Japan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Japan: 2-Year-Olds Tackle Classic Distance In Saturday’s Hopeful Stakes

The year 2020 goes out with a bang this coming weekend, which will be a 'double' Grade 1 weekend at Nakayama Racecourse, kicking off with the Hopeful Stakes on Saturday (Dec. 26). The race for 2-year-olds (excluding geldings) was made a Grade 1 contest in 2017, and gives the young colts a chance to test their ability over 2,000 meters (1 1/4 miles), with a view to running in next year's Classics, the first of which for colts is run over the same course and distance as the Hopeful Stakes, on the inner turf track at Nakayama.

There have been 18 nominations for a maximum 18 runner field, as the competition heats up to follow in the footsteps of some big-name winners of the race that have included the likes of Victoire Pisa (2009), Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia (2012), Rey de Oro (2016), and just last year Contrail, to name but a few.

Here's a look at some of the colts expected to make the starting line-up:

Danon the Kid: The unbeaten colt by Just a Way ran out a good winner of the Grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes last time, when he was sent off favorite. He won his only other race on his debut at Hanshin in June over 1,800 meters. Trainer Takayuki Yasuda, who made headlines in Hong Kong recently with Danon Smash, might have another big race success here. He was pleased with Danon the Kid's recent work at Ritto Training Center.

“The jockey said the horse was relaxed, and I thought he was moving well during that piece of training,” said the trainer.

Yoho Lake: Another colt who lays his unbeaten record on the line here is the Northern Farm bred Yoho Lake. By Deep Impact, he's been favorite in both his races so far, and his latest win came in the Shigiku Sho over 2,000 meters at Kyoto in October, when the soft ground wasn't an issue for him. Jockey Yutaka Take will ride him in this next race.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi commented: “He worked well recently on the woodchip course at Ritto, and picked up well from the third and fourth corners. I think he'll be well suited by the 2,000 meters at Nakayama.”

Orthoclase: The well bred colt by Epiphaneia out of Marialite would certainly please trainer Takashi Kubota if he can continue winning in the style of his dam, who has provided the trainer with his two Grade 1 victories to date. Coming off a win in the Listed Ivy Stakes over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in October, Orthoclase will be ridden by the jockey that won on him in his debut race at Sapporo in August, this year's champion rider Christophe Lemaire.

Land of Liberty: An easy winner last time in the Fuyo Stakes over the Hopeful Stakes course and distance in October, the Deep Impact colt bred at Shadai Farm will endeavor to give jockey Kosei Miura a well deserved first JRA G1 victory. He's ridden the horse in his two career wins from the same number of starts, and connections will be hoping the winning streak can continue.

Admire Sage: Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi could well have two runners in the race, with Admire Sage by no means looking like his second string here. The Duramente colt posted a strong final three-furlong time (33.4 seconds) in his last race, the Kigiku Sho over 2,000 meters at Hansin in November, which he won to make it two wins from two starts.

Titleholder: Another colt by Duramente, his earnings are already about equal to his sale price at the 2018 Select Sale. Jockey Keita Tosaki has ridden him in both his races so far, winning on the horse's debut over 1,800 meters at Nakayama in October, and finishing second to Danon the Kid in the Grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes.

Chevalier Rose: It's three starts two wins for Chevalier Rose, a colt by Deep Impact. He won his last race, the Listed Hagi Stakes over 1,800 meters at Kyoto in October, as well as winning on his debut at Hanshin in June. He's trained by Hisashi Shimizu, who enjoyed seven Grade 1 successes with Kitasan Black. Chevalier Rose worked under jockey Yuichi Kitamura at Ritto on the 16th, and posted a six-furlong time of 81.2 seconds, finishing off the final furlong in 12.0 seconds.

“He moved well in that piece of work and his times were good. The jockey also reported him to be in good condition,” said the trainer.

The post Japan: 2-Year-Olds Tackle Classic Distance In Saturday’s Hopeful Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Notable US-Breds in Japan: Dec. 19 & 20, 2020

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses, the latter of which plays host to the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S.:

Saturday, December 19, 2020
7th-HSN, ¥13,830,000 ($134k), Allowance, 2yo, 1800m
FRANCE GO DE INA (c, 2, Will Take Charge–Dreamy Blues, by Curlin) was a sound fourth behind next-out Cattleya Sho hero Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) in a 1300-meter newcomers’ event at Toyko Nov. 7 before switching to this track and distance to post a convincing maiden-breaking victory Nov. 28 (see below, #10). A $100K Keeneland September yearling, the chestnut is out of a half-sister to GSW Shawklit Mint (Air Forbes Won) and is the early 6-5 favorite to take this next step. B-Betz, Kidder, B & K Canetti & Jim Betz (KY)

