Looking to make it back-to-back successes in the world's richest horse race following the stunning all-the-way victory by Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) last February are Japan's champion dirt horse Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid); reigning G1 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}); Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), last year's G2 UAE Derby hero and runner-up to White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic; and the MGSW/MG1SP Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro).

Lightly raced for a 6-year-old, with just 14 starts under his belt, Lemon Pop won last year's G1 February S. and ventured overseas for the first time for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. An outpaced 10th behind Sibelius (Not This Time), the chestnut successfully stepped up in trip and wired the G1 Champions Cup in his first try over nine furlongs last December. Connections have opted for the path of greater resistance for his seasonal debut a week from Saturday.

“There's going to be plenty of competition there and that nine furlongs will test him now because we're not absolutely sure that's his best distance,” Godolphin Japan President Harry Sweeney told the TDN's Emma Berry in a recent interview. “But anyway, the option really is either to stay at home in Japan and run in the February S….or to go abroad and run in the Saudi Cup. So that's what we're doing.”

Say hello to four of Team Japan's G1 Saudi Cup contenders!

LEMON POP #レモンポップ
DERMA SOTOGAKE #デルマソトガケ
USHBA TESORO #ウシュバテソーロ
MEISHO HARIO #メイショウハリオ#サウジカップ | #競馬 | @JRA_WorldRacing pic.twitter.com/iloUlALcVU

— The Saudi Cup (@thesaudicup) February 15, 2024

A field of 16 will be drawn Friday for Sunday's February S., a 'Win and You're In' challenge race that offers a berth in the field for the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. But while the February does not lack for quantity, the racing calendar dictates that the country's stars are elsewhere.

“In truth, [the Saudi Cup] hurts the February S. a little bit, which is only one of two Grade 1 races in the JRA calendar on dirt,” Sweeney opined. So you have horses like Lemon Pop, Ushba Tesoro, Derma Sotogake all going to Saudi. Whereas in a different era they would all run in the February S.”

The Japanese have been major players in the brief history of the Saudi Cup races, and their other main chances include defending champion Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint; Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) in the G3 Saudi Derby; and Remake (Jpn) (Lani), who will try to improve on his third-place effort in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

The American representatives also touched down in Riyadh late Wednesday evening, including the Saudi Cup-bound White Abarrio, National Treasure (Quality Road) and Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming).

Three of Team USA's G1 Saudi Cup contenders arriving to quarantine at @JCSA_Racing.

SAUDI CROWN
WHITE ABARRIO
NATIONAL TREASURE #TheSaudiCup | – pic.twitter.com/XMtfiinzPl

— The Saudi Cup (@thesaudicup) February 15, 2024

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Meisho Hario bounced alertly from gate four, but drifted back through the field, as Silk Racing's well-backed Promised Warrior (Jpn) (Majestic Warrior) made the running. Crown Pride, the 2022 G2 UAE Derby winner, landed in the box seat for Yuga Kawada, while T O Keynes raced in that one's slipstream a few lengths in arrears. Riding for luck into the straight, Kawada sent Crown Pride through inside of a weakening Promised Warrior with a furlong to travel and set sail for the wire, but Meisho Hario kept grinding away farther out into the track and got the better of the bobber.

Meisho Hario returned 18-1 when besting mutliple G1 Dubai World Cup placer Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in this event 12 months ago and closed the season with a third to future World Cup hero Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in the Dec. 29 G1 Tokyo Daishoten over Wednesday's course and distance. An excellent third to Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) in the G1 February S. Feb. 19, Meisho Hario was exiting a victory in the Listed Kashiwa Kinen at NAR Funabashi May 4.

A half-brother to T O Royal, third to Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the 2022 G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over 3200 metres, Meisho Hario has a 2-year-old half-brother by Drefong, a yearling half-brother by Bricks and Mortar and a half-sister by Rey de Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) foaled May 17. Third dam Amizette (Forty Niner), a full-sister to former Japanese-based stallion Twining and a half to American champion Althea, produced European MGSW King of Rome (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and US GSW/GISP Super Espresso (Medaglia d'Oro).

Wednesday's Results:
TEIO SHO (Jpn-G1)-Listed, ¥136,000,000 (£745,008/€862,648/$941,392), Oi, 6-28, 4yo/up, 2000m, 2:01.90, gd.
1–MEISHO HARIO (JPN), 126, h, 6, Pyro–Meisho Ohi (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). O-Yoshio Matsumoto; B-Mishima Bokujo;   T-Inao Okada; J-Suguru Hamanaka; ¥80,000,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW & MG1SP-Jpn, 22-9-2-4, ¥451,305,000. *1/2 to T O Royal (Leontes {Jpn}), GSW & G1SP-Jpn, $1,322,843.
2–Crown Pride (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Reach the Crown (Jpn)–Emmy's Pride (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Teruya Yoshida; B-Shadai Farm; ¥28,000,000.
3–T O Keynes (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Sinister Minister–Maxim Cafe (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). O-Tomoya Ozasa; B-Yanagawa Bokujo; ¥16,000,000.
Margins: NO, HD, 4. Odds: 2.90, 6.30, 2.00.
Click for the goracing.jp chart.

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