Tag: Fine Rouge

Schnell Meister Looks To Bounce Back in Yasuda Kinen

So strong and so accomplished are the 18 runners signed on for Sunday's G1 Yasuda Kinen that Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who went this close to winning the G1 Dubai Turf on a magical evening for Japan this past March, is no better than a 30-1 roughie in early wagering. Seventeen others, including four females, will head to the post for the country's premier spring mile event, which offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, in early November.

After besting Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the age-restricted G1 NHK Mile Cup at this course and distance last May, Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) was a cracking third to Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and the enormously talented Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in this event before turning the tables on Danon Kingly in the G2 Mainichi Okan over 1800 metres in October. He found only Gran Alegria too strong in the G1 Mile Championship in November, but was a highly disappointing eighth in the Dubai Turf on seasonal debut Mar. 26.

“The results were unfortunate in Dubai,” said trainer Takahisa Tezuka. “They weren't representative of his ability. After the race, I sent him to the farm for two months. He recovered right away, and things have all gone smoothly since returning to the stable. His physique has changed since he turned four and he's much more of a miler now. The change to the Tokyo 1,600 meters should be a plus.”

 

Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) was narrowly beaten in the G1 Shuka Sho going 10 furlongs last October, but has a pair of strong efforts at the mile under her belt this term. Second to the in-form Elusive Panther (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) when blocked at a crucial stage of the G3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai at headquarters Feb. 6, the bay bobbled when about to commence her rally in the sex-restricted G1 Victoria Mile May 15 and could not quite reel in the classy Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}).

“She hasn't been able to give it all she has in her last two starts, but she's run consistently,” said Yu Ota, assistant to trainer Tetsuya Kimura. “I think she can compete well against male horses. If she can go to the gate in good shape and get a smooth trip, things should go well.”

Elusive Panther was having his first run of the season in the Tokyo Shimbun Hai and carries a four-race winning streak overall into what is clearly his toughest task to date.

Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) has a similarly progressive profile to Elusive Panther and while it appears he handles any underfoot conditions, he does seem to up his game when there is juice in the ground. The dark bay rattled home from third last to run down Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the Apr. 24 G2 Yomiuri Milers Cup at Hanshin over a course listed as good, but which appeared to be easier than that.

Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), a two-time winner of the G1 February S. on the local dirt track, tries the grass for just the second time in his career, while dual Group 3 victress Lotus Land (Point of Entry) stretches back out to arguably her best trip, having attacked the line to be runner-up to Naran Huleg (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) in the six-furlong G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen Mar. 27.

 

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Big Shoes To Fill In Victoria Mile

A deep and diverse field of 18 distaff turf milers will take to the Fuchu course at Toyko Sunday afternoon for the G1 Victoria Mile, a race won in its last three renewals by the outstanding Normcore (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}, 2019), two-time Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}, 2020) and treble champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}, 2021). The Victoria Mile serves as a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland this November.

Several of Sunday's entrants are on a similar trajectory to those world-class gallopers, including Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), who completed the Filly Triple Crown in 2020 and makes her first appearance since finishing third to countrymates Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 FWD QE II Cup over 2000 metres last April. She has since recovered from ligamentitis in her right foreleg and is capable of a good showing first-up.

“She feels a little bigger now, but I've been able to see her improvement these past three weeks,” her jockey Kohei Matsuyama commented. “A mile might be her best trip now. It will be her first time over a mile at Tokyo, but she's won over a mile, so it shouldn't be a problem. It feels like a fresh start with her now, so I want to do my best.”

Runner-up to the high-class Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) in last year's G1 NHK Mile Cup over Sunday's course and distance, Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) won Tokyo's 1600-metre G2 Fuji S. last October and most recently gave Japan one of its four winners on the Saudi Cup program Feb. 26, taking out the G3 1351 Turf.

“She ran well in last year's NHK Mile Cup and Fuji S., both over a mile at Tokyo, so I think she can run a big race in the Victoria Mile, too,” jockey Kenichi Ikezoe said. “The field's strong this time as well, but I think Songline has a good enough chance and I look forward to her run on the day.”

Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) proved narrowly best in last year's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) going the metric mile and defeated Loves Only You in the 2000-metre G2 Sapporo Kinen in August. Following a pair of below-par performances, she hinted at better to come with a strong third in the G1 February S. over the local dirt course Feb. 20 and gets back to perhaps her best game Sunday.

 

 

 

Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), sixth to Gran Alegria here a year ago, came from off the speed to be second in an incident-marred G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in December, then made the running in the six-furlong G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen Mar. 27 before yielding late to be sixth. Quieter riding tactics may be in the cards Sunday.

Fresh off a trip to the GI Kentucky Derby, Christophe Lemaire takes the ride on Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) here. Third in the Guineas and second in the G1 Shuka Sho in October, she resumed with a sound runner-up effort in the G3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai over track and trip Feb. 6 and has been trained to peak Sunday.

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Shuka Sho Offers Level Playing Field

Sunday's final leg of the Japanese Filly Triple Crown, the G1 Shuka Sho, looms a championship event and serves as a rubber match between the winners of the first two races in the series–Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune), the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) victress and Uberleben (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), who took out the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)–over a 2000-metre distance that is a quarter-mile longer than the Guineas and two furlongs shorter than the Oaks.