Sunday, December 20, 2020
6th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($130k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
BLACK LOTUS (c, 2, American Pharoah–Arravale, by Arch) is the latest to make the races from his dam, Canada’s Horse of the Year and Sovereign Award-winning turf female of 2006, whose victories included the GI E.P. Taylor S. at home and the GI Del Mar Oaks south of the border. The dam of GSP Nancy O (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), Arravale was purchased by John Moores and Charles Noell’s Merribelle Stable for $490K in foal to Animal Kingdom at KEENOV in 2016. Black Lotus, who could become his sire’s 10th Japanese winner, was a $200K KEESEP purchase. B-Merribelle Stable (KY)

The post Notable US-Breds in Japan: Dec. 19 & 20, 2020 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Red Belle Aube Rates Slight Edge in Asahi Hai Futurity

Red Belle Aube (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looks to give his legendary late sire a fourth winner of the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. in the last seven years as he takes on 15 other rivals in the 1600-metre event that will go some way towards determining year-end honors.

Bred from an Unbridled’s Song mare just like Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Red Belle Aube has won two in a row since dropping his career debut, including the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. over this course and distance Nov. 14 in which he just outgamed Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the final furlong. Red Belle Aube’s full-brother Red Bel Jour (Jpn) won last year’s Daily Hai Nisai S. before finishing 10th in this test.

“He’s not so different than he was for his last race, but he is getting bigger,” said his jockey Yuichi Fukunaga. “He’s got speed which should see him do well here over a mile, although like his brother, there is a slightly difficult side to him.”

Shock Action (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), a 65,000gns purchase by Paca Paca Farm on behalf of Godolphin’s Japanese arm at the 2018 Tattersalls December foal sale, broke his maiden at second asking and became his young sire’s first local group winner when taking out the G3 Niigata Nisai S. by a handy 1 3/4 lengths Aug. 30.

Mondreise (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), whose sire was responsible for the recently retired 2018 Asahi Hai winner Admire Mars (Jpn), looms an interesting longshot price with Christophe Lemaire at the controls. No worse than second in his four starts to date, the bay colt steps up in class off a neck defeat of Lord Max (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. (1400m) at Tokyo Nov. 7.

Dura Mondo (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), whose sire is in the thick of the battle for leading Japanese freshman sire, is undefeated from two runs and faces a stiff class test Sunday, but is well backed to negotiate the jump.

Stella Veloce (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) is well in the markets off a convincing three-length success in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup at headquarters Oct. 10 when he seemed to relish soft underfoot conditions.

The post Red Belle Aube Rates Slight Edge in Asahi Hai Futurity appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

She Stands Out: Undefeated Sodashi Tops Sunday’s Hashin Juvenile Fillies

This coming Sunday and next, the Japan Racing Association turns the spotlight onto the budding talent in this season's 2-year-olds and it's ladies first with the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on Dec. 13, followed by the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes the week after, also at Hanshin Racecourse.

The 72nd Hanshin Juvenile Fillies sees 20 fillies nominated for a full deck of 18 with many of those set to take on their first top-level race having only a few starts underneath their belts – some only one. The runners will carry 54kg over 1,600 meters (one mile) on the outer turf course at Hanshin, located west of Osaka in neighboring Hyogo Prefecture.

The early favorites for the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies are:

Sodashi: Don't let the looks fool you. There's more to Sodashi than the color of her coat – a lot more. The daughter of gray Japanese dirt legend Kurofune, Sodashi heads to the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies as the widely expected betting favorite. The Naosuke Sugai-trained filly, 3-for-3 since her July debut, is on the cusp of making unique history. Should she win on Sunday, Sodashi will become the first white-colored horse to win a Grade 1 race in Japan.

“The white really stands out on grass,” Sugai said. “I think she's turning into a real star.”

Out of the King Kamehameha dam Buchiko, Sodashi is already the first white to win a graded turf race and to have multiple graded victories. The trainer has kept her at the stable since her previous start on Oct. 31, the Grade 3 Artemis Stakes at Tokyo, and is pleased with the way Sodashi has been.

“We like to keep her close because she can be sensitive,” Sugai said. “But physically, she's very stable.”

The only jockey Sodashi knows, Hayato Yoshida, worked her himself in the three weeks leading up to the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and is giving his partner a thumbs up.

