Ire}), is the sixth of eight foals and one of four scorers produced by MSW G1 Nassau S. third Principal Role (Empire Maker). The March-foaled bay's dam, herself a daughter of GII La Prevoyante H. and GIII River Cities Budweiser Breeders' Cup S. victrix Interim (GB) (Sadler's Wells), is kin to GI Charles Whittingham Memorial-winning sire Midships (Mizzen Mast), GI San Juan Capistrano Invitational runner-up Staging Post (Pleasant Colony) and to the dam of G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern heroine Temida (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). Flight Leader is a half-brother to the unraced 2-year-old colt Rickshaw (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) and a weanling filly by Kingman (GB).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France PRIX NOAILLES-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-16, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:18.69, hy.
1–FLIGHT LEADER (GB), 128, c, 3, by Frankel (GB) 1st Dam: Principal Role {MSW & G1SP-Eng, MGSP-US, $238,766}, by Empire Maker 2nd Dam: Interim (GB), by Sadler's Wells 3rd Dam: Intermission (GB), by Stage Door Johnny 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ireland Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €53,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harry Way (Fr), 128, g, 3, Galiway (GB)–Miss Vinga (Fr), by High Rock (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Le Haras de la Gousserie & Robert Bonaventure; B-Robert Bonaventure (FR); T-Nicolas Perret. €16,000.
3–Fortune (Fr), 128, c, 3, De Treville (GB)–February Sun (GB), by Monsun (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Rashit Shaykhutdinov (FR); T-Fabrice Chappet. €12,000.
Margins: SNK, NK, 3/4. Odds: 3.80, 3.00, 2.40.
Also Ran: Londoner (Ire), Rubis Vendome (GB), Prince De Paname (Fr), Mononof (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.
Just days after his first-crop son Equinox (Jpn) was named the world's highest-rated racehorse for his stunning victory in last month's G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, successful young stallion Kitasan Black (Jpn) was represented by his first Japanese Classic winner when Sol Oriens (Jpn) came from a near-impossible position 400 metres from home to take Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) by a widening 1 1/4 lengths. Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) led into the final furlong, but was swamped late on, while favoured Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) won a photo for third.
Void of speed from the inside gate, the 21-5 second-elect drifted right back through the field and was guided a few paths off the rail to race fourth-last and three wide into the first bend as Granite (Jpn) (Danon Ballade {Jpn}) set what appeared to be solid fractions in the wet ground. Patiently handled down the back and up the rise approaching the 800-metre peg, Sol Oriens was shuffled back and raced last but one and a good 12 lengths off the lead on the second turn.
Moving nearly laterally when awkwardly switching his legs nearing the straight, Sol Oriens was steered out 10 or 11 wide and whooshed home down the soundest part of the racing surface to win in highly impressive fashion, while again swapping his leads in the final stages. His final three furlongs were covered in :35.5, remarkable given the underfoot conditions, and 0.9 seconds faster than any of his rivals. Tastiera also rallied well off the inside, while Phantom Thief was mostly one-paced in third.
Sol Oriens becomes the first horse in 80 years to win the Guineas with as few as two previous starts.
“He's still very green, especially at the turns, with only a short career coming into this race, but as he's already shown in his
previous start, I know first hand the power and speed which this colt possesses,” said winning jockey Takeshi Yokoyama, who piloted Efforia (Jpn) ( Epiphaneia {Jpn}) to win this race in 2021. “So, while we had a lot of ground to cover from way behind, I knew that if I could keep him in good rhythm up to the straight, he would be able to show his full potential to win this race.”
The Classic series continues with the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (2400 metres) at the headquarters of Japanese racing May 28.
Pedigree Notes:
While there were no members of the final crop of Deep Impact (Jpn) in the Satsuki Sho, there is something of a connection to the legendary sire, as Kitasan Black is a son of Deep Impact's year-younger full-brother Black Tide (Jpn).
A popular and accomplished galloper in his own right, Kitasan Black won 12 of his 20 career appearances, including the 2015 G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger), back-to-back renewals of the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), a G1 Japan Cup and a career-closing victory in the G1 Arima Kinen. Now the sire of two elite-level scorers, the 11-year-old Shadai resident is also responsible for Group 2 winner Gaia Force (Jpn) from his first crop and for the Group 3-winning 3-year-old filly Ravel (Jpn).
Sol Oriens's dam was the upset winner of the 2011 G3 Prix Fille de l'Air for Carlos Laffon-Parias and was purchased by bloodstock agent Patrick Barbe for €320,000 in foal to Leroidesanimaux (Brz) from the Haras du Quesnay draft at the 2014 Arqana December Sale. Her second foal became the newly retired Vin de Garde (Jpn), a Group 2 winner at home and second and third, respectively, in the G1 Dubai Turf in 2021 and 2022. Skia's half-brother Tropaios (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}) was a listed winner in France for Laffon-Parias and went on to become a standout for the China Horse Club and trainer Michael Freedman in Singapore, where he was victorious in the Singapore Gold Cup. Motivator is also the broodmare sire of treble Japanese Group 1 winner and champion older horse Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).
Skia is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Deep Impact's son Kizuna (Jpn) and is due to Epiphaneia (Jpn) for her 2023 produce.
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥ 416,260,000, Nakayama, 4-16, 3yo, c/f, 2000mT, 2:00.60, yl.
1—SOL ORIENS (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Kitasan Black (Jpn) 1st Dam: Skia (Fr) (GSW-Fr, $163,904), by Motivator (GB) 2nd Dam: Light Quest, by Quest For Fame (GB) 3rd Dam: Gleam of Light (Ire), by Danehill 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Shadai Race Horse; B- Shadai Farm; T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Takeshi Yokoyama; ¥225,382,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥272,697,000. *1/2 to Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, MG1SP-UAE, $2,792,422. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Tastiera (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Satono Crown (Jpn)–Partitura (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; ¥87,252,000.
3–Phantom Thief (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Harbinger (GB)–Lupin, by Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Turf Sport Inc; B-Tanikawa Farm; ¥53,626,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 4.20, 8.00, 2.80.
Also Ran: Metal Speed (Jpn), Shonan Bashitto (Jpn), Shazzan (Jpn), Top Knife (Jpn), Win Odin (Jpn), Hrimfaxi (Jpn), Bellagio Opera (Jpn), Gruner Green (Jpn), Granite (Jpn), Touch Wood (Jpn), Meiner Laulea (Jpn), One Direct (Jpn), Ras Hammel (Jpn), Ho O Biscuits (Jpn), Danon Touchdown (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart.
