Dolce More Remains Unbeaten in Asahi Hai

Backed down to 2-1 favoritism while trying to remain undefeated, Three H Racing's Dolce More (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) did not disappoint, coming home a neck winner over Danon Touchdown (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in Sunday's G1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Hanshin.

Exiting Post 2, Dolce More broke alertly but was eased back to ground-saving third behind All Parfait (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and Granite (Jpn) (Danon Ballade {Jpn}). Turning for home while still behind the pace, the colt shifted outward while in search of running room, took over soon after the 200-meter marker, and edged clear under left-hand urging while holding off a strong challenge from the second choice Danon Touchdown. Labeling (GB) (Frankel {GB}) rounded out the top three.

“It all went as planned with the trainer, just as I had pictured,” said winning rider Ryusei Sakai, who was registering his second JRA Group 1 score after notching his first with Stunning Rose (Jpn) in the Shuka Sho in October. “I expected the pace to be fast since there were runners coming off short-distanced races. My colt ran in a good position and responded and held on

well. I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to ride him today.”

The bay broke his maiden at Sapporo in August before annexing his first group victory in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup Oct. 8. The victory marks the 15th JRA Group 1 win for trainer Naosuke Sugai.

Pedigree Notes:
The fourth Group 1 winner for the impeccably-bred Rulership, Dolce More is out of 2013 G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas (Oka Sho) heroine Ayusan, a full-sister to G1SP Mau Lea (Jpn) and a half to SW Saki To Me (Fusaichi Pegasus). Ayusan is also a granddaughter of Grade I winner Buy The Firm (Affirmed), herself responsible for Grade III scorer Storm Broker (Storm Cat).

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
ASAHI HAI FUTURITY S.-G1, 135,740,000, Hanshin, 12-18, 2yo, colts/fillies, 1600mT, 1:33.90, fm.
1–DOLCE MORE (JPN), 121, c, 2, by Rulership (Jpn)
1st Dam: Ayusan (Jpn) (G1SW-Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Buy the Cat, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Buy the Firm, by Affirmed
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Three H Racing; B-Shimokobe Farm;
T-Naosuke Sugai; J-Ryusei Sai; ¥71,218,000. Lifetime Record:
3-3-0-0.  Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Danon Touchdown (Jpn), 121, c, 2, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)–
Epic Love (Ire), by Dansili (GB). (¥240,000,000 yrl '21 JRHAJUL)
O-Danox Inc.; B-Northern Farm; ¥28,348,000.
3–Labeling (GB), 121, c, 2, by Frankel (GB)–Noyelles (Ire), by
Docksider. (€360,000 wnl '20 GOFDEC; 300,000gns yrl '21TATOCT; €520,638 HRA '22 GOFMAR). O-Big Red Farm; B-Sir Nicholas & Lady Nugent; ¥18,174,000
Margins: NK, NK, 1 1/4; Odds: 2.10, 2.60, 5.50.
Also Ran: Kyoei Brisa (Jpn), Bagradas (Jpn), All Parfair (Jpn), Obamburumai (Jpn), Tinia (Ire), Corpus Christi (Jpn), Granite (Jpn), Nishino Best One (Jpn), Dondengaeshi (Jpn), Suzuka Double (Jpn), Miscela Dorata (Jpn), Ume Musubi (Jpn), From Dusk, Emphasize (Jpn)
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the JRA chart and video.

 

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Colts Vying For Just Desserts In Asahi Hai Futurity

Rated 109, just like fellow group winners Dolce More (Jpn) (Jpn) and Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat), All Parfait (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) is one of the more fancied runners as 17 colts line up for the 1600-metre G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin on Sunday. Leaving from post three, the Ryoichi Endo homebred has won his past two starts, after running second in a Tokyo maiden in June. Resuming over this trip in a maiden at Nakayama on Oct. 2, he won by two lengths, prior to defeating Danon Touchdown (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {GB}) by a half-length over this course and distance in the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. on Nov. 12.

Takuya Ono has ridden the horse in all his races and said, “He's coming along nicely, but he has to transport over to the track, so I don't want to overdo things with him. He found a good rhythm in the race last time after starting from a wide gate, and was strong in the finish.”

Undefeated in two starts–a Sapporo newcomer affair in August, and besting Granite (Jpn) (Danon Ballade {Jpn}) by 1 1/4 lengths in Tokyo's G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup on Oct. 8, Dolce More has been pleasing trainer Naosuke Sugai in his gallops.

“He has been training well, and while he's not one to really catch the eye, he's done enough work and looks fine,” said Sugai. “In his final work, checking his rhythm was more important than his time, and his breathing's been good. He has gained some weight, but that's him developing and it should help him in a race. He ran right-handed in his first race and I'm not worried about it being his first time at the course this time. He doesn't have any bad habits and he's quite a serious horse that can race well, so I don't have any worries with him and hope he can run a good race.”

Last year's champion sire in Britain and Ireland, and this term's European champion sire elect, Frankel (GB) has a pair of colts entered to build on his earlier Japanese successes in the winners Labeling (GB) and Tinia (Ire). Three of Frankel's four stakes winners in the Land of the Rising Sun are Group 1 scorers, with 2020 hero Grenadier Guards (Jpn) holding the stakes record for this race in a snappy 1:32.30. In addition, his Soul Stirring (Jpn) won the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies–the filly equivalent–as his very first top-level winner back in 2016, the first year the Juddmonte supremo had runners.

Trainer Yuichi Shikato commented on the prospects of Labeling, “There hasn't been long between races, but he's in very good shape. He ran a good race last time, and with the ability he seems to have, I'll look forward to things from now.”

Bolt d'Oro, who is an excruciatingly close three-way battle with Justify and Good Magic for leading freshman sire Stateside, is represented by $200,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $900,000 OBS March juvenile From Dusk. The progressive colt was second by a length in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. to the 109-rated Obamburumai on Nov. 5.

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Unbeaten Serifos Tries for Group 1 Glory

Undefeated Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), coming off a last out win in the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. Nov. 13, will try to give trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida his second consecutive victory in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin Sunday. Leading the trainers' table this year, Nakauchida won the race last year with Grenadier Guards (Jpn). A debut winner at Chukyo last June, the chestnut returned to score in the G2 Niigata Nisai S. in August.  Visiting jockey Christian Demuro will be on board.

Also undefeated, Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) kicked off with a first-out win at Tokyo in June before exhibiting late speed to take the G2 Sapporo Nisai S. by four lengths in September. Returned from a pre-training farm to Miho Training Centre in November, he worked six furlongs over woodchip course at Miho Dec. 15, completing the final furlong :11.9.

Yu Ota, assistant to Tetsuya Kimura said, “He ran well in the Sapporo Nisai S., even though he was a bit too relaxed. Returning from the farm recently, he looks sharp, and the jockey reports the horse to be in good shape in training. With two wins over 1,800 meters, there shouldn't be any problem over a mile.”

Geoglyph will be accompanied by Christophe Lemaire, who has ridden the colt in both prior starts.

Looking for his first group title, Danon Scorpion (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) graduated at Hanshin in June before adding that track's Listed Hagi S. (1800m) in October. Trainer Takayuki Yasuda explained, “He is a very talented horse. He also has lots of scope.”

In a recent work over the woodchip course at Ritto Training Centre, the bay covered six furlongs, with the final furlong completed in :12.1 seconds under jockey Kohei Matsuyama.

“He moved better than last week. He showed great acceleration and he is fit going into the race,” said Matsuyama.

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