“She took the bit on her own on the straight. She was the one leading me,” Yoshida said after last week's fast work. “She's been sharp since the week before and I think she'll be in similar form compared to her last race.”

Yoshida knows a thing or two about whites; he is the JRA's all-time leader with six wins aboard white horses. Sodashi has taken the race to the competition in all three of her races and Yoshida is expecting more of the same this weekend.

“They're all very sensitive and high maintenance,” he said of white horses. “You do need to be careful with them but with her, that sensitive side is bringing out the best in her. She breaks well and is super responsive when you tell her to go. She's really smart and a very complete racehorse.”

Working in Sodashi's favor is Sugai's track record; the trainer has won two of the three Hanshin Juvenile Fillies he entered in the past – with Robe Tissage and Red Reveur in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Victory for Sodashi would make her the race's 13th unbeaten champion. Sugai is optimistic that she will come through and then some.

“I hope she passes all the tests that are thrown at her, but one by one. She needs to go through that to become a better racehorse,” he said. “We just want her to race the way she's capable of and if she wins, great. And as a result of that, if interest in racing increases, you couldn't ask for more.”

Meikei Yell: Sodashi won't be the only horse in this year's field eyeing a fourth successive win. Coming off victory in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes last month after her August debut, Meikei Yell will be taking the first steps in following her dad – new stud Mikki Isle, the JRA's 2016 Sprinter of the Year – on what will hopefully be a path to future stardom.

“The performances have been good in all three wins,” trainer Hidenori Take said. “There was an unstable side to her at one point but ever since her last start, the appetite is there and she's added some weight. All in all, this is the best I've seen her yet.”

If Take's last name rings a bell, he is part of Japanese racing's royal family heralded by Yutaka – the great jockey and the trainer's parents are cousins. Yutaka, who has ridden Meikei Yell in her last two races, likes what he sees in the filly – and he has ridden his share of some really good ones, unquestionably – which must be sweet music to Hidenori's ears.

“The most important thing is she won both races. She had a hard time settling, especially in the last race. So that is an area she needs work. Your average horse though wouldn't have won – but she did. Which speaks to a lot about her quality, her upside. She just runs really hard. But as long as she can stay under control then she has every chance. I've known Hide since we were kids, our parents are cousins. Would be great to win a Grade 1 race together.”

As noted by Yutaka, the key for Meikei Yell will be patience. The filly has been a little over aggressive than one would like in her three victories, having yet to run longer than 1,400 meters. The 200 meters that will be added in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies will likely not be an advantage but the trainer has been encouraged by what he has seen in the run-up to the race.

“She has looked good in the workouts,” he said. “We will push her over the weekend and breeze during the week as usual. I hope practice does translate into results. She's physically sound and a good all-round horse. She hasn't filled out yet but I'm excited by the prospect. She's classy and gorgeous – almost like an actress. A win here hopefully will really get her name out there.”

Satono Reinas: From the tag team of Sakae Kunieda and Christophe Lemaire that brought you Almond Eye brings you Satono Reinas, by Deep Impact out of Balada Sale – who captured the Argentinian equivalent of the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and Japanese Oaks in 2011. Satono Reinas, 2-for-2 going into this weekend including a win in the Saffron Sho, is the full sister to Satono Flag who placed third in this season's Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) – won by then unbeaten Triple Crown winner Contrail.

While it would be downright unfair to compare the 2-year-old Satono Reinas to her former stablemate Almond Eye, you know you have something special on your hands when compliments come from the jockey who rode the winningest thoroughbred in JRA history.

“She was a little uncertain and childish on her debut but the second time, she was all business,” Lemaire said. “There was a lot we had to work through when she travelled but she finished the race very strongly. I wouldn't expect anything less from the Kunieda Stable. She gets better and better and this being her third race, I'm sure this will be the best of her yet. She seems to have a real upside and I'm sure she'll handle the outer course at Hanshin just fine. I'm looking forward to it.”

It goes without saying that it is hard to read into a horse after just two starts. Not to mention it will be the first time Satono Reinas will be traveling outside of greater Tokyo and racing at Hanshin. Kunieda, though, remains confident of his latest prodigy.

“She's come along nicely so far and I think she'll be in the form she needs to be in for a Grade 1 race,” the trainer said. “She shouldn't be too different on the scale but she'll look sharper because she's taller. She won a couple of races in a row at the mile but would be even better if she had an extra 200 meters. A slightly gentler pace will probably be perfect for her.”

The post She Stands Out: Undefeated Sodashi Tops Sunday’s Hashin Juvenile Fillies appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post