Sodashi, a white filly just like her extremely popular dam Buchiko (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), ran the table in four starts at two, locking up a championship in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (1600mT) before resuming with a gut-busting success in course-record time in Apr. 11 Oka Sho. With questions to answer in the Oaks, Sodashi didn't quite see out the trip, weakening to eighth behind the fast-finishing Uberleben, but she bounced back to defeat 2019 Oaks winner and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf-bound Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen going the 2000 metres Aug. 22.

“She was very strong in Sapporo,” said jockey Hayato Yoshida. “The course suited her and we had only 52 kg. From two weeks ago, however, compared to Hokkaido, her mood starting returning more to what it was in the spring when she'd been tense and nervous. But she also showed strength I hadn't seen in the spring Group 1s and the way she took the bit. Everything about her felt more powerful.”

Uberleben, third in the Juvenile Fillies last December, filled the same position in a pair of lead-up events in early spring but came good in the Oaks, sitting a bit of a wide trip beneath Mirco Demuro before weaving through late to account for Akaitorino Musume (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) by a tight length (see below). Uberleben has overcome an interrupted preparation to make the Shuka Sho, but she has the full confidence of her trainer.

“After the Japanese Oaks, she had inflammation in the tendon of her left foreleg,” Takahisa Tezuka explained. “The swelling itself soon subsided and, in short, she was able to start training at the farm sooner than I'd thought she would. When her hard training started, her lungs were still weak and I did question whether she'd be ready in time. But, with each bit of work, she improved and faster than I thought. This week's fast week saw her the most on her game.”

Third and beaten under a length in the Guineas, Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) was only 11th in the Oaks, but bounced back to win the Sept. 11 G3 Shion S. with some authority, besting Through Seven Seas (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) by 1 3/4 lengths, with Miss Figaro (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) another nose back in third. It will be up to Christophe Lemaire to work out a trip from an awkward gate.

Andvaranaut (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) has worked her way through the grades, with three wins from four starts this term, including a cosy defeat of A Shin Hiten (Jpn) (A Shin Hikari {Jpn}) and Art de Vivre (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the 2000-metre G2 Rose S. at Chukyo Sept. 19.

 

WATCH: Uberleben outlasts her rivals in the Yushun Himba

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Sodashi Aims For Six Straight in Yushun Himba

The world's most recognizable–and most talented–white Thoroughbred, Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune), puts her unblemished record on the line against a full field of fellow 3-year-old fillies in Sunday's G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) going a full circuit of the Fuchu Racecourse at Tokyo.

Not one of the 68 horses Sodashi has faced through her five career starts have managed to finish ahead of her, even if she never wins by a space. The Makoto Kaneko runner debuted with a 2 1/2-length victory over 1800 metres last summer, but has since been restricted to the metric mile, her defeat of Satono Reinas (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies securing her divisional honours. She made her seasonal debut in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), raced prominently throughout and just held a late lunge from the outposted Satono Reinas to remain undefeated, if only just. Sunday's trip looms a question mark for Sodashi, and to be fair, most of the field, but trainer Naosuke Sugai is bullish on Sodashi's chances.

“People ask about the distance, but I've had my sights set on the Oaks from her debut and though she was great in the Oka Sho, I know she can handle more ground,” he said. “I'm hoping she'll listen well to jockey Hayato Yoshida and not get in any fights with him. She has a lot of power, so I think a track that has a bit of cushion to it would be best.”

A half-dozen of those who ran behind Sodashi in the Guineas return to see if they can turn the tables here.

Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who won her maiden at second asking at headquarters last October, sat a midfield trip in the Oka Sho and struck a bit of interference in the straight before staying on to be a close third. She has the right to improve second-up.

“I rode her in fast work this week in between two training partners,” commented jockey Yuichi Fukunaga. “She was listening and responding to my cues well. I think she's in excellent condition. The competition is strong but her racing in the Oka Sho was totally on par with the horses that finished ahead of her.”

Akaitorino Musume (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a daughter of 2010 Filly Triple Crown winner Apapane (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) narrowly defeated Art de Vivre (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G3 Daily Hai Queen Cup (1600mT) Feb. 13 and exits a fourth to Sodashi and one spot ahead of Art de Vivre in the Guineas while never looking truly dangerous.

Kukuna (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) is an intriguing upset possibility. Though she only owns a single victory from sixt trips to the post, she has held her own against some of these, including a close third as the favorite in the aforementioned Queen Cup. The Carrot Farm galloper raced in a detached last for the first half of the Guineas, but she was running hard through the final stages, and despite crossing the line in sixth position, clocked a slick :33.2 for her final 600 metres. That time was second only to the :32.9 turned in by the Japanese Derby-bound Satono Reinas and was 0.6 seconds faster than Sodashi.

Uberleben (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) will have her fair share of supporters off a late-on-the-scene third in the G2 Flora S. (2000mT), a local trial Apr. 25, in which Cool Cat (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) outlasted longshot Slyly (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) by a length.

 

WATCH: Sodashi makes it five in a row in the Oka Sho

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